James Brown Dead

[MrRant]

http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/ap_newfu...ry.asp?ID=85040

[MFer]

Just read it on Yahoo. Man that sucks.

 

'Godfather of Soul' James Brown dies By GREG BLUESTEIN, Associated Press Writer

4 minutes ago

 

 

 

ATLANTA - James Brown, the legendary singer known as the "Godfather of Soul," has died, his agent said early Monday. He was 73.

 

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Brown was hospitalized with pneumonia on Sunday at Emory Crawford Long Hospital and died around 1:45 a.m. Monday, said his agent, Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Music. Longtime friend Charles Bobbit was by his side, he said.

 

Copsidas said Brown's family was being notified of his death and that the cause was still uncertain. "We really don't know at this point what he died of," he said.

 

Along with Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and a handful of others, Brown was one of the major musical influences of the past 50 years. At least one generation idolized him, and sometimes openly copied him. His rapid-footed dancing inspired Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson among others. Songs such as David Bowie's "Fame," Prince's "Kiss," George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" and Sly and the Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song" were clearly based on Brown's rhythms and vocal style.

 

If Brown's claim to the invention of soul can be challenged by fans of Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, then his rights to the genres of rap, disco and funk are beyond question. He was to rhythm and dance music what Dylan was to lyrics: the unchallenged popular innovator.

 

"James presented obviously the best grooves," rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy once told The Associated Press. "To this day, there has been no one near as funky. No one's coming even close."

 

His hit singles include such classics as "Out of Sight," "(Get Up I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine," "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "Say It Out Loud — I'm Black and I'm Proud," a landmark 1968 statement of racial pride.

 

"I clearly remember we were calling ourselves colored, and after the song, we were calling ourselves black," said in a 2003 Associated Press interview. "The song showed even people to that day that lyrics and music and a song can change society."

 

He won a Grammy award for lifetime achievement in 1992, as well as Grammys in 1965 for "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" (best R&B recording) and for "Living In America" in 1987 (best R&B vocal performance, male.) He was one of the initial artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, along with Presley, Chuck Berry and other founding fathers.

 

He triumphed despite an often unhappy personal life. Brown, who lived in Beech Island near the Georgia line, spent more than two years in a South Carolina prison for aggravated assault and failing to stop for a police officer. After his release on in 1991, Brown said he wanted to "try to straighten out" rock music.

 

From the 1950s, when Brown had his first R&B hit, "Please, Please, Please" in 1956, through the mid-1970s, Brown went on a frenzy of cross-country tours, concerts and new songs. He earned the nickname "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business."

 

With his tight pants, shimmering feet, eye makeup and outrageous hair, Brown set the stage for younger stars such as Michael Jackson and Prince.

 

In 1986, he was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And rap stars of recent years overwhelmingly have borrowed his lyrics with a digital technique called sampling.

 

Brown's work has been replayed by the Fat Boys, Ice-T, Public Enemy and a host of other rappers. "The music out there is only as good as my last record," Brown joked in a 1989 interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

 

"Disco is James Brown, hip-hop is James Brown, rap is James Brown; you know what I'm saying? You hear all the rappers, 90 percent of their music is me," he told the AP in 2003.

[Matt Young]

Mother fuck. Bad start to Christmas.

[Guest Legalise Drugs and Murder]

Well that sucks. No one was better at being sweaty and cool simultaneously.

[Richard]

Papa's got a brand new body bag.

[Sideburnious]

Thats really shitty. I know I should have gone to see him when he played last month.

[spman]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,238718,00.html

 

Wow, that was a pretty crappy thing to get up and read to start out my Christmas. James Brown was the man. His part in Rocky 4 is still one of my favorite scenes in any movie, ever. And who can remember his appearance in WCW? You know, in retrospect, I'm quite frankly surprised with all his drug problems he even made it to 73. RIP.

[CheesalaIsGood]

He payed the cost to be the boss. I will miss that guy.

 

 

I guess I can go back to wearing my "Free James Brown" t-shirt.

[vivalaultra]

"Try Me" is one of the greatest songs of all time. And whenever I hear "Sex Machine", even I think that I can dance. Very sad news.

[Steviekick]

This makes for a sad Christmas.

 

Everyone should be playing "Soulful Christmas" in his honor. Either that or "Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto."

[Gary Floyd]

Yeah, that's what I want to hear when I wake up on Christmas.

 

Alot of the music we listen to (Everything from Hip Hop to the Talking Heads) wouldn't exist or be the same without him.

 

RIP Sex Machine.

[brokentusk16]

Very sad thing to happen on Christmas. Although I wasn't a huge fan of Brown, I did have respect for the man trying to fight his problems. The world is a bit less cool without the Godfather around.

[MarvinisaLunatic]

Augusta just did name their arena after him too.

[NoCalMike]

RIP, Godfather of Soul.

[Annabelle]

oh settle down, guys. he's been dead for years.

[Bruiser Chong]

I feel sort of bad for making a joke about Drago killing Brown while we watched Rocky IV the other night.

[luke-o]

RIP James Brown.

 

I feel lucky now that i got the chance to see him live.

[Craig Th]

Atleast he didn't look 73 with all the face lifts.

 

RIP

[PLAGIARISM!]

Having not worked for the guy, I am saddened by his death.

[Ripper]

oh settle down, guys. he's been dead for years.

 

Yeah, he was so dead that he was still regularly performing. And out performing most of the artist today.

 

Not that you could understand a fucking thing he was saying anymore, but he still was doing his thing.

 

But I am lucky enough to have seen him live in a few years back, and that will always stick with me. RIP dude.

[King Kamala]

Having not worked for the guy, I am saddened by his death.

 

 

Yeah that article in Rolling Stone about how he's a dictator with his band and he rehearses them like crazy just came out like this summer. Still, they did end up being a top notch back up band even if they did have to work 18 hour days to get that way

 

 

 

Still, I'm upset he died partially because I never got to see him live. From the recent live clips I saw of him, he still had it. I thought he had a good 4-5 years ahead of him. Then again, with the lifestyle he's lived he should have been dead 10 years ago.

 

 

 

RIP Godfather of Soul

[SuperJerk]

"I'm James Brown, bitch."

 

--my sister-in-law

[Gary Floyd]

Never did like this song...

[Edwin MacPhisto]

His funeral services are being held at the Apollo. That's baller.

[Cheech Tremendous]

James Brown's Dead at the Apollo?

[Red Baron]

So does anyone know what the cause of death was? Last I heard he was being treated for pnumonia.

[Edwin MacPhisto]

I'm in an airport right now, and the TV at the gate is showing Al Sharpton's (fantastic) eulogy for James Brown. I think I'm the only white person here who isn't totally confused.

[geniusMoment]

I met JB once at the Cincy Airport, he seemed nice enough but very short. He came up to my shoulders.

[luke-o]

Now that James Brown is dead, does that offically make JK from jamiroquai the funkiest man alive?

[EdwardKnoxII]

So anyone else hear the news about his will. James's first six children all got something but, James Jr. doesn't get one penny. And it seems his mom is going to take it to court.