Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson reveals his own battle with imposter syndrome, especially during the success of his documentary, Summer of Soul. He emphasizes the unique pressures on Black artists regarding success, which he further explores in his film SLY LIVES! centering on Sly Stone. Questlove discusses how Sly's fame and subsequent struggles with addiction reflect a broader pattern of self-sabotage among Black musicians. Ultimately, the documentary aims to convey Sly's recovery journey and celebrates his enduring impact on music while questioning the psychological burdens of being a successful Black artist.
Even though my experience with Summer of Soul was one of the most magical, transformative moments of my life ... there's a fear of winning, because if you're too successful then you're singled out.
As with most Black artists, the guilt of being the chosen one, the guilt of being the winner sort of sets in, and Sly will be kind of the first domino in a long list of people that will self-sabotage a good thing.
I called the documentary SLY LIVES! because I wanted fans to know that the musical trailblazer has been clean for close to a decade and has been doing well.
Sly will invent the alphabet for which most of pop and R&B or Black music will write from for the next 60 years.
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