On Netflix - I hadn't seen this yet (it's from 2018). Definitely worth watching if anyone else hasn't checked it out.

It's a little hagiographic/rose-colored - definitely celebratory, kind of like that Pavarotti doc that Ron Howard did last year -- although this is much, much better than that was. They don't gloss over Quincy's family and marriage struggles, which I appreciated, even if they could have dived a bit deeper -- I didn't want a tabloid piece but I think there is probably a bit more ground to be covered that is relevant to who he is as a person and an artist there?

But the goodness: framing it with the African American Smithsonian special was brilliant because it really puts some social context to his life's work and his personal bio. At the beginning, when he receives the invitation to plan it, he starts spouting a list of people to invite and literally every one of those mfs show up down to Colin Powell -- every where he went, he's just *that* guy that everyone knows, everyone has to say hi to, everyone has a history with, from the biggest established artists to the up and comers.

Seeing him talk real with Kendrick was cool, as well as Dre at the start.

But I think the best part about the whole thing was just seeing the total evolution and drive of the guy. To go from southside Chicago in the 30s with a schizophrenic mother and gangster-connected father to playing with Lionel Hamption when you're 18 to arranging and playing whole records for the greats just a few years later --- that alone would have been memorable career. But then to pivot in so many directions: film, multiple varieties of pop music, entertainment production. To be genuinely open to new modes of music and entertainment is another huge feat in itself. And to find his way to a type of humility ("ego is just overdressed insecurity") toward his later years -- it all gave me a new respect for his work for sure.

I do wish they had more footage of him actually *working* across the years though. Longer takes of him in the studio and whatnot. But lots of great stuff here, tons of interesting images and video - definitely recommended.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~