Gift of Gab (2016) 5:55 (USA)

Studies from the National Kidney Foundation show that due to high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, the African American community has an increased risk of developing kidney failure and suffer from kidney failure at a significantly higher rate – more than three times higher. This unfortunately is what has happened to Blackalcious' Timothy "Gift of Gab" Parker.
In this powerful short documentary that first premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival from Strike Anywhere, Gift of Gab describes the moments he first became ill, mistaking it for really bad flu, following by the discovery of having kidney failure and subsequent endurance of being on dialysis three days a week which he continues to this day. Rather than is being a soul-crushing experience, he used that time in the hospital to work on a second Blackalicious album--the first one in ten years since the debut Blazing Arrow.
What is even more inspiring is that Gift of Gab rejected the offer of assistance, food stamps, etc, letting his need to work see him through. He soldiered on to create Imani Vol 1 which was released in September of last year. The album's title suggests there is more to come from the band and the man. Gift of Gab hopes to be on the top of the donor list for a new kidney by the end of this year.
Follow Blackalicious on FB to keep up with their tour schedule, which amazingly they are still able to do.

Production Company: Strike Anywhere
Director: Michael Jacobs
Producers: Justin Barber, Ryan Simon, Matt Woods, Joseph Pineda
Director of Photography: Jesse Dana
Sound: Kevin Walker
Mix: Joel Raabe
Color: Ayumi Ashley
Music: Blackalicious (Chief Xcel and Gift of Gab)