After a years-long legal battle, Afropunk founder rereleases film classic with new book

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Set us as preferred The first time that artist and filmmaker James Spooner heard Patti Smith’s song “Rock n Roll N—,” he cringed and reflected on the years of racism, microaggressions and abuse he dealt with as a young Black punk rocker in California’s high desert and later, New York.According to Spooner’s new book, “It Starts With Anger,” this moment of reflection is a catalyst that prompts him to pursue a closer examination of the experiences and challenges Black people face in punk rock and alternative music scenes that are predominantly white.“If there was such a thing as a ‘Rock n Roll N—’ Patti Smith wasn’t going to be the one to define it.Right then, I decided I was going to make a movie,” Spooner writes in his book.In 2003, Spooner started working on a documentary called “Afro-Punk,” which took him across the country as he interviewed Black artists, musicians and fans to talk about their experiences in punk rock.

“Afro-Punk” starts by calling out Smith’s controversial song before diving into what it means to be Black in a music scene intended to welcome outsiders, but which nonetheless alienates and projects harmful values toward people who are not white.“I don’t think she’s a bad person, I think she’s a white person who was trying to be edgy and then just like doubled down her whole career,” Spooner told The Times.“I’m all for and have always been understanding of people who make mistakes, people should have an opportunity to correct themselves.”The punk rock documentary is being rereleased this month after Spooner launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to remaster the film.

The rerelease coincides with the publication of Spooner’s new book, “It Starts With Anger,” which covers the author’s personal history, the creation of the documentary, the larger ...