Atlanta-made documentary “The Games in Black & White” now has an original theme song: “City Too Busy To Hate” by Georgia-grown producer Dallas Austin and hip hop artist Champ tells the story of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta through music. It’s available on streaming platforms ahead of the April release.
The song was released by Dallas Austin Distribution and Atlanta Story Partners ahead of the film premiere at the Rialto Center for the Arts on April 26. Along with creating the theme song, Dallas Austin serves as the film’s music director. He worked with Atlanta jazz pianist, composer and writer Joe Alterman to score the documentary.
“We knew from the beginning we wanted to have a very eclectic theme song and underscore that could reflect diversity much like we reflect diversity in the film,” Co-Executive Producer Bob Judson said.
Judson said Atlanta was a rich city to pull from, but he wanted to use two music genres indigenous to the United States. He opted for hip hop and jazz and worked with writer and producer George Hirthler to recruit Dallas Austin to the film in 2023.
Austin has previously worked as a producer with musical icons like Michael Jackson and Madonna. But with the documentary, he was charged with a new task — backdrop the story of the Black and white partnership between Andrew Young and Billy Payne that brought the Olympics to Atlanta and changed the city forever.
“When I heard about ‘The Games in Black & White’ with its focus on Andrew Young and Billy Payne’s friendship, I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” Austin said. “Atlanta’s Games has a huge impact on our city’s hip hop and creative community, and I love contributing a voice to the film, which adds another prominent verse to Atlanta’s amazing roles in the global music, film and sports scenes.”
The filmmakers knew they wanted a theme song, and they wanted it to reflect the rich history of Atlanta and the Olympics. The title, “City Too Busy To Hate,” is based on a quote about the city’s race relations from mid-century Mayor William B. Hartsfield, and the lyrics are based on an original poem from Hirthler. It’s performed by Atlanta musician Champp.
“Like the city that inspired it, this song has a bangin’ hook that will inspire everyone to jump up and dance,” Champp said. “In yet another original way, this song and film prove how Atlanta influences everything.”
Hirthler and Judson said the project was collaborative from beginning to end. Hirthler co-wrote the theme song lyrics, while Austin and Alterman collaborated on the score. The filmmakers said the jazz and hip hop musicians had an “instantaneous” creative flow.
“They just get in there and start making it,” Judson said. “Just, you know, this tremendous musical talent, and this willingness to work together.”
Alterman said he was inspired by Andrew Young and Billy Payne’s “spontaneous and deeply intuitive” partnership. It helped him work alongside Dallas Austin to carve out a musical framework for the story of the Atlanta Olympics and the cross-racial bridge that brought them to the city.
The result is a ranging sound. “The Games in Black & White” opens with a series of fast-paced images set to the theme song before slowing to an Atlanta sunrise and the composed score. From there, the film begins.
“The composition of the soundtrack really never lets you go,” Hirthler said.
In some ways, Judson said the soundtrack pays homage to Atlanta’s long-standing music scene with artists that “never got their due.” By the 1990s, the city had a music scene beginning to blossom with artists like OutKast and TLC. The Olympics helped that scene explode.
‘The whole creative community was inspired by the games,” Hirthler said.
The theme song “City Too Busy to Hate” and score capture that creative inspiration from the “largest peacetime gathering in history.” But the filmmakers want to make sure viewers know it’s an emotional framework for the story behind the powerful men who joined forces under the Olympic cause.
“City Too Busy to Hate” is available on streaming platforms worldwide. “The Games in Black & White” will premiere as a Special Presentation for the 49th annual Atlanta Film Festival at Rialto Center for the Arts on April 26. For more information, click here.
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