Photo: Mark Weiss/Getty
Growing up as Sly Stone’s daughter meant witnessing music history in the making—but it also meant living in a world where fame, addiction, and chaos collided.
In the new Hulu documentary Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius), Phunne Stone pulls back the curtain on what life was really like with her legendary father. From watching him battle cocaine addiction to unknowingly mimicking his habits as a child, Phunne’s story is both heartbreaking and deeply revealing.
IMITATING HER FATHER—A CHILDHOOD LESSON IN A GROWN WORLD
As a young girl, Phunne often found herself surrounded by adults, trying to make sense of the world they lived in. One day, while playing outside, she saw her father had left behind razor blades from cutting cocaine.
Innocent but observant, she grabbed a box of chalk, chopped it up, and lined up 37 fake “rails” of her own—complete with Monopoly money to roll up and “sniff” just like the grown-ups.
“We were out there, snorting about 19 lines. We sneezing and everything,” she recalls in the doc.
That moment ended quickly when her mother, Cynthia Robinson, stepped outside and saw what was happening. Let’s just say, she was NOT having it.
“My mama came out and was like, ‘What are you doing?!’” Phunne remembers. “I mean, it’s green and pink ‘cause you know the chalk [is] different colors. And I’m telling mom, ‘Nothing!’ She beat the brakes off me.”
FINDING HER FATHER AGAIN—AN EMOTIONAL REUNION
Despite his status as a funk icon, Sly wasn’t always physically present in Phunne’s life. She describes him as a shy man who used drugs to feel fearless, and while her mother never stopped loving him, their family dynamic was complicated.
It wasn’t until recent years that Phunne and Sly rekindled their bond—and their reunion was nothing short of emotional.
“He cried, I cried, everybody around us was crying,” she shares. “We was hugging and shaking and all that.”
A LEGEND’S FALL AND A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE
Directed by Questlove, Sly Lives! doesn’t just tell the story of a superstar—it tells the story of what happens when fame, addiction, and personal demons collide.
Sly Stone, now 81 years old, has faced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lost most of his lung capacity, and finally got clean in 2019. While his legacy is undeniable, his struggles show the raw reality of what the music industry doesn’t always show.
KMOB1003’S TAKE:
Phunne Stone’s story is a reminder that kids see EVERYTHING. When you’re growing up in an adult world, you learn fast—but at what cost?
Her reunion with her father proves that no matter how far apart you drift, it’s never too late to heal.
📢 What are your thoughts on Phunne’s story? Drop a comment below!
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