It's Notes From America, I'm Kai Wright.

At the end of 1955, Little Richard put out a record that fully changed the world.

Was the first in a string of massive hits that launched Little Richard into global startup and that launched rock and roll

Into pop culture

The Beatles

Elvis the Rolling Stones

David Bowie

Just a long list of artists have openly acknowledged that Little Richard he gave them the template for both their music and their style

And more than that, he wrote a whole new set of rules for what it meant to be free for a generation of Americans

His own freedom, however, that is a much more complicated story

In a new documentary filmmaker Lisa Cortez tells that story a film is called Little Richard. I am everything

And it follows Richard Wayne Penamins wrestling match with both the joy and the pain

Of his unique trailblazing life as a black queer rock and roll star

Lisa, thank you so much for coming on the show. Thank you Kai. I'm excited to be in conversation with you

So what made you want to tell Little Richard story? Why'd you make this film?

When I started several years ago, I was intrigued that the story had not been told and I knew that there was great richness

But it's especially important right now, you know black and queer history is under attack

And if they're passing laws against the teaching of our history criminalizing drag performers

this has to provide a counterpoint

To a narrative that is trying to erase

those parts of our culture

And it's very timely right now

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