"Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" unpacks the life, career and importance of the criminally-underrated Sly Stone and the band Sly and The Family Stone. Somebody once said "James Brown may have invented funk, but Sly Stone perfected it" but the music was only one part of the story. What the band and the music represented and the personal toll that took on Sly Stone are what this film is all about.
Here's how to watch "Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" from anywhere with a VPN.
"Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" arrives on Hulu in the U.S. on Thursday, February 13.
• U.S. — Hulu / Disney Plus Bundle
• Rest of the World — Disney Plus (dates TBA)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN risk-free
A multi-racial mixed gender band out of the San Francisco Bay area in 1966 - at the same time and close to the birthplace of the Black Panther Party - when the non-violence of Martin Luther King's civil rights movement still offered hope, Sly and the Family Stone soundtracked an era of remarkable turmoil with upbeat tracks like "Dance to the Music" and "Everyday People".
By 1969, MLK had fallen to a sniper's bullet and Sly and the Family Stone were one of the biggest bands in America and playing Woodstock. The expectation that followed, politically and personally - one that "Sly Lives!" suggests stalks black artists in particular - saw Stone (and his band) descend into hard drug abuse that rendered them unreliable and unpopular with gig promoters.
"There's A Riot Goin' On", the band's fifth album, emerged in 1971 amidst increasingly violent racial tension across the country and would be a much darker but brilliant return to form. The album would come to be seen as a high watermark when Stone and his Family eventually ran out of steam and broke-up in 1975. However, the line-up of names in this documentary happy to recognize the importance of their legacy includes Q-Tip, Chaka Khan, George Clinton and Nile Rodgers. Enough said.
Read on to see the ways you can watch "Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" online on streaming platforms the world over.
How to watch 'Sly Lives!! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)' online in the U.S.
"Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" is available to stream in full on Hulu from Thursday, February 13 in the U.S. Plans start from $7.99/month, and new users can get their first 7 days absolutely free.
You can subscribe to Hulu on its own or, for even better value, you can opt for the Disney Plus bundle. The package gets you access to the entire Hulu and Disney Plus catalogs from only $9.99/month. Or you can add live sport with ESPN Plus for only five bucks more.
And for anybody in the market for a full on cable replacement, all Hulu shows are included in the provider's Hulu + Live TV package. Prices start from $82.99/month, giving you access to more than 70 premium channels, together with content from Hulu, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.
Going abroad? Don't panic. Americans who are working away or on vacation can use their regular domestic streamer with the help of a VPN. We recommend NordVPN.
Watch 'Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)' from anywhere in the world
If "Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" isn't streaming where you're currently located, that doesn't mean you have to miss the documentary while you're away from home. With the right VPN (virtual private network), you can stream the show from wherever you are.
We've evaluated many options, and the best VPN you can get right now is NordVPN. It meets the VPN needs of the vast majority of users, offering outstanding compatibility with most devices and impressive connection speeds. You can try it risk-free for 30 days if you take advantage of NordVPN's no-quibble money-back guarantee.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the U.K. and want to view a U.S. service, you'd select a U.S. server from the location list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to your streaming service app — Hulu, for example — and watch "Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" online from wherever you are in the world.
Watch 'Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)' around the world
"Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" will almost certainly come to Disney Plus in territories outside the U.S., but no specific release dates are currently confirmed.
The Disney Plus price starts from CA$8.99/£4.99/AU$13.99/month.
'Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)' trailer
'Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)' - Contributors
- André 3000
- Chaka Khan
- George Clinton
- Clive Davis
- Nile Rodgers
- D'Angelo
- Q-Tip
- Jimmy Jam
- Terry Lewis
- Greg Errico
- Ruth Copeland
- Larry Graham (Band)
- Greg Errico (Band)
- Cynthia Robinson (Band)
- Phunne Robinson (Band)
- Novena Carmel (Band)
- Sylvester Stewart Jr. (Band)
'Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)' FAQ
What were Sly and the Family Stone's most famous songs?
GREATEST HITS - Track listing
I Want to Take You Higher
Everybody Is A Star (mono single master)
Stand
Life
Fun
You Can Make It If You Try
Dance To The Music
Everyday People
Hot Fun In The Summertime
M'Lady
Sing A Simple Song
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
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