December 28, 2006 @ 1:47 pm
The Apollo Welcomes the Godfather
The hardest working man in show business rests in peace today at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater.
"It would almost be unthinkable for a man who lived such a sensational life to go away quietly," the Rev. Al Sharpton told the Associated Press. "His greatest thrill was always the lines around the Apollo Theater. I felt that James Brown... would have wanted one last opportunity to let the people say goodbye to him and he to the people.... It's going to be a royal day in Harlem... the kind of homecoming we haven't seen in a long time, if ever, in the Harlem community."
A horse-drawn carriage carried Brown's gold casket through the streets of Harlem to the historic Apollo Theater, where thousands of fans waited to pay their respects to the late James Brown. As the carriage began rolling, people followed in the street singing the chorus of Brown's anthem, "Say it Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud."
VIBE.com has a James Brown Tribute slideshow and video site. Brown had more than 119 singles on the charts and recorded over 50 albums (see VIBE's official James Brown bio and discography here.) Brown was inducted into the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame in its inaugural class of 1986 - and he received a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement in 1992. In loving memory of the Godfather of Soul, we urge you to Get Up Offa That Thing... Please, Please, Please ... and enjoy VIBE's James Brown playlist:
Across the globe, music superstars are praising the late, great Godfather of Soul as a true American original and a musical giant.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy called Brown's death "... a seismic passing. James Brown obviously had the funkiest grooves. No one's even coming close."
Funk bass superstar Bootsy Collins - who backed Brown in the JB's in the 1970s - wrote on his website that James Brown was,"God of rhythm and music. Me along with countless other musicians were his Sons. No one else will ever come close. For he is declared this day by all Funkateer's across the globe: 'The Funkiest Mutha in the Universe."
"I am hurt. That's my godfather, my soul inspiration, the hardest-working man in show business of all time," said Snoop Dogg in a statement. "He'll be missed, but his music and his legacy will live on through me, in every way you can imagine."
Diddy told MTV that James Brown was the reason he "fell in love with music," while Ice Cube saluted Brown as "not only the Godfather of Soul, but the godfather of funk and rap. Music will never be the same."
Nas, meanwhile, recalled presenting an award to Brown earlier this year. "He smiled while I told him how I used his music with mine and how much he's done for us and how I love him," the rap star told MTV. "I'm lucky to have had that moment, I shook his hand. He was pure greatness."
Usher praised a man he called his mentor: "Having personally taught me how to get on the 'good foot' I'll never forget our performances together... He was the best! He was a real man, one who fought so desperately to change the minds of a crippled world. I guess God just couldn't take seeing the Soul Brotha Number One from the nosebleed seats anymore."
Paramount Pictures has announced that the "Godfather of Soul" soon will rise again - on screen. Spike Lee has signed on to direct a feature film about the singer, produced by Brian Grazer and Imagine Entertainment. The movie could be in production by late 2007. The New York Post reports that Usher is the early favorite to play Brown in the biopic.
The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger called Brown's passing a "huge loss to music.... He was a whirlwind of energy and precision."
Check back throughout the day for more on today's events at the Apollo.
Article tags: Apollo Theater, Death Of James Brown, Godfather Of Soul, James Brown, Usher, Vibe
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http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2006/12/thousands_honor_james_brown/
Comments
1.
cee says:
may his soul rest in perfect peace.
December 30, 2006 at 12:46 pm