Netflix Gives an Inside Look at the Impact of Clarence Avant in New Documentary Trailer

One of the most successful and legendary executives in the entertainment business, Clarence Avant is a man who influenced and defined the entertainment industry for African Americans. In the forthcoming Netflix documentary The Black Godfather: The Clarence Avant Story, Oscar-nominated director Reginald Hudlin takes audiences through the life of the singular man who impacted the lives of major musicians, actors, athletes and even presidents since the ’50s.

Mentored by Joe Glaser, Avant managed everyone from Louis Armstrong to Little Willie John before signing Bill Withers to Sussex Records. As the trailer recounts, Avant has touched the lives of Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Muhammad Ali, Snoop Dogg and former President Barack Obama, all while advocating for better civil rights and opportunities for the entirety of the African-American community.

“Clarence is the bridge from a time where there was no opportunity, to a time where doors began to open,” former President Obama says in the trailer.

The documentary also includes interviews with former President Bill Clinton, Withers, Jamie Foxx, A&M Records co-founder Jerry Moss, Cicely Tyson, P. Diddy and more.

Though he’s flown under the radar for decades, The Black Godfather puts Avant into the spotlight he has been so dedicated to shining on the African-American community.

Watch the trailer for Netflix’s The Black Godfather: The Clarence Avant Story below and check out the movie’s poster further down. The film comes to Netflix and select theaters on June 7.