Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, who directed the new documentary “Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius),” has shared a remembrance of the subject of his film, Sly Stone. The 82 year-old died of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and other underlying health issues.
“Sly was a giant — not just for his groundbreaking work with the Family Stone, but for the radical inclusivity and deep human truths he poured into every note,” the Roots drummer wrote on Instagram. “His songs weren’t just about fighting injustice; they were about transforming the self to transform the world. He dared to be simple in the most complex ways — using childlike joy, wordless cries, and nursery rhyme cadences to express adult truths. His work looked straight at the brightest and darkest parts of life and demanded we do the same.”
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As songwriter, producer, arranger, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and showman, Stone and his group Sly and the Family Stone dominated the top of the charts with energetic singles and albums. His life and career were documented in Questlove’s film, which also features unfiltered commentary from multiple Black artists about the pressures that come with success.
“Yes, Sly battled addiction,” Questlove continued in Monday’s statement. “Yes, he disappeared from the spotlight. But he lived long enough to outlast many of his disciples, to feel the ripples of his genius return through hip-hop samples, documentaries, and his memoir.” He continued, highlighting two lines spoken and sung by Stone — “We deserve everything we get in this life,” and “‘the eternal cry of ‘Everyday People’: ‘We got to live together!’”
Questlove writes, “Once idealistic, now I hear it as a command. Sly’s music will likely speak to us even more now than it did then. Thank you, Sly. You will forever live.” Besides his children with Silva and Robinson, Stone is survived by another daughter, L.A. musician Novena Carmel.
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