Watch: André Benjamin is Jimi Hendrix Without His Music in Biopic ‘Jimi: All Is by My Side’

XLrator Media has released a trailer for the Jimi Hendrix biopic, “Jimi: All Is by My Side” starring André Benjamin a.k.a. André 3000. Written and directed by “12 Years a Slave” scribe John Ridley, who won an Academy Award for his script for the film earlier this year, “Jimi: All Is by My Side” premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.

The film chronicles Hendrix’s meteoric rise to fame — from his days as a backup guitarist, to his sabbatical in London, where he formed The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and finally, his return to the United States at the Monterey International Pop Music Festival. Although Benjamin looks uncannily like Hendrix, without the rights to perform the storied musician’s music (Hendrix’s estate refused to provide the film with the rights to use his original compositions), “Jimi: All Is by My Side” lacks the single most important component of any music biopic.

Hendrix’s original music is more than just a factual necessity — it is an emotional necessity for his fans. Even in the trailer, the absence of Hendrix’s music is apparent. When Benjamin/Hendrix says, “I want my music to go inside of a soul of a person” and that “for me it’s colors — I want people to feel the music the same way I see it,” the blues-y track in the background is rather underwhelming, despite the emphasis placed on the guitar.

“Jimi: All Is by My Side” will be released in theaters on September 26th. Watch the full trailer below: