Clarence Avant is a legend, an icon to entertainers and athletes from around the world. And the brand new Netflix documentary The Black Godfather charts the exceptional and unlikely rise of Avant, a music executive whose trailblazing behind-the-scenes accomplishments impacted the legacies of icons such as Bill Withers, Quincy Jones, Muhammad Ali, Hank Aaron, and Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Driven by a sense of equality, loyalty, and justice, Avant left the Jim Crow south behind to emerge as a powerhouse negotiator at a time when deep-seated racism penetrated every corner of America. Avant defied notions of what a black executive could do, redefining the industry for entertainers and executives of color, and leaving a legacy of altruism for others to emulate.
Reginald Hudlin directs, and the documentary features interviews with Snoop Dogg, P. Diddy, Lionel Richie, Suzanne de Passe, David Geffen, Jerry Moss, Cicely Tyson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Jamie Foxx, among others, The Black Godfather pulls the curtain back on the maestro himself, projecting a spotlight on the man who’s spent his entire career ensuring that it shined on others.
To celebrate the release, Pharrell has released a brand new original song, “Letter To My Godfather. ” Written by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, as featured in the Netflix Original Documentary The Black Godfather, you can listen to the song below: