Return of the Wax mixes the history and culture around vinyls resurgence, Black record stores and the evolution of the record player. In an attempt to explore this niche demographic of consumers, director Jabari Payne interviews music and culture historians, journalists, music industry professionals, scholars, musicians, record store owners, and of course record collectors themselves.
Return of the Wax explores the historical and commercial shifts in music consumption moving from vinyl to digital and back again. On the B-side, with the resurgence of vinyl, ROTW explores the blossoming subculture of vinyl collecting through the years; however, focusing on the Black community. Who had the biggest collection? Was it your parents, or your favorite aunt? Did your grandparents have the record player that also was a piece of furniture? Return of the Wax talks about all of this and goes deep into the juxtapositions and parallel of new and classic vinyl collectors.
Meet the Team
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Christopher “Play” Martin
Executive Producer
Christopher “Play” Martin is one half of the iconic hip-hop duo Kid 'n Play, known for their upbeat music, signature dance moves, and roles in the House Party films. Beyond entertainment, Play has made his mark in education, directing, and entrepreneurship, often speaking on faith, creativity, and hip-hop culture. -
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Jabari Payne
Director & Executive Producer
Originally from Miami, Jabari Payne is a filmmaker and video artist with one goal: tell honest stories that illuminate the shadowy places in our humanity. As a broadcast journalism alum of Florida A&M University, Jabari has worked in television and film for the past 10 years honing his craft to direct projects like this one. Check out his work here. -
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Fabienne Roc
Producer
"What doesn't this girl do?"
Can be often heard from friends, coworkers, and newfound acquaintances. Producer, writer, creative director, DJ, Yogi, and overall holistic creator, Fab Roc is a passionate storyteller that roots herself in creating authentically and intelligently. Her reel can be seen here.
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Moya Johnson
Producer
Moya Johnson is producer, writer and creator with over 10 years of experience in TV production. Johnson's career began in tv news working as a journalist at local news stations across the country, CNN and NBC News. After an extensive career in broadcast, Johnson pivoted to producing documentaries, short films and unscripted television. A Georgia native, Johnson studied journalism at Florida A&M University.
YOUR SUPPORT
While covering a lot of current cultural trends with music, Return of the Wax in large part is a historical film. Archive video and photos are the backbone of historical films, and we need a heft amount of archive. Archive can be expensive ($20 - $40 per second). Your donations will allow us to tell this story more accurately and creatively.
TAX DEDUCTIBLE!
Thanks to our fiscal sponsor and partner, Southern Documentary Fund, ANY DONATION over $250 is tax deductible. Our window is closing, as we’re wrapping post-production Feb. 2026. It’ll take roughly two weeks for everything to process through SDF before we receive funds.
