The Blues is one of the earliest and most enduring musical traditions in Black American culture. Rooted in African musical traditions, spirituals, and African American work songs, the blues sprang forth from the American South in the 1860s and by the early 20th century would begin a cultural revolution, paving the way for jazz and modern popular music. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, a film which stars Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman in his final performance, seeks to unpack that with fire.