Question of the Night: Was James Brown blackballed for a certain period? (Video included)
Around 1979, 1980, James Brown and his road manager (at the time) and activist Al Sharpton were filmed discussing why James' newest records (I'm guessing this was around the time The Original Disco Man was released) were not being played on New York's R&B radio stations at the time.
Al hinted that James may have been blackballed by radio at the time and this why certain recordings of James' was not played. Was it because he was too outspoken or did his records not live up to par to be played or was there something else going on?
What are y'all's thoughts? James did eventually return to radio if only briefly between 1986 and 1988 with new records prior to being sentenced to jail for running shotgun from the cops...
Maybe the Nixon thing, but that was years ago, and he's had many number 1 hits since.
I don't know, his records jut weren't poppin like they used too. He hadn't had a hit on the pop charts since 76's Body Heat (and a low 88 showing at that.) He did have a few really good joints that would have been big hits if released 5 years early like Eyesight, Nature and The Spank. But the young generation just wasn't checkin' for him anymore no matter how good his tracks were. They was on that P-Funk, EWF thang.
JB was in his mid-40's. It wasn;t really cool to like him anymore, I'm guessing. Same thing with Prince in the mid-late 90s. No one was checking for Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, haha.
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Maybe the Nixon thing, but that was years ago, and he's had many number 1 hits since.
I don't know, his records jut weren't poppin like they used too. He hadn't had a hit on the pop charts since 76's Body Heat (and a low 88 showing at that.) He did have a few really good joints that would have been big hits if released 5 years early like Eyesight, Nature and The Spank. But the young generation just wasn't checkin' for him anymore no matter how good his tracks were. They was on that P-Funk, EWF thang.
JB was in his mid-40's. It wasn;t really cool to like him anymore, I'm guessing. Same thing with Prince in the mid-late 90s. No one was checking for Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, haha.
Yeah James was middle aged then. I guess it was a generational gap. But James thought it was political. The talk got a little more crazy when Sharpton put his two cents in. Then again I think James was starting to be on the throes of his drug addiction too. The video was actually sad to watch.
jJAMES BROWN BEING BLACKBALLED CAME DOWN TO THREE REASONS 1 HIS SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT NIXON COST HIM SOLD OUT CONCERTS AND ALBUM SALES AND RADIO AIRPLAY. 2 DUE TO HIS INVESTMENT THAT DIDN'T BRING BACK HUGE RETURNS, HE COULD NOT PAY HIS KICK ASS BAND THE MONEY THEY DESERVE NOR PAY RADIO JOCKS MONEY TO SPIN HIS RECORDS. 3 JAMES DID NOT HAVE A STONG MANAGER LIKE BEN BART TO SUGGEST IDEAS TO HIM THAT WOULD KEEP HIM RELEVANT AND HOT TO THE PUBLIC. THERE IT IS.
Nah, Brown wasn't blackballed for the most part LBC hit nail on the head. His run in the music game was slowing down that's all. Fair or unfair most artist have a 10 to 15 year run and along the way someone makes the decisions its time to move on. Its like Bill Withers telling the story about the record excutive who prevented him from recording a record for five years. He said the man had power to say thumbs up or down... it was down. So. Mr. Brown was a deeply insecure guy with a BIG ego so I'm not surprised he thought he was being blackballed.
Nah, Brown wasn't blackballed for the most part LBC hit nail on the head. His run in the music game was slowing down that's all. Fair or unfair most artist have a 10 to 15 year run and along the way someone makes the decisions its time to move on. Its like Bill Withers telling the story about the record excutive who prevented him from recording a record for five years. He said the man had power to say thumbs up or down... it was down. So. Mr. Brown was a deeply insecure guy with a BIG ego so I'm not surprised he thought he was being blackballed.
Also I think James was a tryhard for the most part. Great music but when I saw a documentary about how he had his dealings, it seemed as if he often overplayed his card like the Vietnam issue, even the Boston performance after the riots, he almost was about to sue the mayor if they didn't give him money upfront. Also the dealing with Nixon was controversial enough where it did affect his sales on the R&B chart though he was still able to have hits until '76 at least. That period was a little wild though. He went from performing in front of thousands at Zaire to performing in front of 500 for Studio 54.
Nah, Brown wasn't blackballed for the most part LBC hit nail on the head. His run in the music game was slowing down that's all. Fair or unfair most artist have a 10 to 15 year run and along the way someone makes the decisions its time to move on. Its like Bill Withers telling the story about the record excutive who prevented him from recording a record for five years. He said the man had power to say thumbs up or down... it was down. So. Mr. Brown was a deeply insecure guy with a BIG ego so I'm not surprised he thought he was being blackballed.
