Netflix recently nabbed Kanye West’s documentary for $30 million, Billboard reports. The film, which will feature 21 years of never-before-seen archived footage of West, will be directed by filmmakers Clarence “Coodie” Simmons Jr. and Chike Ozah, better known as Coodie & Chike. The duo co-directed West’s 2003 “Through the Wire” music video and the third visual for his single, “Jesus Walks.”
TIME Studios and Coodie and Chike’s production company, Creative Control, will produce the unnamed documentary. According to Revolt, this project is based on the filmmakers’ relationship with West and will feature home videos Coodie reportedly filmed of the rapper in the late ‘90s. Coodie & Chike also previously directed Netflix’s 2019 documentary on professional basketball coach and player Stephon Marbury, titled “A Kid From Coney Island.”
The untitled project will document West’s life four years before his first studio album, “The College Dropout” was released. During this period, the rapper was involved in a near-fatal car accident that left him with a shattered jaw. West was still producing tracks for his first album and in the, “Through the Wire” music video, viewers can see glimpses of the rapper creating music with his mouth wired shut. The video went on to win Video of The Year at the 2004 Source Hip Hop Awards, cementing him as an upcoming and undeniable force in the rap industry.
The documentary will also cover impactful moments in his music and fashion career, the death of his mother, Donda West and his 2020 presidential run. Earlier this year, wife Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from West but it is not clear if details surrounding their split will make an appearance in the documentary.
This upcoming project is not West’s first taste of the big screen. In 2019, the rapper released an artsy film for his gospel album, “Jesus Is King.” The 30-minute ensemble featured his Sunday service choir performing remixed versions of his popular singles and other songs on the album.
The unnamed documentary is set to air on Netflix later this year.