Sylvester tries to make it as a glam rock star, but ends up self-sabotaging on an epic scale: spending his advance on clothes, not paying his band, and fleeing to Paris when he can't stand the heat.
A legendary Motown producer signs Sylvester to a record deal, and a new band helps him build a passionate local fan base. Now he's just gotta break through to the pop charts.
Sylvester always thought disco was tacky, but he finally embraces the popular sound - and rockets to superstardom. He's the toast of Europe. His songs win Grammys. But mistrust with management are pushing his band to the breaking point.
Between the racist backlash to disco, the late '70s record industry collapse, and a bizarre case of mistaken identity, superstardom is a mixed blessing for Sylvester.
Sylvester loses some of his closest creative collaborators - some to success, others to a mysterious disease that doesn't have a name yet - and he starts a new chapter with a small label run by old friends.
Sylvester goes broke, makes history on MTV and returns to his Pentecostal roots as AIDS ravages his community. Sylvester discovers the greatest love of his life - and makes some of the most meaningful music of his career.
With his most commercial record in years, Sylvester signs with a major label, becomes the face of a movement, plants a flag for Black musical excellence with an iconic performance, and is honored by his chosen hometown.