Music Legends, Chess Drama & Rap Royalty: The Latest Must-Watch Documentaries
Welcome to “What’s Up?! Docs!” This week, we’re looking ahead to upcoming films that are all about music, madness, and one very, very salty chess scandal. From a Prince documentary that’s sure to ruffle some family feathers to a deep dive into the wild, wonderful world of Ol’ Dirty Bastard (ODB), and a chess cheating drama that makes "Queen’s Gambit" look like a game of checkers, we’ve got it all covered.
Unreleased Prince Documentary Spills ALL the Purple Tea
Gird your loins, friends. Netflix has a nine-hour (yes, N I N E) documentary coming out that’s got more secrets than Scientology. Directed by Ezra Edelman (O.J.: Made in America), this documentary comes with the requisite trigger warnings for its disturbing claims of physical and emotional abuse. According to The New York Times, Prince’s exes, friends, and business partners didn’t hold back, revealing all the personal drama we never saw on stage or off.
As you can imagine, Prince’s estate isn’t exactly thrilled about this. They’ve already warned Netflix to keep things classy and to not go all “tabloid-y.”
What’s in the Prince Doc?
- Exclusive interviews with exes dishing the dirt
- A peek into Prince’s tough childhood (Good excuse? No. Emotional context? Maybe…)
- Never-before-seen footage from his vault (because, of course, there’s a vault)
Got your popcorn ready? Good. You’re gonna need it.
ODB: Rap Royalty, Media Madness & the Wildest Ride in Hip-Hop
Next on our list: A+E Networks is about to drop a documentary about ODB (Ol' Dirty Bastard) that promises to take us on a helluva ride. Sam Pollard and Jason Pollard are at the helm of Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of 2 Dirties (catchy title alert), and they’re breaking down ODB’s life—part rap god, part human hurricane.
ODB’s antics were legendary—getting kicked out of places, crashing parties, and being the loudest voice in any room—but it wasn’t all fun and games. The doc explores his struggles with addiction, mental health, and how the media basically took one look at him and said, “Let’s make this guy the poster child for chaos.”
ODB was the life of every party but also a cautionary tale for anyone who thought fame was a one-way ticket to paradise. Spoiler: it wasn’t. This doc isn’t just here for the wild moments—it goes deeper, showing the man behind the mayhem, and asks how the music industry often chews people up and spits them out.
What to Expect from ODB’s Doc:
- Interviews with Wu-Tang Clan members who knew ODB best
- A deep dive into his battle with addiction and mental health
- The media circus that followed his every move
- Archival footage that shows ODB being…well, ODB
Netflix’s Chess Scandal Doc: Checkmate with Extra Shade
If you thought chess was just a game for quiet geniuses sipping tea, Netflix is here to relieve you of that assumption. Coming in 2025 is a documentary about the biggest chess scandal since… well, ever. Remember when chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen basically rage-quit during the 2022 Sinquefield Cup and accused Hans Niemann of cheating?
Carlsen made some cryptic comments, threw major shade at Niemann, and walked away from the board like a boss (or a sore loser?). Cue worldwide drama, chess experts arguing, and a million internet conspiracy theories... oh my! Was Niemann cheating? Did Carlsen lose his cool? And why does chess have more drama than a reality show?
What’s in the Chess Doc?
- Exclusive interviews with Carlsen, Niemann, and probably some chess nerds who take this very seriously
- Behind-the-scenes of the cheating scandal that shook the chess world
- Big egos, bigger moves, and the billion-dollar chess industry we didn’t know existed
- Enough shade to fill an entire forest
This doc is basically “Game of Thrones” but with pawns and way more side-eye. Stay tuned for the final checkmate.
Podumentary IS BACK!
Drumroll, please... Podumentary is officially back! After an intermission that lasted longer than we intended (sorry, life happens), we’re back in the studio, ready to bring you a brand new season of both full-length episodes and our shiny new minisode series, “What’s Up?! Docs!”.
If you’re obsessed with documentaries and love after-show podcasts, we’ve got you covered. Hosts Melanee Dark and Jim Hudson are diving headfirst into the world of documentary filmmaking, with weekly updates, hot takes, and deep discussions on all the docs you need to watch. So, grab your headphones and your favorite snack (we won’t judge), and get ready to binge with us!
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