Independent Lens We Want The Funk! (Season 26, Episode 15)
TV Episode | 80 min | Documentary

Independent Lens

We Want The Funk! (Season 26, Episode 15)

TV Episode | 80 min | Documentary

A musical journey exploring funk's evolution from African, soul and jazz origins through James Brown, Parliament Funkadelic, Labelle and Fela Kuti, showing its impact on new wave and hip-hop.

Directors

Nicole London (directed by) | Stanley Nelson

Producer

Stanley Nelson (producer)

Editors

Trevor Banks (associate editor) | Mark Fason | Richard Lowe

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Edit Released

Updated Apr 8, 2025

Release date

Apr 8, 2025 (United States)

Awards

Series awards

Won 1 Primetime Emmy Award. Another 47 wins & 76 nominations

Contacts

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Cast	+ Add Cast
32 cast members

Name	Known for
Marcus Miller Self Self See fewer	Marshall (2017)
Carlos Alomar Self Self See fewer	15 Minutes (2001)
Robert 'Kool' Bell Self Self See fewer	2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
David Bowie Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Labyrinth (1986)
Todd Boyd Self (as Dr. Todd Boyd) Self (as Dr. Todd Boyd) See fewer	The Wood (1999)
James Brown Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Blues Brothers (1980)
David Byrne Self Self See fewer	True Stories (1986)
George Clinton Self Self See fewer	Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus (2017)
Don Cornelius Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)
Kirk Franklin Self Self See fewer	Norbit (2007)
Larry Graham Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Many Saints of Newark (2021)
Fredara Hadley Self Self See fewer	Gospel (2024)
Nona Hendryx Self Self See fewer	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
Elton John Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
Jamon Jordan Self Self See fewer	No Sudden Move (2021)
Jason King Self Self See fewer	Piece by Piece (2024)
Fela Kuti Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Harder They Fall (2021)
Donna Murch Self Self See fewer	Frank Serpico (2017)
Mark Anthony Neal Self Self See fewer	Being Mary Jane (2013)
Barack Obama Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Leave the World Behind (2023)
Prince Paul Self Self See fewer	Baby Driver (2017)
Questlove Self Self See fewer	Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)
Donnie Simpson Self Self See fewer	Krush Groove (1985)
Sly Stone Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Stealth (2005)
Mikki Taylor Self Self See fewer	What's Eating Harlem (2014)
Kymberlee Thornton Self Self See fewer	The Fixer (2025)
Roger Troutman Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Venom (2018)
Michael Veal Self Self See fewer	Fela
Rickey Vincent Self Self See fewer	Great Performances (1971)
Jeanette Washington Self Self See fewer	PBS News Hour (1975)
Melissa Weber Self Self See fewer	Big Chief, Black Hawk (2021)
Fred Wesley Self Self See fewer	Undercover Brother (2002)