Movie profile

Don't Get Trouble in Your Mind: The Carolina Chocolate Drops' Story

How three African-Americans from the hip-hop generation embraced a 19th-century genre and took it to new heights

In 2010, The Carolina Chocolate Drops stunned the music world, taking home the Traditional Folk Album Grammy for their debut album, Genuine Negro Jig. Founded in 2005 in Raleigh, North Carolina, the old-time string band members included Rhiannon Giddens, Dom Flemons and Justin Robinson, who were all inspired by the work of black fiddler Joe Thompson. As the documentary charts the band’s sudden rise, it also looks at the influence of their mentor, Thompson, and the African origins of the banjo.

Directed by John Whitehead