Freaknik: The Musical
Encyclopedia
Freaknik: The Musical is a musical
special produced by T-Pain
. It features the voice of T-Pain as the Ghost of Freaknik, as well as the voices of entertainers such as Lil Wayne
, Young Cash, Snoop Dogg
, Sophia Fresh, and Rick Ross
, and comedian
s such as Andy Samberg
and Charlie Murphy
who provide additional voices. It was scheduled to air on Cartoon Network
's late night programming block Adult Swim
sometime in 2009, but after several push-backs, it premiered on March 7, 2010. The musical is based on the actual music festival of the same name
that used to take place in Atlanta, Georgia
.
A soundtrack was released by Jive Records
and Nappy Boy records
on April 20, 2010. The 90-minuet uncut version of Freaknik: The Musical was released on DVD
on October 26, 2010. In addition to being available on DVD, Freaknik: The Musical is also available on iTunes
and the "Build Your Own DVD" feature on Adultswim.com.
) claims it is the best party they have ever attended, until an elderly man (Lil Jon
) enters and tells them the history of Freaknik
. He tells them it was the biggest party of all time, until it was broken up by the police, whom he claims killed Freaknik. The group is then led by the old man in summoning Freaknik, who appears as the Ghost of Freaknik Past (T-Pain
).
The scene changes to a radio announcer (DJ Drama
) that is interviewing Freaknik, who, along with Freaknik, announces that a rapping contest will be held, the victor of which gets "a lifetime supply of money, clothes, and hos
". The scene changes once more to the bedroom of Virgil (Young Cash), Big Uzi (Rick Ross
), and Light Skin (Cee-Lo Green), collectively known as the Sweet Tea Mobsters, a group of teenage rappers from Sweet Tea, Florida, who hope to achieve fame. The group decides to drive to Atlanta to participate in the aforementioned contest, along with their weed smoking (and supplying) friend Doela Man (DJ Pooh
).
During their journey Light Skin tells of a secret society of African Americans called the Boule
, fraternity parlance for "a council of noblemen", that seeks to guide the course of black culture. The members of this organization are parodies of Oprah (Kelis
), Al Sharpton
(Charlie Murphy
), Bill Cosby
, Russell Simmons
, O. J. Simpson
, and Jesse Jackson
. They wear medallions inscribed "10%", an allusion to the W. E. B. Du Bois essay The Talented Tenth
, which says a class of exceptional members of the black race will rise to lead it.
The Sweet Tea Mobsters make a number of pit stops, including a detour at a college fraternity party where they meet two alcoholic fraternity members (Bill Hader
and Andy Samberg
) . At the party the group meets the Fruit Bowl Boys (Kel Mitchell
and Affion Crockett), who later become the group’s biggest competition and are from the mostly white suburbs of Sweet Tea, Florida (although they ironically resemble the Sweet Tea Mobsters). On their long, winding road trip, the Sweet Tea Mob gets lost in New Orleans and are confronted by a gangster (Snoop Dogg
) who makes them see his boss Trap Jesus (Lil Wayne
). Upon meeting Trap Jesus the group loses hope, thinking it is the end, but instead he inspires them to compete and gives them one of his many Lamborghini
s to use to get to Atlanta. However, they crash the lamborghini after Big Uzi becomes enraged after hearing the Fruit Bowl Boys rapping about his jail experience. The group gives up except Virgil who believes that it's their destiny. The rest of the group still doesn't believe him until they are given a ride in an airplane by the "Flying Malcolms
."
Meanwhile, the Freaknik character is elected the "ghost mayor of Atlanta" and dubs the city "Freaknation." Soon after, President Barack Obama
hands the presidency over to the ghost of Freaknik, a move that greatly angers the Oprah-looking leader of the Boule who wants to see Freaknik destroyed. She then devises a plan to send a giant robotic monster called the "Perminator" (a robotic version of Al Sharpton) to Atlanta to destroy Freaknik. Meanwhile at the party the Fruit Bowl Boys begin singing "Shank Ya in The Shower." At this time the Sweet Tea Mobsters arrive at Atlanta, right about the same time the Perminator begins to attack, killing the Fruit Bowl Boys almost immediately. He seems to have Freaknik down for the count, but mass love from the crowd empowers Freaknik by having him grow to a monstrous size and using the love of his fans, he is able to destroy the Perminator. After the fight, Freaknik hands the prize of the contest over to the Sweet Tea Mobsters, but Virgil refuses it and tears the check in half. He tells Freaknik that he doesn't need it as long as Freaknik comes back every year, however before he can finish, a dog shaped spaced craft named the "Mothership Connection
", that is inhabited by three brightly colored aliens (George Clinton
, Bootsy Collins
, and Michael "Clip" Payne
.) They say they have come to take Freaknik because "there are other galaxies that need his powers of positivity", saying that maybe someday he shall return and they can "Funk it up" once again. Freaknik gives Virgil his gold chain and says that Atlanta will always be his home. A woman approaches Freaknik telling him her baby (which looks like Freaknik) needs a father. Freaknik then rushes on board the ship. The DJ from the beginning then speaks saying how crazy that was and they'll see us next time as Freaknik is seen dancing on The Mother Ship as it leaves Earth.Later on they make Virgil tape back the million doller bill.
T-Pain also used some of the songs that were uploaded on his website that other people sent to him like the song known as Ghetto Commandments and others on the soundtrack.
. The uncut 90-minute long version of Freaknik: The Musical was released on one-disc DVD
set in the United States
on October 26, 2010 , and included the soundtrack. In addition to being available on DVD Freaknik: The Musical is also available on the "Build You Own DVD" feature on Adultswim.com.
and Nappy Boy records
on April 20, 2010. The track "Ghetto Commandments", the song playing in the credits, was released on iTunes
as a single on March 23 and it features rappers Snoop Dogg & Mack Maine who also play in the movie; it was released the same day as the release of T-Pain's promo single for his album "rEVOLVEr" "Reverse Cowgirl". The Rick Ross song "Grab Yo Beltloop" didn't make the final cut for the album.
.
Freaknik: The Musical did well among audiences (As of May 2011, it holds a current score of 7.3/10 on IMDB.com).
IGN.com
gave this episode a 6.1 out of 10, which is considered "Passable", and received comments both positive and negative.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
special produced by T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
. It features the voice of T-Pain as the Ghost of Freaknik, as well as the voices of entertainers such as Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
, Young Cash, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Sophia Fresh, and Rick Ross
Rick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
, and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
s such as Andy Samberg
Andy Samberg
David Andrew "Andy" Samberg is an American actor, comedian, rapper and writer best known as a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live...
and Charlie Murphy
Charlie Murphy
Charles Quinton "Charlie" Murphy is an American actor, comedian, and writer notable as being a cast member and writer on the Comedy Central sketch-comedy series Chappelle's Show...
who provide additional voices. It was scheduled to air on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (United States)
Cartoon Network is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting which primarily airs animated programming. The channel was launched on October 1, 1992 after Turner purchased the animation studio Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1991...
's late night programming block Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
sometime in 2009, but after several push-backs, it premiered on March 7, 2010. The musical is based on the actual music festival of the same name
Freaknik
Freaknik was an annual spring break meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, primarily of students from historically black colleges and universities. Begun in 1982 as a small picnic near the Atlanta University Center, it was initially sponsored by the DC Metro Club and was typically held during the third...
that used to take place in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
A soundtrack was released by Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
and Nappy Boy records
Nappy Boy Entertainment
Nappy Boy Entertainment is an American record label founded by R&B, singer-songwriter T-Pain. The label is distributed by RCA Records, and formerly Jive Label Group...
on April 20, 2010. The 90-minuet uncut version of Freaknik: The Musical was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on October 26, 2010. In addition to being available on DVD, Freaknik: The Musical is also available on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and the "Build Your Own DVD" feature on Adultswim.com.
Plot
The movie starts in at a party in which a group of teenagers (Kid 'n PlayKid 'n Play
Kid 'n Play is an American hip-hop and comedy duo from New York City that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo was composed of Christopher "Kid" Reid and Christopher "Play" Martin working alongside their DJ, Mark "DJ Wiz" Eastmond...
) claims it is the best party they have ever attended, until an elderly man (Lil Jon
Lil Jon
Jonathan Mortimer Smith , better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and occasional disc jockey who was a member of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. Lil Jon formed the group in 1997, and the group released several albums between then and 2004...
) enters and tells them the history of Freaknik
Freaknik
Freaknik was an annual spring break meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, primarily of students from historically black colleges and universities. Begun in 1982 as a small picnic near the Atlanta University Center, it was initially sponsored by the DC Metro Club and was typically held during the third...
