The Magic Pill is a documentary film that was released on YouTube in 2017. The film explores the idea that a ketogenic diet can have a transformative impact on people's health and is labeled as a "magic pill" for many of the chronic diseases that afflict modern society. The documentary features interviews with doctors, scientists, and individuals who have adopted a ketogenic lifestyle. The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has been used for decades to treat epilepsy in children. However, in recent years, it has gained popularity as a way to lose weight and improve overall health. The diet works by forcing the body to burn fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.
Witch Prophet
Witch Prophet is a queer, Ethiopian/Eritrean singer-songwriter, and the Co-CEO of Heart Lake Records. She provides her fans with a soundscape of vocal layers, loops, raps, and harmonies on a bed of hip-hop, jazz, and soul-inspired beats: think Erykah Badu meets Lauryn Hill meets Portishead. She finds depth and connection in creating music as a portal for self-growth and discovery, as she navigates and better understands her cultural and queer identity.
Witch Prophet has shared the stage with and opened for acts like THEESatisfaction, Shabazz Palaces, Lido Pimienta, A Tribe Called Red, Climbing Poetree, SAMMUS, Sean Leon, JPEGMAFIA, The Cliks, Rae Spoon, Zaki Ibrahim, Kae Sun, and LAL, to name a few.
Her vocals have appeared on Shad's Flying Colours LP (2013), 2009's Polaris Prize winner Fucked Up's LP Dose your Dreams (2018), as well as DillanPonders’ newest album Because We’re Alive (2020). She has toured Europe independently twice, playing shows in Paris, Amsterdam, London, and Berlin, and performed at North American and European music festivals including Black Women Rock, New Skool Rules, Soul Of Brooklyn, Allied Media Conference, Montreal Jazz Festival, Sappy Fest, Electric Eclectic, Summerworks, Ottawa Capital Pride, Pride Toronto, Pop Montreal, and Halifax Pop Explosion.
Witch Prophet released her Ontario Arts Council-funded sophomore LP DNA Activation in 2020, an ode to her Ethiopian and Eritrean ancestral roots, fusing Jazz, Hip-Hop, Soul and RnB with songs sung in English, Amharic, and Tigrinya. Co-produced by herself and her partner SUN SUN, praised by press and music lovers alike, DNA Activation was shortlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize. She has since been signed to Ki An Projects, a new label in the UK for the release of a deluxe edition of DNA Activation. The video for her song Tesfay directed by Leah Vlemmiks was nominated for the 2021 Prism Prize and was an official selection at the 2021 SXSW Music Video awards.
Witch Prophet
Witch Prophet is a queer, Ethiopian/Eritrean singer-songwriter based in Toronto. She provides her fans with a soundscape of vocal layers, loops, raps, and harmonies on a bed of hip-hop, jazz, and soul-inspired beats. Think Erykah Badu meets Lauryn Hill meets Jill Scott. Her EPs H.P.B. and Architect of Heartbreak Remixes were met with great praise when released in 2016 and 2017, as was her highly anticipated album The Golden Octave , released via her own label Heart Lake Records in 2018.
In March of 2020, Witch Prophet released her Ontario Arts Council funded sophomore LP DNA Activation , an ode to her Ethiopian and Eritrean ancestral roots, fusing jazz, hip-hop, soul and R&B, with songs sung in English, Amharic, and Tigrinya. Co-produced by herself and her partner Sun Sun, and praised by press and music lovers alike, DNA Activation was shortlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize.
“[Witch Prophet’s] dreamy blend of R&B is equal parts KING and Control era Janet Jackson” – Bandcamp
“Choose your own dosage, but Witch Prophet’s woozy r&b song for healing is meant to be put on repeat” – NPR
“…the [Architect of Heartbreak] remixes are a striking testament to the strength of the original track, and to the wide appeal and versatility of Witch Prophet’s sound” – NOW Magazine
“H.P.B. is only four songs long, but you can revel in the intersection of its soul, R&B and hip-hop nods for days.” – CBC Music
Past Appearances
February 27, 2021 @ 7:00 pm
Witch Prophet
Witch Prophet is a queer, East African, singer-songwriter, and the Co-CEO of Heart Lake Records. She provides her fans with a soundscape of vocal layers, loops, raps, and harmonies on a bed of hip-hop, jazz, and soul-inspired beats. Think Erykah Badu meets Lauryn Hill meets Portishead. She finds depth and connection in creating music as a portal for self-growth and discovery, as she navigates and better understands her cultural and queer identity.
