An upcoming Rick James documentary, Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James is set to take an “intimate yet propulsive look at Rick James, one of rock, funk and R&B’s most legendary and often under-appreciated figures.”

“The documentary presents a full picture of James’ dramatic rise and fall, focusing in on the ‘Punk-Funk’ music he left behind,” the synopsis notes.

The film will remember James, who died in August 2004 aged 56, with extraordinary rare live footage, as well as “never-before-seen home video, original interviews with legendary artists, collaborators and friends, and a treasure trove of recorded interviews with James.”

A teaser for the film focuses on how James revolutionized funk music to create pop hits, unsurpassed by his peers at the time, with Bootsy Collins commenting: “All is fair in funk and war.” Watch below. 

Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James

Director, Sacha Jenkins, said in a statement: “The ‘wild’ side of Rick James often eclipses his musical genius, but the mathematical equation that is his life depends on all of the numbers to make a whole.”

“Our aim was to create a balanced portrait of a brilliant artist who both chased his dreams and stalked more than a few demons. Still, his influence on funk and popular music and culture is unparalleled, and his eventual rise to the top is easily more compelling than any freebase rush.”

An official release date for Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James is yet to be announced. 

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