Also I think James was a tryhard for the most part. Great music but when I saw a documentary about how he had his dealings, it seemed as if he often overplayed his card like the Vietnam issue, even the Boston performance after the riots, he almost was about to sue the mayor if they didn't give him money upfront. Also the dealing with Nixon was controversial enough where it did affect his sales on the R&B chart though he was still able to have hits until '76 at least. That period was a little wild though. He went from performing in front of thousands at Zaire to performing in front of 500 for Studio 54.
To be honest Timmy, I don't recall Brown going to the White House or his dealings with Nixon was seen as that of a big deal, unless you were a Black Nationalist. Most Black people weren't B.N. so, I think there's been some embilishment on his part and others about his dealing with Nixon/Rebuplican Party and any fall out. Unless you lived in a major news market I doubt if many knew of his dealings with Nixon. It's not like there was a pic of Brown in Jet hugging up on Nixon as Sammy Davis did. Davis was seen as a "straight up Tom", fair or unfair.
The Studio 54 concert was JB trying to stay relevant when major stars like himself were being pushed aside for Disco.
Also I think James was a tryhard for the most part. Great music but when I saw a documentary about how he had his dealings, it seemed as if he often overplayed his card like the Vietnam issue, even the Boston performance after the riots, he almost was about to sue the mayor if they didn't give him money upfront. Also the dealing with Nixon was controversial enough where it did affect his sales on the R&B chart though he was still able to have hits until '76 at least. That period was a little wild though. He went from performing in front of thousands at Zaire to performing in front of 500 for Studio 54.
To be honest Timmy, I don't recall Brown going to the White House or his dealings with Nixon was seen as that of a big deal, unless you were a Black Nationalist. Most Black people weren't B.N. so, I think there's been some embilishment on his part and others about his dealing with Nixon/Rebuplican Party and any fall out. Unless you lived in a major news market I doubt if many knew of his dealings with Nixon. It's not like there was a pic of Brown in Jet hugging up on Nixon as Sammy Davis did. Davis was seen as a "straight up Tom", fair or unfair.
The Studio 54 concert was JB trying to stay relevant when major stars like himself were being pushed aside for Disco.
You know? I can believe it. And yeah I can see how he tried to stay relevant performing on 54...
I don't have anything new to add I just think that his time had passed. Shoot, he had an incredible run as a vital and influential performer (roughly twenty years), that's a lot longer than most artists have.
For the longest time I just assumed that everything after "Get Up Offa That Thing" was crap but he was still making decent music in the late seventies/early eighties but he was starting to sound too stale and repetitive and he was far from the innovator he was at his peak. Popular music had moved on and he was still largely stuck in the early seventies.
I don't have anything new to add I just think that his time had passed. Shoot, he had an incredible run as a vital and influential performer (roughly twenty years), that's a lot longer than most artists have.
For the longest time I just assumed that everything after "Get Up Offa That Thing" was crap but he was still making decent music in the late seventies/early eighties but he was starting to sound too stale and repetitive and he was far from the innovator he was at his peak. Popular music had moved on and he was still largely stuck in the early seventies.
"Bodyheat", "Spank" and "Nature" were probably his best jams of that time period. I didn't like "Jam" though (for some reason). It was an (understandably) Doin' It to Death reject. I hated "Hot" to this death and the "slick" version of Superbad is trifling. But yeah he didn't stop making good music after '76. Though he was definitely hit and miss, mostly misses. His Full Force joints were stellar though.
I read that he was blackballed from mainstream radio after "Say It Loud"...
I doubt it. James said he was but the record still made number ten pop and he was still able to have top 20 pop hits until 1974. I don't know where James got that from. Maybe the angel dust was talking to him when he wrote that.
I read that he was blackballed from mainstream radio after "Say It Loud"...
I doubt it. James said he was but the record still made number ten pop and he was still able to have top 20 pop hits until 1974. I don't know where James got that from. Maybe the angel dust was talking to him when he wrote that.
I doubt it. James said he was but the record still made number ten pop and he was still able to have top 20 pop hits until 1974. I don't know where James got that from. Maybe the angel dust was talking to him when he wrote that.
Well damn. Maybe so.
Like I said if he was really blackballed, tell me how he was able to have a top ten hit at age 53.
After his big pop hits circa 1965-1966 he kind of stopped trying. He made some phenomenal singles in the late sixties/early seventies but most of them were too "black" for pop radio. He certainly lacked the crossover appeal of someone like Sly and the Family Stone.
I guess arguably a song like "World" was an attempt at courting the "white" (pop) audience but after 1966 I don't really think he was trying to have pop hits.
After his big pop hits circa 1965-1966 he kind of stopped trying. He made some phenomenal singles in the late sixties/early seventies but most of them were too "black" for pop radio. He certainly lacked the crossover appeal of someone like Sly and the Family Stone.
