James Brown — "I used to shine shoes in front of a radio station. Now I own radio stations."
I used to shine shoes in front of a radio station. Now I own radio stations.
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More from James Brown
"I'm a work of art. I'm a masterpiece. I'm a classic."
"The most important thing is to be true to yourself."
"I love to dance. I love to sing. I love to perform."
"I'm a perfectionist. I want everything to be right. I want everything to be perfect."
"The best way to deal with the establishment is to become part of it."
About James Brown (1933-2006)
American singer and 'Godfather of Soul' whose 1960s-70s recordings invented funk and shaped hip-hop's rhythmic foundations. Closely associated with Sly Stone (fellow funk pioneer (Sly and the Family Stone)) and George Clinton (Parliament-Funkadelic successor). For an intellectual contrast, see Berry Gordy, Motown founder — Motown made Black popular music palatable for white radio with smoothed-out crossover production; Brown's funk insisted on the raw groove without compromise. The two opposite paths Black popular music took out of the 1960s — Motown polish vs JB raw.