Season five of “Naptown Narratives” does more than just uncover the story behind a hip hop artist; it showcases the vibrant community on Indy’s Far Eastside.
“Naptown Narratives,” a documentary series created by Anthony Murdock and LaKesha Lorene in 2020, aims to preserve local Black history by highlighting Indianapolis’ “everyday heroes.” Season five of the docuseries, titled “The Story of Cobra Son,” premiered at the Alamo Drafthouse on Aug. 27 and took a closer look at hip-hop artist 4200Kory on a more personal level, exploring his ties to the Naptown music scene and Far Eastside.
“I created this docuseries because Black stories — especially the stories of everyday Black folks who make Naptown exactly what it is — deserve beautiful stages,” Murdock said in an email to the Recorder. “It evolved into focusing on the stories of today because eventually we will all become history. And so, we have, and we did, and we are. We deserve to be remembered, and this docuseries ensures that we’re remembered and celebrated.”
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4200Kory, born Chauncey Kory Graham, told the Recorder his background as an artist is simple. It was something he picked up for fun, but gradually fell in love with the process of making music. However, Graham said his journey as an artist here in Indianapolis has “always been one of passage.”
“The hip hop scene in Naptown is beautiful because of its uniqueness,” Graham said in an email to the Recorder. “There’s a wide range of taste in regards to what particular niches are on display sonically. I was embraced pretty well early on, and I’ve always taken a lot of pride in proving myself to more and more of the city as a representative of the people.”
One of the things “Naptown Narratives” strives to do with its storytelling is feature stories from people all over the city — such as Tasha Cheatham in season four, Brother Jamaal Nelson in season three and Chyna Goodlow in season two. Graham’s deep love of the Far Eastside and his dedication to amplifying voices within that community are what made his application so compelling, Lorene, producer and director of Loving Light Productions, said.
“For all the seasons, it’s really been interesting hearing everybody’s unique passion,” Lorene said. “For Kory, he has a passion for people being honest about overcoming trauma and reshaping the narrative around trauma. How he expresses himself is through his music, and that’s why so many people are able to feel it, connect with it, and be empowered by it.”
Graham comes from a big family; he’s the eldest of seven and grew up on the Far Eastside. Both of these aspects of Graham’s life speak volumes to the drive he has in his music and his community, making him “no stranger to the importance of intercommunal connection,” he said.
In the documentary, Graham discusses his hopes and dreams as a community leader, and Lorene said it was crucial for them to highlight this alongside the challenges he has overcome with his family and within his neighborhood.
However, their own challenge arose when Lorene realized Graham’s large family and community meant there would be a lot of people to interview. Storytelling is at the heart of everything they do with Naptown Narratives, and Lorene said they had to approach it a little differently this season.
“There’s actually a lot of it we weren’t even able to include in the story because it would have been really long,” Lorene said. “I approached it thinking, ‘Okay, if I was watching this documentary, what would I want to find out about this artist?’ … So, my big opportunity was to make sure nothing was cut off in his story, that we’ve got to share everything in a way that felt complete for the audience.”
Season five of Naptown Narratives, “The Story of Cobra Son,” premiered at the Alamo Drafthouse on Aug. 27 — the same month Graham released his debut album, “Cobra Son,” which he named for his mother.
“It’s really rewarding to get to give people their flowers while they’re alive and they can smell them,” Lorene said. “Everything that people put out into this world is so significant, so I love seeing people celebrated. I love seeing our culture celebrated in this way and I love having partners like Life in Indy, like Circle City storytellers, around to really help amplify and show people the power in their stories.”
When he was selected for season five of Naptown Narratives, Graham said his initial thoughts about being part of the production were “a bit bashful.” He struggled to conceive the reality of having an episode in a docuseries about himself as just 23 years old. However, the overall experience really moved him, and he said being able to share his story was “an honor above all else.”
“It was simpler than expected, but naturally it was demanding to break my routine and show up as wholly as possible,” Graham said. “I hope the lasting effects are a life-long impression of positivity. My story is not my own, but a piece of so many others, and I want people to view themselves with the same kind of candor.”
“Naptown Narratives” season five, “The Story of Cobra Son,” is now available to stream for free on YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=In_2WSOruXE. For more information, visit lovinglifeproductions.com/docuseries.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
