by Marcus Brooks

Created on: June 20, 2009   Last Updated: July 04, 2009

Black Americans found their voice during America's civil rights movement. They found their voice among the many marches, sit-ins, "wade-ins" and other forms of civil disobedience. They found their voice through gut-wrenching sermons delivered by passionate reverends, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, James Shuttlesworth, James Abernathy, Jesse Jackson and James Reeb. But, they found their voice and soul in rock and roll.

Motown Records own, James Brown gave black people a voice they all embraced. His hit songs, "Papa Got a Brand New Bag", "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and "I'm Black and I'm Proud" became anthems for civil rights and the emerging counterculture period. He rose up from poverty, racism and oppression to become music's "Godfather of Soul".

He influenced hip-hop in several ways. He influenced it his live performances. He wasn't the typical "Yes, Sir. No, Sir" black man. He screamed his lyrics with a vengenace. He danced onstage with unabashed energy and bravado.

He influenced hip-hop with his creativity. Brown did "splits" on stage. He also his trademark "shuffle" in his shiny, patented leather shoes. His "shuffle" was his staple. Audiences went beserk when he did it. Often times, he had a band member follow him with his signature robe. During concerts, Brown went in and out of physical exhaustion. When the robe went on, he sometimes exited the stage. Other times, he threw off the robe and exploded into a ball of energy. He always kept audiences on the edge of their seats.

And, those audiences included young, white fans as well as blacks. His music integrated people and cultures. It never discriminated. He gained admirers for his relentless spirit and passion. He contributed to the meteoric rise of rock and roll by not polarizing white Americans. They embraced his incredible talent and herculean efforts. They showed their appreciation by packing clubs, arenas and halls to hear Brown sing.

He influenced hip-hop by marketing himself in music and entertainment. He worked nonstop writing songs, recording albums and performing before millions of fans. His moniker was "the hardest working man in show business". He represented the new, black man. He wasn't afraid to be proud of who he was. He wasn't going to be sad about his life and his struggles. Early on, he struggled. But through hard work, determination and sacrifice (like so many did before him), Brown accumulated fame and riches. And, he did his way and made Detroit's Motown Records the preeminent label in music at that time.

Brown followed the same paths as black music icons, Chubby Checker and Little Richard. He also followed another rock legend in Elvis Presley. Rock music in the late 1950's evolved from spirituals sang by Africans on southern plantations. It was the music of the downtrodden. It was the music used to cope with the daily nightmares of slavery and death.

As times changed, hip-hop also became the music of the downtrodden. It was the music of black people trapped in oppressive, crime-ridden, American ghettos. They were made to face the daily struggles of unemployment, racism, suicide, homicide, drugs, poverty and hopelessness. All of this came from Brown's dedication to black music and his love for black people.

The Godfather of Soul was our "messiah" after we lost King and Malcolm X.

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