James Brown

James Joseph Brown — the Godfather of Soul, the Hardest Working Man in Show Business — didn't just perform music; he invented it. His rhythmic innovations in the mid-1960s created funk as a genre, and the percussive, groove-driven foundation he laid became the most sampled sound in hip-hop history. When you hear a breakbeat, you're hearing James Brown's DNA.

Born in Barnwell, South Carolina, in 1933, Brown grew up in crushing poverty in Augusta, Georgia, raised by relatives and the streets after his parents separated. He was arrested at 16 and spent three years in juvenile detention. Upon release, he channeled his ferocious energy into music, joining Bobby Byrd's gospel group, which evolved into the Famous Flames.

Brown's 1962 Live at the Apollo album, recorded at the legendary Harlem theater, is considered the greatest live album ever made. His 1968 single "Say It Loud — I'm Black and I'm Proud" became a civil rights anthem. His stage shows — featuring splits, spins, and a dramatic cape routine — influenced every performer who followed, from Michael Jackson to Prince to Beyoncé. He released 16 number-one R&B singles and was among the first inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.