Although they are linked with Ridley Scott‘s American Gangster, the news that Ron Howardwould be directing a documentary on Jay-Z was a bit peculiar. Nonetheless, things are moving ahead to capture the hip-hop icon at his Made in America music festival, which kicks off on September 1st in Philadelphia and includes acts like Pearl Jam, Passion Pit, Dirty Projects, Odd Future, Drake, Run-DMC, Skrillex, Rick Ross, Janelle Monáe, Chris Cornell and more.
More details are now coming together thanks to producer Brian Grazer. Speaking with Rolling Stone he added that the film will include may elements of the star’s personal journey, from “overcoming a rough upbringing” to “transforming himself into a successful rapper and businessman.” He said, “I think that’s what I’m gonna do. There’s sort of a creation element.” But it will still focus heavily on the music and the specific event, saying he wants to pinpoint “what the meaning of the festival is, why Jay is doing it and how he relates to each artist.”
Although we have films like Fade to Black, and a few other concert documentaries surrounding the icon, I’m curious to see a different side as we learn how Jay-Z curated this event. As we’ve seen in recent documentaries involving Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and more, the mix of concert and personal story seems to be popular. I’m not hoping for a Don’t Look Back-esque classic, but with the talent behind the camera, it should be worth looking forward to.
What do you want to see in a Howard-directed Jay-Z doc?