Photo: Courtesy of Hulu
The official trailer for the long-awaited documentary about Freaknik has arrived.
On Thursday, February 29, Hulu released the first trailer for "Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told." The beginning of the clip features appearances from executive producers Luther "Uncle Luke" Campbell, Jermaine Dupri and 21 Savage along with the founders of the iconic festival held in Atlanta during Spring Break throughout the '80s and '90s. Shot by Mass Appeal & Swirl Films, the documentary explores the origin of the rambunctious event and how it evolved into the go-to festival. It features testimony from Lil Jon, Killer Mike, Too $hort, Erick Sermon, CeeLo Green, Rasheeda, Jalen Rose, Kenny Burns and more.
The documentary has been in the works for quite some time. When it was first announced last year, there was plenty of anticipation and anxiety about what would be highlighted in the film. At one point, a group of professional Black women planned to sue Hulu for unlawful use of the classic footage that was captured at the festival decades ago. However, Dupri ensured fans that the documentary would be more positive than negative.
“I want to say this to all of those people out there," JD explained on the Tamron Hall Show last year. "My vision of Freaknik is really a story about the South and Atlanta. It’s not really a story about what everybody keeps talking about."
“I don’t like that part because I feel like it’s a little disrespectful because I’m just telling a story of Atlanta, right?" he continued. "And how Atlanta was built into the place that it is today. People came to Atlanta through Freaknik and they stayed. I say that in ‘Welcome to Atlanta.’ … and that’s how Atlanta has become this multi-cultural place. Freaknik plays one of the biggest roles in that period.”
The documentary arrives in honor of the festival's 40th anniversary, the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, and the 30th anniversary of So So Def. It will premiere on Hulu Thursday, March 21. Watch the entire trailer below.