When many think of Matt Barnes, they think of the hot-headed, street-savvy guy that has been called the bad boy of the NBA.
However, his new docu-series, “(R)Evolution,” shows how he is far more than that and has evolved over the years into a powerhouse businessman and all-around dope person.
Matt Barnes and his producer sit with AllHipHop.com to build on NBA, reality shows, growth, and perspective. Of course, Barnes talks Hip-Hop and the many rappers that get him on a personal vibe.
AllHipHop: How was it working on a docu-series with someone as explosive, and controversial sometimes as Matt Barnes, and then, how do you kinda look at this project and make him so endearing because I saw the screener. Matt you’re so endearing!
Matt Barnes: That’s all Joslyn, right there.
Joslyn Rose Lyons: You know, I think it’s a great question, and I don’t know that I necessarily have the answer. I think the camera doesn’t lie, and I think that depending on what you’ve framed is what you’re gonna see, so my goal as a filmmaker is to tell stories from an authentic lens and honest lens and unbiased lens, and I really wanted Matt’s story to be told. I feel like a lot of history has been left untold and unseen, and so, shining a light on a part of his story that was left in the dark is kind of what motivated this revolution.
AllHipHop: So Matt, ‘cause you’re a public/private person which is kinda weird to say. You’ve been in the public, and there are a lot of things that people don’t know about you. I think that it has been deliberate.
How difficult was it for you to open up to the cameras that follow you in this way versus a reality show or something?
Matt Barnes: First of all, we made the mistake of doing a reality show which I’m not proud of, but it was a learning experience. But I just think…
AllHipHop: I know, but this is different than that.
Matt Barnes: That’s what I’m saying. We made that mistake but to me, this is different because I think there’s a misconception of who I was as a person. You saw me on a crazy reality show, you would see me on NBA on any given night, you could see me cuss, slap somebody, get kicked out, get into a skirmish.
I felt like obviously, that’s kinda all certain people got of me so they would draw conclusions of “oh this dude is crazy,” this dude is this, that, and this.” and you know sometimes, even though it wasn’t true, we were at a point in media back then, in the 2010s where athletes didn’t get a chance to say like “no, it really didn’t happen like that.” or “That’s a complete lie.”
What they painted is what they saw, I was kinda labeled as a villain, a bad guy, a thug, you name it. What better way to tell the people that kinda still follow me whether they love me or hate me, why I am the way I am. You know people think, because I’m light skinned and I have good hair, like, he must be soft, he must be this, he must be that. Nah, I really came up in it.
I’ve seen people get stabbed, people die, you know, abused, drugs, moving from house to house, food stamps. I came up in that lifestyle.
Joslyn and I started this project 5 years ago, and it has just been a culmination of figuring out exactly what it is. We’re…showing you a large part of my life that, for the most part of my life, has been untold, and that’s been the goal with it.