Traces the incredible trajectory of Brown’s life and career from a 7th grade drop-out arrested and jailed at the age of 16 for breaking into a car in the Jim Crow-era South, to an entertainment legend whose groundbreaking talent and unique perspective catapulted him to become a cultural force.
As the godfather of a breakbeat that birthed hip-hop, James Brown's life serves as a crucial call for respect and dignity for Blackness and Black music in America.
Amidst financial pressures, record company politics, substance abuse, and personal struggles, James Brown found himself on a perilous path, colliding with the law and confronting the threat of revisiting prison.
Aligning with the civil rights movement, James Brown becomes a cultural force by articulating community pride and political influence, ultimately hailed as the most important Black man in America.
Rising from poverty and overcoming abuse in the Jim Crow South, James Brown secures a record deal, electrifies audiences, and breaks down racial barriers; propelling himself into stardom.
Traces the incredible trajectory of Brown’s life and career from a 7th grade drop-out arrested and jailed at the age of 16 for breaking into a car in the Jim Crow-era South, to an entertainment legend whose groundbreaking talent and unique perspective catapulted him to become a cultural force.
as Self (archive footage)