She has shared the stage with and opened for acts like Lido Pimienta, Shabazz Palaces, THEESatisfaction, The Hallucination (fka A Tribe Called Red), SAMMUS, Sean Leon, JPEGMAFIA, Climbing Poetree and Zaki Ibrahim to name a few.
Her vocals have appeared on Shad’s “Flying Colours” LP (2013), 2009’s Polaris Prize winner Fucked Up’s LP “Dose your Dreams” (2018), as well as DillanPonders newest album “Because We’re Alive” (2020). She has toured Europe independently twice; playing shows in Paris, Amsterdam, London, and Berlin, as well as performed at North American and European music festivals like: Black Women Rock, New Skool Rules, Soul Of Brooklyn, Allied Media Conference, Montreal Jazz Festival, Sappy Fest, Electric Eclectic, Summerworks, Ottawa Capital Pride, Pride Toronto, Pop Montreal, Halifax Pop Explosion and so many more!
In March of 2020, Witch Prophet released her Ontario Arts Council funded sophomore LP “D.N.A Activation”. An ode to her Ethiopian and Eritrean ancestral roots, fusing Jazz, Hip-Hop, Soul and RnB with songs sung in English, Amharic, and Tigrinya. Co-produced by herself and her partner SUN SUN, praised by press and music lovers alike, DNA Activation was shortlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize. She has since released a deluxe edition of DNA Activation featuring remix tracks with rappers Stas THEE Boss and LATASHÁ.
The video for her song Tesfay directed by Leah Vlemmiks was nominated for the 2021 Prism Prize and was an official selection at the 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival as well as the 2021 SXSW Music Video awards. Tesfay was also nominated in the UKMVA’s Best International RnB/Soul video category alongside Beyoncé, Cardi B, Normani, The Weeknd, and Bryson Tiller. Her newest video for her single Makda was released May 2021 and debuted on FADER.
Review: Erykah Badu is mesmerizing, magical in St. Paul concert
Erykah Badu has been known to keep her fans waiting. The high priestess of neo-soul has not released a proper studio album since 2010. She didn't headline a Twin Cities concert between 2001 and 2021.
When she returned to St. Paul on Friday night at Xcel Energy Center, her band played on and on for 15 minutes, waiting for her to join them onstage. Then, she made an entrance, of course. Badu is always a visual treat.
Shiny stove pipe hat with a witch's brim. Green-sequined floor-length coat, with 24-inch-long tubes of fur trim around her neck and knees. Wraparound glasses that lit up with different colors. And braids that fell to her feet. Green laser lights framed Badu as she sang "20 Feet Tall." And she certainly seemed larger than life.
A Badu concert is a cosmic experience, part jazzy hip-hop soul trip, part modern dance performance, part visual feast, part liberating spiritual awakening. She never ceases to take you on a trip through her mind and your own. Friday's concert was as mesmerizingly magical as her 2021 performance at the Armory in Minneapolis.
Like David Bowie and Prince before her, and Beyoncé and Janelle Monáe after her, Badu is one of pop music's marvelous visionaries. She comes with a well contemplated philosophy and an evolved concept for the sound, messages and visuals of her art.
In her 90 minutes onstage in St. Paul, the Dallas native offered several of her hits, including "On & On," "Bag Lady" and an abbreviated "Appletree." She even snuck in a taste of Ari Lennox's 2018 hit "Whipped Cream" during her own "Window Seat."
Badu delivered the autobiographical "Me," sharing her history (claiming she's 56 when most bios say 52) for the uninitiated, which seemed to be a significant portion of the sparse crowd of maybe 5,000.
The singer-actress-fashionista-entrepreneur-doula is calling her 2023 arena trek her Unfollow Me Tour because, she explained, "I don't want to be responsible for you. You can't go where I'm going. Follow your heart. Follow your ambitions. Follow your dreams. You ain't gotta be like nobody. I don't know what's right for you, and you don't know what's right for me."