. He tells them it was the biggest party of all time, until it was broken up by the police, whom he claims killed Freaknik. The group is then led by the old man in summoning Freaknik, who appears as the Ghost of Freaknik Past (T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
).
The scene changes to a radio announcer (DJ Drama
DJ Drama
Tyree Cinque Simmons better known as DJ Drama is an American hip hop artist and the official DJ for Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist T.I.....
) that is interviewing Freaknik, who, along with Freaknik, announces that a rapping contest will be held, the victor of which gets "a lifetime supply of money, clothes, and hos
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
". The scene changes once more to the bedroom of Virgil (Young Cash), Big Uzi (Rick Ross
Rick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
), and Light Skin (Cee-Lo Green), collectively known as the Sweet Tea Mobsters, a group of teenage rappers from Sweet Tea, Florida, who hope to achieve fame. The group decides to drive to Atlanta to participate in the aforementioned contest, along with their weed smoking (and supplying) friend Doela Man (DJ Pooh
DJ Pooh
DJ Pooh is an American record producer, rapper, screenwriter and film director.-Biography:...
).
During their journey Light Skin tells of a secret society of African Americans called the Boule
Sigma Pi Phi
Sigma Pi Phi is the first African-American Greek-lettered organization. Sigma Pi Phi was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 15, 1904. The fraternity quickly established chapters in Chicago, IL and then Baltimore, MD....
, fraternity parlance for "a council of noblemen", that seeks to guide the course of black culture. The members of this organization are parodies of Oprah (Kelis
Kelis
Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers (born August 21, 1971 is an American musical artist. She is a BRIT Award, Q Award and NME Award winner and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She has had nine top 10 singles on the UK Singles Chart...
), Al Sharpton
Al Sharpton
Alfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election...
(Charlie Murphy
Charlie Murphy
Charles Quinton "Charlie" Murphy is an American actor, comedian, and writer notable as being a cast member and writer on the Comedy Central sketch-comedy series Chappelle's Show...
), Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
, Russell Simmons
Russell Simmons
-External links:** * * * * * * from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum* *...
, O. J. Simpson
O. J. Simpson
Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson , nicknamed "The Juice", is a retired American collegiate and professional football player, football broadcaster, and actor...
, and Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
. They wear medallions inscribed "10%", an allusion to the W. E. B. Du Bois essay The Talented Tenth
The Talented Tenth
The Talented Tenth is a term that designated a leadership class of African-Americans in the early twentieth century. The term was publicized by W. E. B. Du Bois in an influential essay of the same name, which he published in September 1903...
, which says a class of exceptional members of the black race will rise to lead it.
The Sweet Tea Mobsters make a number of pit stops, including a detour at a college fraternity party where they meet two alcoholic fraternity members (Bill Hader
Bill Hader
William "Bill" Hader is an American actor, comedian, producer and writer. He is best known for his work as a creative consultant on the hit show South Park and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for his supporting roles in comedy films such as Superbad, Hot Rod, Tropic Thunder,...
and Andy Samberg
Andy Samberg
David Andrew "Andy" Samberg is an American actor, comedian, rapper and writer best known as a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live...
) . At the party the group meets the Fruit Bowl Boys (Kel Mitchell
Kel Mitchell
Kel Johari Mitchell is an American actor, comedian, singer, rapper, screenwriter, producer, parodist, dancer and musician. He was best known for his work as a regular cast member of the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That, his portrayal of Kel Kimble on the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel,...
and Affion Crockett), who later become the group’s biggest competition and are from the mostly white suburbs of Sweet Tea, Florida (although they ironically resemble the Sweet Tea Mobsters). On their long, winding road trip, the Sweet Tea Mob gets lost in New Orleans and are confronted by a gangster (Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
) who makes them see his boss Trap Jesus (Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
). Upon meeting Trap Jesus the group loses hope, thinking it is the end, but instead he inspires them to compete and gives them one of his many Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
s to use to get to Atlanta. However, they crash the lamborghini after Big Uzi becomes enraged after hearing the Fruit Bowl Boys rapping about his jail experience. The group gives up except Virgil who believes that it's their destiny. The rest of the group still doesn't believe him until they are given a ride in an airplane by the "Flying Malcolms
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
."
