Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told, the upcoming Hulu documentary, has dropped its first trailer.
Some of the top hip hop artists, including Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell, Jermaine Dupri, 21 Savage, Lil Jon and Killer Mike share their experiences of Freaknik, the iconic Atlanta street party that became a cultural touchpoint. Other documentary subjects include Too $hort, CeeLo Green, Kenny Burns, Rasheeda, Jalen Rose, Shanti Das, Marc Lamont Hill, Sharon Toomer Amadj Boon and Tony Towns, among many others.
Freaknik changed Atlanta forever and redefined hip-hop and rap’s influence in the south. It also has become the specter of bad decisions as participants remember how the party had a culture of dangerous and hardcore escapades.
According to the synopsis:
From Executive Producers Luke Campbell, Jermaine Dupri and 21 Savage, and masterfully crafted by Mass Appeal & Swirl Films, Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told is a celebratory exploration of the boisterous times of Freaknik, the iconic Atlanta street party that drew hundreds of thousands of people in the 80s and 90s, helping put Atlanta on the map culturally. What began as a Black college cookout, soon became known for lurid tales of highway hookups and legendary late-night parties that ultimately led to the festival’s downfall. At its height, Freaknik was a traffic stopping, city-shuttering, juggernaut that has since become a cult classic. Rooted deep in its history of Civil Rights, thriving Black leadership, and focus on the uplifting of Black culture and education, Atlanta became the only place a festival like this could grow and thrive. Though it ceased over two decades ago, the infamous legacy still resonates through nostalgia and a new generation’s longing for a care-free platform that celebrates and promotes Black excellence, joy and fortitude.
Featuring appearances by 21 Savage, Lil Jon, Killer Mike, Jalen Rose, Too $hort, Shanti Das, former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Erick Sermon, CeeLo Green, Rico Wade, Kenny Burns and more, the film offers an intimate glimpse into an enduring legacy, while acknowledging the complexities it introduced into the social fabric and leaving an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of Atlanta and beyond.
Producers Nakia Byles and Jay Allen of Swirl Films told us exclusively to tell fans just how iconic the documentary will be. Byles said, “The documentary is legendary.”
“We believe in telling black stories,” Allen added. “This is a black story that we felt close to just because we’re close to 90’s R&B and we’re living in Atlanta.”
Mass Appeal produces with Swirl Films. Campbell, Dupri and 21 Savage serve as executive producers with Melissa Cooper, Alex Avant and Tresa Sanders. Geraldine L. Porras serves as showrunner and executive produces with director P. Frank Williams. Swirl Films’ Eric Tomosunas executive produces with Mass Appeal’s Peter Bittenbender.
Following its SXSW premiere, the film will drop on Hulu March 21.