For her performance, Badu had a giant video wall behind her, not for closeup shots of her performing live but rather for images of Egyptian objects and arty designs. Another visual was her outfits, which she peeled off in layers. After the long sequined coat, there was an oversized tie-dyed sweater, and eventually a black T-shirt and leotard. And a fuchsia stocking cap with a knot on top.
Not only does Badu have her own line of clothing, cannabis and lifestyle products, she is a model, a Met Gala regular and a Vogue cover subject, in March.
Dressed in all white including stocking caps, her band — seven musicians, three singers —grooved. Sometimes Badu, who played electronic percussion and briefly acoustic guitar, stuck to the arrangement, other times she improvised, conducting the musicians and riffing with her voice.
She showed an elastic voice, accomplished at hip-hop, soul and Billie Holiday-ish jazz. And, as she promised at the end of the night, she uncorked a spine-tingling scream that would have been equally at home in a sanctified setting or a heavy-metal concert.
Opening the evening was rapper Yasiin Bey, dressed in a Minnesota Wild jersey with his surname and numeral 0 on the back. Formerly known as Mos Def, he commanded the stage with old favorites like "Ms. Fat Booty" before dancing off to Milton Nascimento's "Tudo Que Você Podia Ser."
The diet works by forcing the body to burn fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. This state, known as ketosis, has been shown to have benefits for weight loss, blood sugar control, and even certain types of cancer. The film highlights the Standard American Diet (SAD) and its connection to the rise in obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses.
It argues that the overconsumption of processed foods, sugar, and carbohydrates is at the root of these problems. Many of the experts interviewed explain how the modern diet has led to an imbalance in our gut bacteria and increased inflammation in the body, which can contribute to a host of health issues. The Magic Pill follows several individuals, including a young girl with autism, a man with type 2 diabetes, and a woman with asthma, as they adopt a ketogenic diet and experience dramatic improvements in their health. These personal stories, along with the scientific evidence presented, make a compelling case for the benefits of a low-carb, high-fat diet in treating and preventing chronic diseases. The film also delves into the ethical and environmental implications of our food choices. It highlights how industrial farming practices and the production of processed foods have led to a degradation of our environment and the mistreatment of animals. It advocates for a return to traditional, whole foods and sustainable farming practices. Overall, The Magic Pill presents a persuasive argument for the benefits of a ketogenic diet and challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding nutrition and health. It has sparked a global conversation about the link between diet and disease and has inspired many individuals to make positive changes in their own lives..
Reviews for "The Magic Pill of YouTube: From Viewers to Subscribers"
1. John Doe - 1 star
This documentary is filled with pseudoscience and false claims. It presents the ketogenic diet as some sort of magical cure-all for various illnesses, without providing any concrete evidence to back up these claims. The testimonials from individuals who have supposedly benefited from the diet are anecdotal at best and fail to consider other factors that may have contributed to their improved health. Overall, this film is misleading and lacks credibility.
2. Jane Smith - 2 stars
While the concept of exploring the benefits of a ketogenic diet is intriguing, "The Magic Pill" fails to provide a balanced view. The documentary dismisses important aspects of nutrition and oversimplifies the complexity of human dietary needs. It also neglects to acknowledge that the ketogenic diet may not be suitable for everyone, especially those with certain medical conditions or specific dietary requirements. Rather than presenting a well-rounded examination of the topic, the film seems more focused on promoting a particular diet without considering potential drawbacks.
3. Mark Johnson - 1 star
"The Magic Pill" is nothing more than a propaganda piece for the ketogenic diet. It exaggerates the benefits of this diet while downplaying any potential risks or challenges associated with it. The film also lacks scientific rigor and fails to provide credible sources to support its claims. It is disappointing to see such a lack of critical thinking and reliance on anecdotal evidence in a documentary that aims to explore health and nutrition.
4. Sarah Thompson - 2 stars
While I appreciate the effort to shed light on alternative dietary approaches, "The Magic Pill" presents a one-size-fits-all solution. The film fails to recognize that individual bodies may react differently to different diets, and what works for one person may not work for another. Additionally, it relies heavily on emotional storytelling rather than scientific evidence, making it difficult to separate fact from fiction. I would have liked to see a more balanced and evidence-based approach in examining the ketogenic diet.