Revenge of The Dragon Film Premiere

651 ARTS is thrilled to welcome José James to Brooklyn for the world premiere of short film, Revenge Of The Dragon, discussion of the creative process behind his 13th studio album, 1978: Revenge of The Dragon, and a Q&A with co-director Joseph DiGiovanna and cast members.

1978: Revenge of The Dragon (Rainbow Blonde Records) is the 13th studio album from José James, the jazz singer for the hip-hop generation. With this project, James explores the cultural landscape of his birth year, channeling the rebellious, underground spirit of the late 1970s. While its predecessor, 1978 (2024), evoked the glittering disco era of Studio 54, 1978: Revenge of The Dragon taps into the raw, countercultural energy of the Mudd Club—drawing inspiration from jazz fusion, kung fu cinema, and Blaxploitation films.

The album is accompanied by a classic kung fu short film, Revenge of The Dragon, executive produced by José James and Talia Billig. Written by James and co-directed with Joseph Digiovanna, the film expands on the album’s themes through a cinematic lens.

José James is both conductor and conduit. Across 17 years as a singer, songwriter, bandleader, and producer — not to mention co-head of the fearless Rainbow Blonde Records since 2018 — he’s dived deep, over and over again, into genres, eras, scenes, and songbooks, exploring with the verve of a reverent musicologist, and then churning it all up with the confidence of a master practitioner. Blessed with a silken baritone that sounds classic against any backdrop, James first turned heads on his 2008 debut The Dreamer by subtly swirling contemporary jazz with hip-hop instrumentation. As it turned out, mixing those two fluid, frenetic, and frequently time-travelling strains set off a deeply soulful discography that knows no bounds. There was his stunning Blue Note breakthrough No Beginning No End (2013), recorded with fellow genre upsetters like Pino Palladino and Robert Glasper. There was an album of standards, For All We Know (2010); the rock-addled While You Were Sleeping (2014); and that time he ditched the bands and became a modern R&B star for Love in a Time of Madness (2017). He’s also taken a Method approach to covers projects — even matching his wardrobe to his subjects’ worlds — like 2015’s Yesterday I Had the Blues (Billie Holiday), 2018’s Lean On Me (Bill Withers), and 2023’s On & On (Erykah Badu). He’s released dynamic live LPs, a Christmas set, and a four-album series inspired by hooky, funky, disco-dipped songcraft of the ’70s, culminating in his latest, 1978: Revenge of the Dragon (2025). That last one is as immediate, unpredictable, and vibrant as anything James has made, affirming the mantra in the lead single’s title: “They Sleep, We Grind.”

Since its founding in 1988, 651 ARTS has become a trusted convener of contemporary African Diasporic artistic expression, a champion and nurturer for emerging artists and their work and a vital cultural resource for its surrounding community. As it moves forward, part of 651 ARTS’ mission is to preserve the legacy of Black culture in Brooklyn, celebrate the eclecticism of Black performance and to pioneer new visions of African Diaspora artists. This year – the transition year – is integral for the institution as it continues to lay the framework that will further help to reinforce 651 ARTS’ role as a leader of African Diasporic culture while also establishing it an incubator for artistic innovation in the 21st century.

Also check out other Entertainment events in Brooklyn, Music events in Brooklyn, Arts events in Brooklyn.