James Brown, Sampled to Death

James Brown is Dead

James Brown, lol.

James Brown is a household name, one of the godfathers of funk and soul. He was admitted into the Emory Crawford Long Hospital with ‘severe pneumonia’ yesterday and passed away around 1:45 AM this morning. He was 73 years old.

It is safe to say that James Brown rode the downward spiral in the last few decades. He was repeated arrested for drug possession and domestic abuse. For example, did you know James Brown spent 3 years in prison for threatening pedestrians with firearms while high on PCP? It’s the classic case of genius that self destructs into malignity. It’s easy to give respect when considering what he has done for music, but, in most cases his dark persona proceeds him.

What really stands out among electronic musicians is that he worked with some of the most innovative, funky drummers of the 1900s. One of those drummers, Clyde Stubblefield, is said to be the most sampled musician EVER. It’s clear that the signature sound of funk and soul was shaped by these performers.

The sound of many other new genres still echo with bits and pieces of James Brown’s music, from drum and bass to hip hop. Here is a nice little holiday treat for our readers, a small collection of James Brown breakbeats, grunts and funky yells that truly have been sampled to death.

Enjoy and have a happy holiday. RIP James Brown.

James Brown Samples (zip)
15 Samples – 7.8 MB