Oscar-winning film maker Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson is directing a new documentary on the iconic funk, soul and R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire.
The Roots frontman announced the news via Instagram, in a post aptly published on the 21st night of September, referencing the group’s 1978 hit ‘September’.
The “definitive story of the elements”, as Questlove calls it, will be “Coming in 2025”.
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Currently untitled, the film sets out to chronicle the band’s history, exploring their immense cultural impact and legacy along the way.
“Having been baptized in the Afrocentric joy river of this powerhouse unit, I’ve learned about them, I’ve learned about us & more importantly I’ve learned about and rediscovered myself in the process,” Questlove says in the post, adding that he is excited to play a part in “preserving their positive but VERY vulnerable and real story of Soul, Self & Struggle”.
With full support from Earth, Wind & Fire and exclusive access to their visual, audio, and written archives, Questlove will tell the “story of how a band led by a genius from Chicago changed our way of thinking, our minds and our hearts”.
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Formed by the late Maurice White in 1969, Earth, Wind & Fire are one of the most influential and successful bands of all time, selling over 90 million records worldwide, releasing 11 albums that went Gold or Platinum and achieving six GRAMMY awards for hits like ‘Shining Star,’ ‘Let’s Groove,’ ‘Reasons’ and, of course, ‘September.’ They were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
White’s son, Kahbran White, has been enlisted as one of the film’s executive producers.
Remaining members, Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson said in a joint statement: “We look forward to this in-depth journey of our band, and are so excited to have Questlove directing the documentary.”
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Questlove, who himself is a successful recording artist with six GRAMMY awards under his belt, made his directorial debut in 2021 with Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), an archived-based documentary about a festival that took place in Harlem, New York, during the summer of 1969. The film went on to win an Academy Award, a BAFTA, Film Independent Spirit award, Peabody award and the Sundance grand jury prize.
Questlove also acted as executive producer on The League by Sam Pollard, and Sundance award winner Descendant, from Emmy-nominee Margaret Brown.
And if that wasn’t enough, the prolific creative polymath is currently working on a documentary about the life and work of Sly Stone from Sly and the Family Stone, and producing another on J Dilla.
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He also co-wrote Hip-Hop Is History, published in June this year, a book exploring ‘the creative and cultural forces that made and shaped hip-hop’.
The recent announcement of the forthcoming documentary comes just weeks before Earth, Wind & Fire start their residency at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.
Meena Sears is Mixmag’s Digital Intern, follow her on Instagram
