This is Fresh Air. I'm Terry Gross. Today, Amir Questlove Thompson new documentary called

Sly Lives, aka The Burden of Black Genius,

is about the impact of Sly Stone

and has banned Sly and the Family Stone on music and culture.

Sly got his start as a DJ, and record producer in the early 1960s,

formed a multiracial band with his brother, sister, and other musicians,

and went on to record hits like, Everyday People, Dance to the Music, Family Affair, and Stand.

Their music influenced Prince, George Clinton and Funkadelic, the Ohio players,

Earthwind and Fire, and many hip-hop artists. The film also covers the problems that came along

with fame and drugs that took Slide Down. It premiered at Sundance last month and started streaming

on Hulu Thursday, February 13th.

Questlove is the co-founder of the hip-hop band The Roots, which is the house band for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. If you feel as if you just heard him on our show, you did when we talked

about his other new documentary focused on Saturday Night Live's music guests and music sketches

over the past 50 years.

That one's called, Ladies and Gentlemen, 50 Years of S&L Music.

Questlove's 2021 documentary, Summer of Soul, featuring performances from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival,

won an Oscar for Best Documentary.

So let's talk about your slide documentary.

I really love this film.

I want to start with a song, and it's their first big hit.

It's Dance to the Music.

It's so catchy, and I'd like you to point out what makes this song special in its moment, which was 1967 or eight?

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