BYOD: Bring Your Own Doc
Episode 247
SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT Documentary: A Journey From Musician to Politician
SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT, the documentary of Michel Martelly (aka Sweet Micky) and his campaign to be President of Haiti, is shared with the trailer and clips from the movie with filmmakers Pras Michel and Karyn Rachtman. Pras, a member of the Fugees, also explains the strains that politics created with Wyclef Jean, and the ongoing issues that have complicated life in Haiti-including the massive 2010 earthquake that devastated the country, all in this uncensored BYOD interview, hosted by Ondi Timoner.
Episode Breakdown
00:01 Welcoming Karyn Rachtman and Pras Michel to BYOD.
00:53 2010 Haiti earthquake and starting the documentary.
01:45 SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT Clip, Michel Martelly & Haiti’s political system.
03:17 The Fugees, connecting with Haiti and creating GHETTO SUPERSTAR.
06:22 Haiti’s revolution, Jean-Bertrand Aristide and electing Sweet Micky.
11:53 Politics and music.
12:50 SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT Clip, Pras press conference endorsing Michel Martelly.
13:47 Lessons from politics and music + balancing ego.
16:45 Wyclef Jean and how politics can change our path.
19:40 Artists in politics.
20:15 SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT Clip: Wyclef joins the race.
21:30 Fears of the Haitian government + men in diapers.
22:42 A rigged election and continuing the film.
24:25 SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT Clip: Sean Penn and free publicity.
26:54 Theatrical release date, making peace and Haiti’s term length.
31:06 Reflections on documentary filmmaking and future projects.
31:51 How and where to follow the film.
32:09 Thank you and goodbye.
32:33 SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT, Trailer.
Guest Bio
SWEET MICKY FOR PRESIDENT follows Pras Michel, Grammy award-winning rapper and founder of the hip-hop group, The Fugees, as he returns to his homeland of Haiti post-earthquake and finds a corrupt government in paralysis. With no experience or money, Pras passionately mobilizes a presidential campaign for the unlikeliest of candidates: Michel Martelly, aka “Sweet Micky”, Haiti’s most popular and most outlandish pop star.
The idealistic and politically inexperienced pair set out against a corrupt government, civil unrest, and a fixed election system to change the course of Haitian history. When Pras’s former bandmate – superstar Wyclef Jean – also enters the presidential race, their chances seem further doomed and the story takes on the wild twists of celebrity drama.
Pras Michel rose to international super-stardom as a member of the multi-platinum Grammy-winning group, The Fugees. As a solo artist, he is most known for writing and producing the Grammy-nominated, worldwide top ten hit “Ghetto Superstar” feat. Ol’Dirty Bastard and Mya. After his Fugees fame, Pras continued to work not only as a performer and producer in music and film, but also as a successful business man. He is a managing partner of the private equity fund, DuSable Capital Management.Pras continues his work in music, and his new band, Get Fr3e, releases their first album in 2015. Their song, “Came to Win”, was an original written for Sweet Micky for President.
Karyn Rachtman is best known as Music Supervisor and/or Producer on the Soundtrack Albums for some of the most critically acclaimed films of our time, including Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Reality Bites, Boogie Nights, Clueless, Bulworth, Baz Luhrman’s Romeo & Juliet, Moulin Rouge, and Office Space, to name a few.The films she has served as music supervisor and/or executive soundtrack producer for have collectively sold more than 40 million copies in the United States alone. While working at Interscope as Head of Soundtracks, Karyn had the opportunity to work with Pras Michel on the song “Ghetto Superstar” for the Bulworth soundtrack.
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