James Brown, Pt. 4 – Polydor, Politics & Power
🕶️ From soul star to symbol of Black excellence, James Brown didn’t just perform—he led.
Power Moves: A Jet, a Label, and a Mission
By 1968, James Brown had changed the sound. Now, he was changing the system.
He launched People Records, negotiated better royalties, and flew a private Learjet—a bold move for a Black artist in America at the time.
He wasn’t just singing. He was owning.
Brown met with politicians, bought radio stations, and demanded full creative control.
👉 Read the full political rise of James Brown on Funky Pearls Radio
Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud
Then came the anthem.
In 1968, after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Brown stepped up—literally.
He calmed riots in Boston with a live broadcast. He spoke peace in Washington.
Then he dropped “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud”.
The song was more than music. It was a cultural explosion.
Marches. Fists in the air. Kids chanting the chorus. It wasn’t radical—it was real.
Brown became a symbol of pride, self-reliance, and defiance.
But not without criticism. Some activists saw him as “too close” to the establishment.
His response? “I’m trying to rise—and lift the nation with me.”
Polydor: The Global Funk Empire
In 1971, Brown signed with Polydor Records, gaining full international distribution and total creative freedom.
They gave him an office, a promo team, and full support for his People label and the artists he mentored (Lyn Collins, Maceo Parker, Bobby Byrd...).
Polydor bet everything on JB—and he delivered.
Albums like:
Hot Pants
There It Is
Get On The Good Foot
Revolution of the Mind (Live at the Apollo Vol. III)
Each project was raw, sharp, and unstoppable.
The Payback and a New Era of Storytelling
Brown wanted to score a blaxploitation film. When the producers rejected his Payback soundtrack, he dropped it anyway.
It became a funk bible.
With orchestration from Dave Matthews and players like Billy Cobham and David Sanborn, Brown was jazz-funk royalty now. Tracks like:
The Payback
King Heroin
I Got a Bag of My Own
Public Enemy #1
...pushed the funk into new territory.
👉 Explore the Polydor era of James Brown on Funky Pearls
💌 Stay tuned, stay funky
Next up: Hollywood, hip-hop, and James Brown’s final transformation.
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