With the passing of Clarence Avant, the world lost a certified legend of Black entertainment. However, where can one learn more about the 92-year-old’s life? It turns out, a film called The Black Godfather gives all the extraordinary details of just how influential the man was in his lifetime.
Though a cause of death is not currently known, Avant’s family said in a statement that he died “gently at home in Los Angeles” Sunday, according to NPR. The tragic news comes almost two years after Avant’s wife, Jacqueline, was murdered by being shot with a gun back in December 2021, when she was 81.
Avant had a ridiculously influential career that touched upon the worlds of music, sports, and even politics. Having served as the chairman of Motown Records at one point, he was involved in the careers of Bill Withers, Michael Jackson, and even P. Diddy.
Where can I stream The Black Godfather?
If you want to learn more about Avant’s incredibly diverse career, it turns out the 2019 documentary The Black Godfather promises a compelling portrayal of who is described as “the ultimate, uncensored mentor and behind-the-scenes rainmaker in music, film, TV and politics.” You can currently watch the film on Netflix.
Avant proved to have a bipartisan appeal in his lifetime, having worked as both an advisor for President George H.W. Bush and fundraised for the likes of Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. In addition, Avant also worked with a number of towering figures in the world of sports, including Jim Brown, Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, and Muhammad Ali.
Even The Black Godfather was created in part thanks to his orbit of influence since it was Avant’s own son-in-law, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who produced the Reginald Hudlin-directed film.