I guess arguably a song like "World" was an attempt at courting the "white" (pop) audience but after 1966 I don't really think he was trying to have pop hits.
I noticed that. Which adds to the strangeness of James Brown. He did try to get the crossover audience but I guess his sound was "too raw". Still he did crossover with stuff like "Sex Machine" and "Hot Pants". After a while his sound did grow to be more rawer hence why he lost the pop audience by '74. Ironically he gained it back in '86...least briefly. Don't know why he would blame being blackballed as a reason why he didn't have no more top ten pop hits if he wasn't pursuing pop audiences anymore after '66. Don't get his logic. But it is James Brown, he made his own rules as he went along.
I called up one of the veteran DJ's in Chi-Town... aka Clara Box.
I asked her if Mr. Brown was banned and/or blackballed. Her reply FUCK NO, laughing. "Simple put, the songs JB put out didn't chart because the audience didn't respond. Besides after 76, disco happened, non of the established acts were being played. Everybody and their mamma were changing their format to disco."
Straight up a urban legend. (that's me saying these)
I called up one of the veteran DJ's in Chi-Town... aka Clara Box.
I asked her if Mr. Brown was banned and/or blackballed. Her reply FUCK NO, laughing. "Simple put, the songs JB put out didn't chart because the audience didn't respond. Besides after 76, disco happened, non of the established acts were being played. Everybody and their mamma were changing their format to disco."
Straight up a urban legend. (that's me saying these)
I called up one of the veteran DJ's in Chi-Town... aka Clara Box.
I asked her if Mr. Brown was banned and/or blackballed. Her reply FUCK NO, laughing. "Simple put, the songs JB put out didn't chart because the audience didn't respond. Besides after 76, disco happened, non of the established acts were being played. Everybody and their mamma were changing their format to disco."
Straight up a urban legend. (that's me saying these)
James himself was using disco formats by 1975...
Yes he was but that didn't stop him from being kick to the side curb... sooner or later it happens to all artist.
Yes he was but that didn't stop him from being kick to the side curb... sooner or later it happens to all artist.
I'm guessing someone of James Brown's caliber thought because apparently he had believed he was R&B royalty that his new records shouldn't be denied so I guess he was in denial with how he couldn't catch a break between 1975 and the early nineties I guess. The older he got, the more paranoid he got.
Yes he was but that didn't stop him from being kick to the side curb... sooner or later it happens to all artist.
I'm guessing someone of James Brown's caliber thought because apparently he had believed he was R&B royalty that his new records shouldn't be denied so I guess he was in denial with how he couldn't catch a break between 1975 and the early nineties I guess. The older he got, the more paranoid he got.
Our discussion about Brandy bring our conversation full circle -when artist are no longer hot and try to pinpoint on thing or other for their decline. When in fact usually its a combination of things that contribute to them being less successful... including weak material. The music industry isn't bean bag, what have you done for me right now.
I'm guessing someone of James Brown's caliber thought because apparently he had believed he was R&B royalty that his new records shouldn't be denied so I guess he was in denial with how he couldn't catch a break between 1975 and the early nineties I guess. The older he got, the more paranoid he got.
Our discussion about Brandy bring our conversation full circle -when artist are no longer hot and try to pinpoint on thing or other for their decline. When in fact usually its a combination of things that contribute to them being less successful... including weak material. The music industry isn't bean bag, what have you done for me right now.
I think that contributed to James Brown's downfall actually: the fact that he wasn't hot anymore. I'm sure he was pissed when Bootsy, Catfish, Fred and Maceo went to George Clinton and 'em and got more popular.
Our discussion about Brandy bring our conversation full circle -when artist are no longer hot and try to pinpoint on thing or other for their decline. When in fact usually its a combination of things that contribute to them being less successful... including weak material. The music industry isn't bean bag, what have you done for me right now.
I think that contributed to James Brown's downfall actually: the fact that he wasn't hot anymore. I'm sure he was pissed when Bootsy, Catfish, Fred and Maceo went to George Clinton and 'em and got more popular.
Well he probaly could've kept some folks if he'd paid them and been less of a tyrant. Sometime folks can get caught up in thing they are the end all to be all, NOT. Go ask Berry Gordy.
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Then again I think James was starting to be on the throes of his drug addiction too. 
The video was actually sad to watch.
Its like Bill Withers telling the story about the record excutive who prevented him from recording a record for five years. He said the man had power to say thumbs up or down... it was down. So. 
Most Black people weren't B.N. so, I think there's been some embilishment on his part and others about his dealing with Nixon/Rebuplican Party and any fall out. Unless you lived in a major news market I doubt if many knew of his dealings with Nixon. It's not like there was a pic of Brown in Jet hugging up on Nixon as Sammy Davis did. Davis was seen as a "straight up Tom", fair or unfair.