Meanwhile, the Freaknik character is elected the "ghost mayor of Atlanta" and dubs the city "Freaknation." Soon after, President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
hands the presidency over to the ghost of Freaknik, a move that greatly angers the Oprah-looking leader of the Boule who wants to see Freaknik destroyed. She then devises a plan to send a giant robotic monster called the "Perminator" (a robotic version of Al Sharpton) to Atlanta to destroy Freaknik. Meanwhile at the party the Fruit Bowl Boys begin singing "Shank Ya in The Shower." At this time the Sweet Tea Mobsters arrive at Atlanta, right about the same time the Perminator begins to attack, killing the Fruit Bowl Boys almost immediately. He seems to have Freaknik down for the count, but mass love from the crowd empowers Freaknik by having him grow to a monstrous size and using the love of his fans, he is able to destroy the Perminator. After the fight, Freaknik hands the prize of the contest over to the Sweet Tea Mobsters, but Virgil refuses it and tears the check in half. He tells Freaknik that he doesn't need it as long as Freaknik comes back every year, however before he can finish, a dog shaped spaced craft named the "Mothership Connection
Mothership Connection
In 2003 the TV network VH1 named Mothership Connection the 55th greatest album of all time.In 2003, the album was ranked number 274 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time....
", that is inhabited by three brightly colored aliens (George Clinton
George Clinton (musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
, Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
, and Michael "Clip" Payne
Michael "Clip" Payne
Michael "Clip" Payne is an American musician. He has been a member of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective since 1977. First credited on Parliament's 1979 release "Gloryhallastoopid" with "Choir Chours", he has appeared on over 20 Parliament-Funkadelic collective recordings primarily as a vocalist...
.) They say they have come to take Freaknik because "there are other galaxies that need his powers of positivity", saying that maybe someday he shall return and they can "Funk it up" once again. Freaknik gives Virgil his gold chain and says that Atlanta will always be his home. A woman approaches Freaknik telling him her baby (which looks like Freaknik) needs a father. Freaknik then rushes on board the ship. The DJ from the beginning then speaks saying how crazy that was and they'll see us next time as Freaknik is seen dancing on The Mother Ship as it leaves Earth.Later on they make Virgil tape back the million doller bill.
T-Pain also used some of the songs that were uploaded on his website that other people sent to him like the song known as Ghetto Commandments and others on the soundtrack.
Cast
- T-PainT-PainFaheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
as Freaknik - Young Cash as Virgil
- Rick RossRick Ross (rapper)William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
as Big Uzi - Cee-Lo Green as Light Skin
- DJ PoohDJ PoohDJ Pooh is an American record producer, rapper, screenwriter and film director.-Biography:...
as Doela Man - Andy SambergAndy SambergDavid Andrew "Andy" Samberg is an American actor, comedian, rapper and writer best known as a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live...
as Chad - Bill HaderBill HaderWilliam "Bill" Hader is an American actor, comedian, producer and writer. He is best known for his work as a creative consultant on the hit show South Park and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for his supporting roles in comedy films such as Superbad, Hot Rod, Tropic Thunder,...
as Tad - Lil WayneLil WayneDwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
as Trap Jesus - Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
as a member of Trap Jesus's gang - Mack MaineMack MaineJermaine Preyan, , known by his stage name Mack Maine, is an American rapper and singer. Mack Maine is signed to Young Money Entertainment, an imprint of Birdman's Universal Motown-distributed Cash Money Records, and is currently the president of the label...
as a member of Trap Jesus's gang - KelisKelisKelis Rogers Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers (born August 21, 1971 is an American musical artist. She is a BRIT Award, Q Award and NME Award winner and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She has had nine top 10 singles on the UK Singles Chart...
as Tyra BanksTyra BanksTyra Lynne Banks is an American model, media personality, actress, occasional singer, author and businesswoman. She first became famous as a model, but television appearances were her commercial breakthrough...
