Icons Of Soul, R&B, Hip Hop, Blues, World Music, And Rock 'N Roll Converge At Tribeca

Stars of the stage talk it out and rock it out at a series of discussions and performances at Tribeca 2017. Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Earth Wind & Fire, Barry Manilow, Carly Simon, Dionne Warwick, Mura Masa, Taj Mahal and the Wyland Blues Planet Band, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Mase, Lil' Kim, Faith Evans, Common and Johnny Rotten all light up the stage.

Question: When is a film festival not just film festival? Answer: When it’s a music festival, too! This year’s lineup continues the Tribeca Film Festival’s long tradition of bringing musical legends and audiences together for once-in-a-lifetime movie-and-music events with screenings followed by companion concerts, performances and talks.

The 16th edition of the Festival kicks off at Radio City Music Hall with the opening night premiere of Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives, chronicling the career and legacy of the fabled record exec and followed by a concert from some of the legends he helped create, including Aretha Franklin and Carly Simon.

Other highlights include an Earth Day performance from blues artist Taj Mahal and the Wayland Blues Planet Band, including their hit single “Dirty Oil” chronicling the Deepwater Horizon Gulf oil spill, a set from electronic music producer and multi-instrumentalist Mura Masa — coming to Tribeca fresh off the Coachella festival circuit — a conversation with John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten of Sex Pistols fame, and a talk between actor and hip hop recording artist Common and director/screenwriter Nelson George, followed by a live performance from Common.

Finally, Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Bad Boy Story is a classic rock-doc with a hip hop twist, exploring the Bad Boy record label’s history and chronicling its 2016 reunion performances, featuring Sean “Puffy” Combs, Lil' Kim, Mase, Faith Evans, Mario Winans, 112, Total, Carl Thomas and The Lox. After the screening, the boldfaced names from the film will seemingly step off the screen and come to life with a show-stopping live concert at the Beacon Theatre. Learn more at the event website here!

This post is brought to you by Tribeca Film Festival.