Netflix announces it won’t release Louis Farrakhan biopic
Last month Netflix announced that it would release a biopic about controversial Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
But apparently the popular streaming network has changed their plans.
The company has announced that Farrakhan’s doc “My Life’s Journey Through Music,” will not be streamed after all. A company spokesperson on Tuesday said that prior reports about the release were the result of a communication error, according to Variety.
“This film will not be released on Netflix,” the spokesperson said. “Due to an internal miscommunication, it appeared to be scheduled for release on Netflix, but it is not. We apologize for any confusion this has caused.”
The controversial pastor has been frequently criticized for his hate speech and bigoted statements about gays, white people and Jewish people.
Twitter removed Louis Farrakhan’s verified status in June after he posted a video with the caption “thoroughly and completely unmasking the Satanic Jew and the Synagogue of Satan.”
The tweet also included a link to the full sermon, in which he claimed that Judaism is a “system of tricks and lies” and that former president Barack Obama was under “under Jewish influence” when he advocated for same-sex marriage.
Farrakhan had announced the biopic release on Twitter Monday and wrote that the film would be coming to the service in August.
“On August 1st, watch the premiere of my music documentary ‘My Life’s Journey Through Music’ on @netflix,” the Nation of Islam leader wrote.
As noted by npr.com, “My Life’s Journey Through Music” was produced in 2014 by Farrakhan’s son and chronicles his life as an “activist and fringe political figure.”
The news outlet also noted that the documentary is likely adapted from Louis Farrakhan’s seven-album box set “Let’s Change the World.” Released back in March, the box-set features collaborations with music icons such as Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Common, Chaka Khan, Rick Ross and Damian Marley.
Last March, Republican Congressman Todd Rokita called on the House of Representatives to condemn the Nation of Islam leader and putting pressure on several House Democrats who have had ties to him.
Rokita introduced a resolution citing Farrakhan for “promoting ideas that create animosity and anger” toward the Jewish community and condemning “all manifestations of expressions of racism, anti-Semitism, and ethnic or religious intolerance.”
Some speculated this was in response to a speech Farrakhan gave in which he stated, “White folks are going down. And Satan is going down. And Farrakhan, by God’s grace, has pulled the cover off of that Satanic Jew and I’m here to say your time is up, your world is through.”
“There is no place in our civil discourse for this clear anti-Semitism and hate for another group of human beings,” Rokita said in a statement. “I urge my House colleagues to join me in condemning Louis Farrakhan’s hateful and anti-Semitic attacks, while also reaffirming our nation’s commitment to our Jewish neighbors and our greatest ally, the nation of Israel.”
There has not yet been a vote scheduled on the resolution.
