Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)

Sly Lives! is a 2025 American documentary film, directed by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson. It explores the life, career, and legacy of Sly and the Family Stone.
It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2025, and was released on February 13, 2025, on Hulu and Disney+.

Premise

Explores the life, career, and legacy of Sly and the Family Stone. Andre 3000, D'Angelo, Chaka Khan, Q-Tip, Nile Rodgers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Joel Selvin, George Clinton, Ruth Copeland, Dream Hampton, Mark Anthony Neal, and Clive Davis appear in the film.

Production

In February 2021, it was announced Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson would direct a documentary revolving around Sly and the Family Stone with Common set to executive produce.
In the making of the film, some interviews from Greg Zola's Small Talk About Sly and Michael Rubinstone's On the Sly: In Search of the Family Stone were used.
In January 2023, Onyx Collective and Hulu acquired the film.

Release

It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2025. It was released on February 13, 2025.

Reception

Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com gave the film three and a half out of four stars and wrote, "Sly Lives! isn't as eye-opening as Summer of Soul. But it's still a clear cut above your standard hagiographic music documentary. This film sees Sly as a three-dimensional person whose brilliance should neither absolve nor condemn him. It marvels at his genius and mourns the evaporation of his hitmaking talent. It is as vibrant, colorful, and catchy as any Sly and the Family Stone chart-topper."