Between 1971 and 1997, if you said “The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers,” you were talking about comics artist Gilbert Shelton’s illustrated pothead underground series. Stoned being the way of the walk, Shelton characters like Phineas T. Phreak and Freewheelin’ Franklin Freek were busy buying weed, selling weed and talking about weed.
It is fitting then that Lionsgate and its partners, WTG Enterprises, chose 4/20 to announce further casting for their new joint animated series, “The Freak Brothers.” Pete Davidson, Tiffany Haddish, Woody Harrelson, La La Anthony, John Goodman and the stars of Comedy Central’s “Workaholics,” Adam Devine and Blake Anderson, had already signed on. (Devine and Anderson also serve as executive producers on the series.) Today comes word that Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, the founder of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) has produced the show’s theme song and is serving as executive producer on the series, and ScHoolboy Q will play a character based on himself.
“I love that I get to play myself,” said ScHoolboy Q (illustrated below). “I don’t just mean playing ‘Q’ either, but the real me. I was high on ‘shrooms when I recorded my scenes.”
“The show is funny and perfect for modern times,” added Tiffith. “WTG’s [executive producers] Mark Canton and Courtney Solomon and [producer] Dorothy Canton were welcoming and great at working with our creative vision to ensure TDE was represented well.”
TDE was founded in 2004 and is home to SZA, Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Rock, Ab-Soul and ScHoolboy Q, among other artists.
Producer-songwriter-rapper Ray Vaughn created the “Freak Brothers” theme song, which can be heard below.
“I’m beyond grateful to be able to work on ‘The Freak Brothers,'” said Vaughn. “The stuff I’ve seen so far has been hilarious.”
ScHoolboy Q added that it was the production’s vibe and authenticity that drew him in. “I wanted to do something outside of rap, creatively, and this was a great fit,” he said in a statement. “It’s hilarious and it just ‘feels stoner’ like I am. The show is really about what it says it’s about. Working on my episode was laid back and fun, while still challenging creatively and pushing boundaries.”
Starburns Industries and Pure Imagination Studios, the studios behind “Rick & Morty” and the “Simpsons” episode “Brick Like Me,” handled the animation of the eight-episode first season, which has already wrapped production. Lionsgate handles global distribution rights.
Check out preview episodes of “The Freak Brothers” below:
