The story of the black, gay origins of rock n' roll. It explodes the whitewashed canon of American pop music to reveal the innovator – the originator – Richard Penniman. Through a wealth of archive and performance that brings us into Richard's complicated inner world, the film unspools the icon's life story with all its switchbacks and contradictions.

Little Richard
as Self (archive footage)

John Waters
as Self

Mick Jagger
as Self

Billy Porter
as Self

Tom Jones
as Self

Paul McCartney
as Self (archive footage)

Nona Hendryx
as Self

Valerie June
as Self

Nile Rodgers
as Self

Fredara Hadley
as Self
CinemaSerf
I admit to not really knowing so much about this enigmatic and flamboyant man, and I found this effort from Lisa Cortes to be quite an engaging and enlightening introduction. Using a mix of actuality and some soundbites, we are presented with an observational documentary of an outwardly gay man who ...
Brent Marchant
Sometimes it takes a movie to help set the record straight. And, when it comes to designating who truly is the king of rock ’roll, this documentary from director Lisa Cortes does just that. Richard Wayne Penniman – professionally known as Little Richard (1932-2020) – burst onto the pop music scene i...