Apple TV+’s four-part documentary They Call Me Magic looks at the life of Los Angeles Lakers star Earvin Johnson, known to fans as “Magic.” His dazzling style of play forever changed the game of basketball, though his HIV diagnosis in the early ‘90s shocked the world. Magic was able to transcend from sports superstar to business titan, helping to revolutionize the way corporate America does business in black communities.
Terence Blanchard (pictured) created the original score for the series and is Emmy nominated in the category of “Outstanding Music Composition For A Documentary Series Or Special (Original Dramatic Score).” Blanchard says he was inspired by a quote from Magic’s father, also named Earvin, who said, “If you do your life halfway, that’s how you’ll practice basketball, that’s how you’ll do your homework — you’ll always be a person who doesn’t finish the job.”
“In creating the score for They Call Me Magic, I tried to find that essential sound or groove that would be the constant throughout my score, which would represent that very quality Earvin has had throughout his life — that which has made people call him Magic.”