The story of the black, gay origins of rock n' roll. It explodes the whitewashed canon of American pop music to reveal the innovator – the originator – Richard Penniman. Through a wealth of archive and performance that brings us into Richard's complicated inner world, the film unspools the icon's life story with all its switchbacks and contradictions.
Where to WatchAll options
Availability data from JustWatch
- Status
- Released
- Production
- Bungalow Media + Entertainment, CNN Films, Rolling Stone Films, Cortés Filmworks
Keywords
- artists' life
- biography
- rhythm and blues (r&b)
- black singer
- eccentric artist
- gospel singer
- portrait of an artist
- r&b artist
- artistic revolution
- male pianist
- egocentric artists
- gay artist
- life and career
- homosexual
- revolutionary singer
Links
Top Cast
Little Richard as Self (archive footage)
John Waters as Self
Mick Jagger as Self
Billy Porter as Self
Tom Jones as Self
Paul McCartney as Self (archive footage)
Nona Hendryx as Self
Valerie June as Self
Top Crew
Lisa Cortés · Director
Tamar-kali · Composer
Keith Walker · Cinematographer
Graham Willoughby · Cinematographer
Nyneve Laura Minnear · Editor
Photos
Reviews
Loading reviews…
More Like This
Supersonic
02 Oct 2016
Miss Americana
31 Jan 2020
Whitney
05 Jul 2018
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
27 Jul 2018
Music by John Williams
01 Nov 2024
Moonage Daydream
15 Sep 2022
Ozzy: No Escape from Now
07 Oct 2025
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
15 Jun 2012
Pavarotti
04 Jun 2019
The Last Waltz
26 Apr 1978
John Candy: I Like Me
04 Sep 2025
Thriller 40
02 Dec 2023
Maria by Callas
13 Dec 2017
It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley
08 Aug 2025
Spielberg
05 Oct 2017
The Greatest Night in Pop
19 Jan 2024
The Devil and Daniel Johnston
31 Mar 2006
My Mom Jayne
20 Jun 2025
QT8: The First Eight
21 Oct 2019
The Eyes of Orson Welles
17 Aug 2018