Bullseye with Jesse Thorn Raphael Saadiq
Feb 24, 2026
Raphael Saadiq, singer-songwriter, bassist and producer who co-founded Tony! Toni! Toné! and produced for Solange and D’Angelo. He discusses writing the Oscar-nominated song for Sinners under a rush. He traces the song’s blues-and-church roots, recalls handing off a demo that became a cinematic sequence, and reflects on Bay Area beginnings and touring with his late brother.
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How I Lied to You Was Written Overnight
- Raphael Saadiq wrote the Oscar-nominated song I Lied to You on very short notice, composing and recording a demo the same day Ryan Coogler asked for it.
- He and Luke Wicks jammed in Luke's studio, Saadiq sang the demo, they listened back, and he left hoping they liked it.
Song As A Musical Timeline
- The song in Sinners functions like a musical timeline linking African roots, blues, gospel, funk, rock, and hip hop to tell a larger cultural story.
- Saadiq realized the film's sequence amplified the song into a room-spanning history once he saw it in the Grand Lake Theater.
Bass Beginnings In Gospel Quartets
- Saadiq's first gigs were playing bass as a child in gospel quartets, rehearsing nightly with much older singers.
- His early mentor Joe Thomas taught him a simple bass line to play on every song, which became his foundational training.