Last year, Spotify created Frequency, a global initiative and holistic destination to celebrate Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture, and community both on- and off-platform. Then, earlier in 2022, Frequency debuted The Free Studio, a short-term creator studio in Los Angeles, as a place to celebrate Black expression. Nine Black creators across multiple disciplines spanning music, podcast, and artistry came together to use the space's recording studios, video backdrops, green screen areas, blank canvases, and more-finding a physical location to foster and grow their creativity.
Richie Reseda, Indigo Mateo, and Vic Mensa of Abolition X along with Mike Brown, Shefon Taylor, Thomeography, Doechii, Larry June, and Sango are the nine creators whose work is making an impact on mainstream culture and who came together for a set of short but impactful days at the studio.
We invited these nine to The Free Studio to create with no boundaries. We asked from them nothing in exchange except the ability to document their creative process. We used that footage to create a short documentary, shot and directed by Anthony P. Leslie of Equator Productions. The documentary features firsthand creator experiences shot in various spaces that embody creative expression-The Free Studio's recording spaces, dance studios, hallways, and beyond. It explores intimate podcast and recording sessions and the authentic content and community fostered by the Frequency initiative.
This is a creator studio for the freedom of Black Expression, Anthony P. Leslie notes. Free Black Expression for me is being UNAPOLOGETIC in all the unique ways WE are, dancing to the beat of our own drum, sharing our color without boundaries. The one thing all of these artists have in common is that their experiences show up in their work. With the theme that we (Black creators) are all a work in progress and using our art as a form of expression throughout our respective journeys, I am looking to show raw moments that illustrate why exploring one's self contributes to one's creativity.
You've created a beautiful tribute to the individuals taking part in The Free Studio. What was your approach to this documentary and highlighting the work happening at The Free Studio? So first and foremost, I think it's super important to understand that to be able to create with no boundaries is one of the main responses that we received from all of the artists when we asked them about the benefits of The Free Studio. I truly believe in that. Because it's hard, once you're in the creative field, to not feel like everything that you are creating has to come to life as perfect as can be or with already set expectations.
With this documentary, I set out to really get a better understanding of these artists and to see them working in their true life. I kind of wanted to be a fly on the wall, but I also wanted to be a part of it. So it's a nice balance of me being intercut into their world and us as a team just watching them do their thing.
But ultimately, to be able to show these Black creators express themselves in their purest form is what I really wanted to get at. A lot of times Black people are stereotyped, but we are all different. It's our unique, complex ways that really enable us to learn from each other-and I truly got to learn from all these artists.
In being a part of this project, did you also get a chance to experience a little bit of that flexibility and freedom to experiment with the way you do documentary? Yes. I always want to work on more personal stuff that truly feels like it comes from the heart, and it was just super fluid with Spotify and the Frequency team. The biggest way I experimented with the creative freedom that we had at The Free Studio was by inserting myself within the documentary. So you get to meet these artists by way of me. What's more personal than somebody actually making real relationships in real time? I was able to break the fourth wall to learn from these artists and work with them, in a way that was more my style.
You'll see I also used the fish-eye lens to focus in on the individual artists. It shows that there are these distinct worlds that each of these artists lived in and worked in. And with the fish-eye lens, you can see a glimpse of what their world looks like-their full world within The Free Studio. And then we get into more of those intimate moments, in many shots, as we break down the artist and their creative practice.
We talked to Mike Brown about The Art of Letting Go and he mentioned that the two of you had a chance to collaborate on a podcast episode. What was that experience like for you? We had a nice glass of wine and just talked. I love the atmosphere that he creates on his podcast because it's just a space to let it out. You don't feel judged, you don't feel like you need to have the answer; you can just flow and be yourself and exist. That was super comforting.
What do you hope viewers walk away with after seeing this documentary? I really hope that people feel inspired to create the way they want to, stop worrying about external acknowledgment, and focus on the approval coming from within. Because you'll create something and then the world will want to be a part of it.
Can't get enough of the work from The Free Studio? Check out Free Studio participants Indigo Mateo, Richie Reseda, and Vic Mensa's Abolition X.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
01/12/2025
L3Harris and PentenAmio formalise their teaming agreement at MilCIS 2025, streng...
01/12/2025
Artemis II is NASA's first crewed flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. The crew, from left: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Vic...
01/12/2025
IRVINE, Calif. Wooden Camera has introduced its new Accessory Collection for the Canon EOS C50. The new lineup includes a low-profile, gimbal-ready cage, expand...
01/12/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for its Dec. 18 Open Commission Meeting that will include a vote on a report an...
01/12/2025
In most years, a graph of annual local TV ad spending is about as predictable as an electrocardiogram of a reasonably healthy patient in a doctor's office. ...
01/12/2025
Many industries have seen big-ticket hardware turn into software. Switchers, though, demand a combination of real-time performance and sheer bandwidth that has ...
01/12/2025
GENEVA Shanghai will host the next quadrennial Radiocommunication Assembly (RA-27) and World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27), Oct. 11-Nov. 12, 2027. This...
01/12/2025
NEW YORK Just in time for Giving Tuesday tomorrow (Dec. 2), the Broadcasters Foundation of America is seeking out donations to help television and radio industr...
01/12/2025
STOCKHOLM, Sweden Net Insight CEO Crister Fritzson has informed the company's board that he will retire from the video transport and media cloud technology ...
01/12/2025
01 Dec 2025
Kyivstar and Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Transformation Select Go...
01/12/2025
The prequel to the global hit Sky Original mob crime saga, Gomorrah' is a s...
01/12/2025
Featuring Florence Welch, Red Hot Chilli Peppers' Flea, designer Bella Freud...
01/12/2025
Back to All News
A Down to Earth, All Too Relatable Hero: Cashero' Teaser ...
01/12/2025
In the rush to deliver content to every screen, many broadcasters overlook one of the most crucial steps in the workflow: format and frame rate conversion. Get ...
01/12/2025
Fox Corporation Chief Financial Officer Steve Tomsic to Participate in Upcoming ...
01/12/2025
Arvato Systems' Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) Receives BSI C5 Certification (T...
01/12/2025
Summary This short video gives you an summary of the changes in under two minutes.
--...
01/12/2025
As the festive season approaches, RT Supporting the Arts is proud to showcase a...
01/12/2025
Researchers worldwide rely on open-source technologies as the foundation of their work. To equip the community with the latest advancements in digital and physi...
01/12/2025
Festive specials of Christmas in Kilmainham presented by Marty Whelan, High Road Low Road, Callan Kicks the Year and Keys to My Life
Ring in the New Year with ...
01/12/2025
Architect and television presenter Hugh Wallace, best known to RT audiences as a long-serving judge on Home of the Year, has died at the age of 68.
In a state...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
Last year, Spotify created Frequency, a global initiative and holistic destination to celebrate Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture, and community both on- and off-platform. Then, earlier in 2022, Frequency debuted The Free Studio, a short-term creator studio in Los Angeles, as a place to celebrate Black expression. Nine Black creators across multiple disciplines spanning music, podcast, and artistry came together to use the space's recording studios, video backdrops, green screen areas, blank canvases, and more-finding a physical location to foster and grow their creativity. 
