The upcoming documentary series, “Paid in Full: The Battle for Black Music”, will provide a comprehensive overview of the historical and contemporary challenges faced by Black artists in the music industry. This three-part series, a collaboration between CBC in Canada and BBC in the UK, investigates systemic racism and the ongoing struggle for fair treatment of Black musicians, despite their immense talent and success.
The series is produced by Supercollider, Green Door Pictures, and Pink Towel, in association with Catalyst, and features executive producers Idris and Sabrina Elba, Greg Sanderson, and Julie Bristow. It aims to offer audiences an insightful look at the exploitation and injustices experienced by Black artists, from the early music industry to the current digital streaming landscape.
The first episode centres on influential artists such as Nina Simone and Billie Holiday, who used their music to challenge societal norms, while also addressing the financial hardships of icons like Bessie Smith, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry. The second episode turns its attention to the rise of Black-owned record labels, including Motown, Stax Records, and Def Jam, and the obstacles they faced, sometimes adopting similar exploitative practices to those of larger, white-owned corporations.
In the final instalment, the series explores the digital streaming era, where some Black artists have successfully established their own labels, while others continue to battle against unfair contracts and minimal compensation from streaming platforms.
With narration by celebrated musicians Jully Black in Canada and Zawe Ashton in the UK, the series includes interviews with prominent music industry figures. These include Cadence Weapon, Chaka Khan, George Clinton, Monie Love, Nile Rodgers, Gloria Gaynor, Ice T, Master P, and Smokey Robinson.
“Paid in Full: The Battle for Black Music” offers a thorough examination of the issues surrounding Black artists’ quest for recognition, autonomy, and equitable treatment within the music industry.
The series is produced by Supercollider, Green Door Pictures, and Pink Towel, in association with Catalyst. Executive producers include Greg Sanderson, Julie Bristow, Idris Elba, and Sabrina Elba. Guy Evan serves as series producer and director, with Alison Duke as director, Tom Pollard as producer, David Upshal as showrunner, and Margot Daley as co-producer.
The show will be available on CBC Gem in Canada, starting September 21st, and on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in the UK, with the first episode airing on September 21st and the remaining episodes on September 28th.
