'We Want the Funk!' explores the musical genre's influence

It didn’t take long for director Nicole London to jump on board the documentary, “We Want the Funk!”

“(Co-director) Stanley (Nelson) and I had worked on a documentary on Miles Davis about five years ago,” London says. “He had mentioned it at the time and the ball got rolling. Then the pandemic happened and for a time, it looked like it wasn’t going to happen. We got the green light and began working on the project.”

“We Want the Funk!” is airing under the Independent Lens umbrella at PBS.

The documentary will air at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.1. It will also be available to stream on the PBS app.

London says the documentary traces funk music’s African and gospel roots, from James Brown to Parliament-Funkadelic and beyond. She says the film delves into the genre’s influence on contemporary music, fashion and freedom of expression, as well as its role in the rise of hip-hop.

“This is a genre that spans decades,” London says. “From the early days to hip-hop music today, it’s always been a genre that has represented freedom.”

Nelson says the documentary is distinctly rooted in joy, funk music reflecting a post-Civil Rights Movement sensibility as it 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.

He says 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 New JBs, Robert ‘Kool’ Bell from Kool & The Gang, Marcus Miller, Nona Hendryx of Labelle, Kirk Franklin, David Byrne of the Talking Heads, DJ and Producer Prince Paul for De La Soul, along with additional perspectives from Questlove and Thomas DeFrantz.

“Music, especially funk, fosters social connection, provides a mental break from worries, and helps build resilience which allows us to cope with challenging situations,” says Lois Vossen, executive producer of Independent Lens. “We need the funk.”

The film also features archival interviews with musical icons, including James Brown, Elton John, David Bowie and more.

“Funk transcends the boundaries of genre and time, connecting to many musical and aesthetic styles in the present,” Nelson says. “To me, this documentary captures so much more than cultural history, since funk is very much alive — really ever since James Brown let the funk loose! I’m excited for audiences to experience the magic of this story — and, of course, feel the music.”

It’s been an honor to share the journey of funk music because it’s a story embedded in Black and American culture, London says.

“Bringing the energy of funk to a broader audience is an incredible experience, and I hope everyone embraces its magic and rhythm,” she says.

London continued, “Funk music is something that couldn’t have existed before the Civil Rights movement because there had to be a perceived amount of freedom,” London says. “You look at hip-hop and the songs have always been outspoken. To see Snoop Dogg or Ice Cube become family friendly, at one point they were enemies of the state because of what they were expressing in their music.”

Nelson says the subtext through the film is that people loved to dance. When it came to the editing process, there had to be a through line.

“We had an essential point for us in the documentary,” he explains. “We wanted to make sure people didn’t talk about funk as something that was hot in the 1970s. Funk is still around and heard in today’s music. It’s become a part of the cultural DNA. Funk is freedom.”

'We Want the Funk!' explores the musical genre's influence