Hulu has released the first official trailer and release date for its Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told, documentary about Atlanta’s legendary annual HBCU Spring Break phenomenon of the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. It will first make its world premiere at the SXSW’s film festival before arriving on Hulu March 21st.
As seen in the trailer above, Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told is a celebratory exploration of the boisterous times of Freaknik, the iconic Atlanta street party that drew hundreds of thousands of people in the 80s and 90s, helping put Atlanta on the map culturally. What began as a Black college cookout, soon became known for lurid tales of highway hookups and legendary late-night parties that ultimately led to the festival’s downfall. At its height, Freaknik was a traffic stopping, city-shuttering, juggernaut that has since become a cult classic. Rooted deep in its history of Civil Rights, thriving Black leadership, and focus on the uplifting of Black culture and education, Atlanta became the only place a festival like this could grow and thrive. Though it ceased over two decades ago, the infamous legacy still resonates through nostalgia and a new generation’s longing for a care-free platform that celebrates and promotes Black excellence, joy and fortitude.
Freaknik features interviews with Black leaders, the event founders, former attendees and hip-hop artists, including Lil Jon, Killer Mike, 21 Savage, Jermaine Dupri and Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell — the latter three who are among the film’s producers. Uncle Luke is the soundtrack of Freaknik, with Dupri’s So So Def label is having ties to Freaknik, and 21 Savage represents the new school. Jalen Rose, Too $hort, Shanti Das, former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Erick Sermon, CeeLo Green, Rico Wade, Kenny Burns and more are also featured.
Freaknik wasn’t just an event, it was a staple in the Black college culture and a defining moment in history. While artists like 21 Savage is too young to remember Freaknik, many of today’s artists were influenced by those who honed their sound and popularity at the event.
Since Hulu’s announcement last year, it has made headlines about people’s fears of footage of some our close relatives don’t want us to see. However, it appears Freaknik doesn’t dive into the sexual freedoms of attendees but focuses on the socio-political and complex issues reasons why Freaknik was cancelled. While there was no single cause of the event’s downfall, the documentary shows how violence, overcrowding, city planning and security concerns surrounding the 1996 Olympics and Atlanta’s tourism all contributed.
Both the documentary and the event are a coming-of-age story for a generation who was trying to find a voice in a world that didn’t accept them — but Freaknik is a place they created for themselves.
From Mass Appeal in association with Swirl Films, Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told is executive produced by Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell, Jermaine Dupri, 21 Savage, Terry “TR” Ross, Melissa Cooper, Alex Avant and Tresa Sanders, Geraldine L Porras and P. Frank Williams serve as executive producers. Eric Tomosunas executive produces for Swirl Films and Peter Bittenbender executive produces for Mass Appeal. The film is produced by Swirl Films’ Jay Allen and Nikki Byles.