, Oprah WinfreyOprah WinfreyOprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011... - George ClintonGeorge Clinton (musician)George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
as a member of The Mothership Connection - Bootsy CollinsBootsy CollinsWilliam Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
as a member of The Mothership Connection - Lil JonLil JonJonathan Mortimer Smith , better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and occasional disc jockey who was a member of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. Lil Jon formed the group in 1997, and the group released several albums between then and 2004...
as the Foreboding Old Dude - Charlie MurphyCharlie MurphyCharles Quinton "Charlie" Murphy is an American actor, comedian, and writer notable as being a cast member and writer on the Comedy Central sketch-comedy series Chappelle's Show...
as Al SharptonAl SharptonAlfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election... - Kel MitchellKel MitchellKel Johari Mitchell is an American actor, comedian, singer, rapper, screenwriter, producer, parodist, dancer and musician. He was best known for his work as a regular cast member of the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That, his portrayal of Kel Kimble on the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel,...
as the Fruit Bowl Boys' frontman, Bill CosbyBill CosbyWilliam Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
, Various - Affion CrockettAffion CrockettAffion Crockett is an actor, writer, dancer, rapper, comedian, music producer, and director, and maker of YouTube videos. Affion began his career as a dancer at age 10, winning breaking and popping contests with his older brother...
as Russell SimmonsRussell Simmons-External links:** * * * * * * from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum* *...
, Fruit Bowl Boys Member, Various - Big BoiBig BoiAntwan André Patton , better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, song-writer, record producer and actor, best known for being a member of American hip hop duo OutKast alongside André 3000. His work in the duo has produced six studio albums. During the duo's hiatus, he and André...
as The Preacher - DJ DramaDJ DramaTyree Cinque Simmons better known as DJ Drama is an American hip hop artist and the official DJ for Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist T.I.....
as Mr. Thanksgiving - Sophia FreshSophia FreshSophia Fresh is an American R&B girl group comprising three members, Skye, Crystal, and Cole Rose. The trio are currently recording their debut album with executive producer T-Pain.-Music career:...
as Leacosia, Toprameneesha, Obamaniqua, and Susie - Kid 'n PlayKid 'n PlayKid 'n Play is an American hip-hop and comedy duo from New York City that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo was composed of Christopher "Kid" Reid and Christopher "Play" Martin working alongside their DJ, Mark "DJ Wiz" Eastmond...
as themselves - Natalie Desselle-ReidNatalie Desselle-ReidNatalie Desselle-Reid is an American actress.Desselle-Reid was born in Alexandria, Louisiana, the daughter of Thelma and Paul Desselle. She graduated from Peabody Magnet High School and attended Grambling State University...
as Doela Man's mother - Bryan BrownBryan BrownBryan Neathway Brown, AM is an Australian actor.-Early life:Brown was born in Sydney, the son of John Brown and Molly Brown, a house cleaner who worked as a pianist in the early days of the Langshaw School of Ballet. He grew up in the south-western Sydney suburb of Bankstown and began working at...
as various - Michael "Clip" PayneMichael "Clip" PayneMichael "Clip" Payne is an American musician. He has been a member of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective since 1977. First credited on Parliament's 1979 release "Gloryhallastoopid" with "Choir Chours", he has appeared on over 20 Parliament-Funkadelic collective recordings primarily as a vocalist...
as a member of The Mothership Connection
Home Media
On March 8, 2010, the animated special was released for purchase on iTunesITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. The uncut 90-minute long version of Freaknik: The Musical was released on one-disc DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
set in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on October 26, 2010 , and included the soundtrack. In addition to being available on DVD Freaknik: The Musical is also available on the "Build You Own DVD" feature on Adultswim.com.
Soundtrack
There were no plans to release a separate soundtrack until it was announced by T-Pain that a soundtrack would be released through Jive RecordsJive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
and Nappy Boy records
Nappy Boy Entertainment
Nappy Boy Entertainment is an American record label founded by R&B, singer-songwriter T-Pain. The label is distributed by RCA Records, and formerly Jive Label Group...
on April 20, 2010. The track "Ghetto Commandments", the song playing in the credits, was released on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
as a single on March 23 and it features rappers Snoop Dogg & Mack Maine who also play in the movie; it was released the same day as the release of T-Pain's promo single for his album "rEVOLVEr" "Reverse Cowgirl". The Rick Ross song "Grab Yo Beltloop" didn't make the final cut for the album.
Reception
In its original American broadcast on March 7, 2010, Freaknik: The Musical was watched by 797,000 viewers, making it the second most watched Adult Swim program of that night, behind a rerun of Family GuyFamily Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
.
Freaknik: The Musical did well among audiences (As of May 2011, it holds a current score of 7.3/10 on IMDB.com).
IGN.com
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave this episode a 6.1 out of 10, which is considered "Passable", and received comments both positive and negative.