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Outkast's André 3000 plays Jimi before he was Jimi in this star-making look at Hendrix's formative days.

In 1966, James Marshall Hendrix was a struggling young guitarist backing musicians in New York clubs. But a whirlwind year in swinging London set him on the path to become a legend.

Director John Ridley (the Academy Award-winning writer of 12 Years a Slave) imaginatively paints Jimi's transformation, from uniting with The Experience and performing before the Beatles and Stones, to changing Eric Clapton's life. This is a portrait of Jimi, with André Benjamin of Outkast a revelation as the as-yet-unknown guitar hero. His unpredictable relationships and his unprecedented talent culminated in his historic appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival. This is the journey there.

"Made not with obligatory biopic beats but with verve and freedom ... I can't think of a better way to honour the genius of Hendrix." – Entertainment Weekly