A new documentary, Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James, will explore the lows, highs, and very highs of the funk icon’s life story. A clip from the film, which premiered during the Tribeca Film Fest and will get a wide release on an unspecified date via Showtime, focuses on how James gave funk music a pop edge and cleaved his way to commercial success, much to the chagrin of rival groups like Parliament. “All is fair in funk and war,” comments former P-Funk bassist Bootsy Collins in the clip.
The picture features footage from the “Superfreak” hitmaker’s concerts, never-before-released home video, new interviews with the artist’s peers, bandmates and friends, and archival interviews with James. In between the rise and fall, the doc’s producers say it focuses on the “punk-funk” music that was his calling card.
“The ‘wild’ side of Rick James often eclipses his musical genius, but the mathematical equation that is his life depends on all of the numbers to make a whole,” the film’s director, Sacha Jenkins, said in a statement. “Our aim was to create a balanced portrait of a brilliant artist who both chased his dreams and stalked more than a few demons. Still, his influence on funk and popular music and culture is unparalleled, and his eventual rise to the top is easily more compelling than any freebase rush.”
Jenkins’ assessment falls in line with how James, who died in 2004, wanted to be remembered. According to Rolling Stone’s obituary, when asked what his legacy would be in 2002, the artist said he wanted to be thought of “as someone who beat the odds, and as a musician who gave up the truth. My music ain’t no contrived bullshit. It ain’t no sci-fi shit. It’s the real fuckin’ deal.”
The feud between Cardi B and Akbar V has been going strong for years. The two artists have traded insults across social media since the early 2020s, and there are no signs that their rivalry is coming to an end. This week only added more fuel to the ongoing conflict, with both rappers exchanging fresh jabs online. On Friday, Akbar V decided to take things beyond social media by releasing her diss track, "You Ain't Pretty." She performs over the beat from "Pretty & Petty," a fitting choice considering the situation. Throughout the song, Akbar V targets Cardi B's personal relationships, childhood, and cosmetic procedures with a series of sharp lyrical attacks. The record pulls no punches, leaving many wondering whether Cardi B will answer with a response of her own.
Release Date: July 3, 2026
Genre: Hip-Hop
Album: N/A
Name a bitch who had more facelifts than Cardi B, gun pointed to your head (Bitch dead)
How it feel to be the ugly baby mama, left her hubby for a n**** who barely even want her
