Little Richard: I Am Everything

"And the best new artist is ... me! I have never received nothing." In 1988, Little Richard was invited to present a Grammy, but he took the moment to set things straight. The pioneer of rock & roll himself had never received a Grammy. It's just one of many stunning archival moments in Lisa Cortés' documentary Little Richard: I Am Everything. She shows us the tumultuous musical trajectory of the flamboyant singer, pianist and songwriter, but she also focuses on the evolution of his queerness. Just as Little Richard shuttled between sex, drugs and rock & roll on the one hand and deeply religious gospel at other times, he did not shy away from outing himself at one moment, while then bluntly declaring on television, "God made Adam to be with Adam with Eve not Steve." This docu lets us understand that it is this dichotomy that is the foundation of the flamboyant genius Little Richard.

“In perceiving Little Richard as a wild genius of Black and queer culture, Lisa Cortés' film sees him more clearly than ever. It’s a movie that understands, from the inside out, what a great and transgressive artist he was, how his starburst brilliance shifted the whole energy of the culture.” - Variety