WE WANT THE FUNK! airs Sunday, May 4, at 10PM

Distinctly rooted in joy, funk music reflected a post-Civil Rights Movement sensibility. WE WANT THE FUNK! examines the symbiotic relationship between the explosion of funk music out of the Midwest and the political and racial dynamics in 1970s inner-city America. At the heart of the film are the first-hand stories, recollections, and experiences of the people who created and defined funk: George Clinton of Parliament-Funkadelic; Fred Wesley of The J.B.’s; Robert ‘Kool’ Bell from Kool & The Gang; Marcus Miller; Nona Hendryx of Labelle; Kirk Franklin; David Byrne of the Talking Heads; Prince Paul, DJ and Producer for De La Soul; along with additional perspectives from Questlove and Thomas DeFrantz. The film also features archival interviews with musical icons, including James Brown, Elton John, David Bowie, and more.

WE WANT THE FUNK! is a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music, spanning from African, soul, and early jazz roots to its rise into the public consciousness; the film explores how the rhythms and grooves of funk music can put us in a trance, reminding us that it’s a joy to be in the world and dance into a frenzy of freedom. As George Clinton says, “Free your mind and your ass will follow.”