Soundtrack to Questlove's acclaimed Sly & The Family Stone documentary released

Questlove and Legacy Recordings have released the soundtrack to SLY LIVES! (aka the Burden of Black Genius), a documentary about the boundary-pushing band Sly & The Family Stone.

While the digital version was released today, February 13, to all streaming platforms, the physical CD and LP versions will be released on Friday, May 19, and are available for pre-order.

The soundtrack comprises the bands signature hits. While some of the songs are the original recordings (e.g., 'Hot Fun in the Summertime'), there are ten previously unreleased tracks: seven rare, alternate versions (like 'Trip to Your Heart'), and three new edits by Questlove and Brooklyn-based producer and DJ J. PERIOD ('Everyday People').

The documentary, directed by Questlove, premiered on January 25 at the Sundance Film Festival to widespread critical acclaim. It follows the band's rise to fame, its cultural impact—the band are often credited to have pushed forward the genres of pop and soul music, among others—and its posterior decline.

Sly & The Family Stone are also often considered the first major American group to have a racially integrated mixed-gender line-up. The setback faced by successful Black artists in America at the time is also a part of the documentary.

The documentary features a considerable amount of celebrity cameos, including André 3000, D’Angelo, Nile Rogers, Chaka Khan, George Clinton, Q-Tip, and Clive Davis. The feature is Questlove's second documentary of the year, after Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music, co-directed with Oz Rodriguez, was released last January.

Questlove is known for being a co-founder of the three-time Grammy-winning hip hop band The Roots. He is also enjoying a successful directorial career after his debut documentary, Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

For more information about pre-ordering SLY LIVES! (aka the Burden of Black Genius), you can click here.