Born on May 3: James Brown, soul's eternal "Godather"

He was born in 1933 in South Carolina and left us on December 25, 2006, almost 20 years ago...

Nicknamed the "Godfather of Soul" and sometimes "Soul Brother Number One" or even "Mr. Dynamite", James Brown would have celebrated his 92nd birthday today.

In the mid-60s, at a time when certain American states practiced a form of obvious segregation, he was one of the leading figures of the Black Power movement, which can be considered a precursor to the Black Lives Matter movement we know today. It goes to show that some struggles unfortunately remain relevant. In August 1968, a few months after the assassination of Martin Luther King, he recorded "Say It Loud (I'm Black And I’m Proud)" which was also included at the end of the same year on his album of... Christmas songs "A Soulful Christmas"!

James Brown clearly influenced the careers of artists like Michael Jackson or Prince to name two of the most famous. Tracks like "Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag" (1965), "Sex Machine" (1969) or "It’s A Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World" (1966) remain powerful songs that haven’t aged a bit.

Even though his stage performances dulled with age, James Brown continued to whirl on stage less than two months before his passing due to pneumonia. Out of respect for his memory, we won't go into detail about his numerous legal troubles, drug use or possession of prohibited weapons nor the domestic violences that seriously tarnish the aura of an absolute legend!

(MH with Stéphane Soupart - Photo: © Etienne Tordoir)

Photo: James Brown on the stage of Forest-National in Brussels (Belgium) on April 20, 1986