James Brown grew up in a brothel in Augusta, Georgia, served time in juvenile prison, and became the hardest-working man in show business. He invented funk, pioneered the rhythmic foundation of hip-hop, and ruled his band with an iron fist and a system of fines that bordered on tyranny.

This episode examines the contradiction at the heart of Brown’s legacy: transcendent artistry powered by relentless control and personal violence.

• How he shifted the emphasis from melody to rhythm and invented funk
• The 1962 Live at the Apollo album and why it changed live music
• Say It Loud and his role in the Black Power movement
• The domestic violence, drug arrests, and police chases of his later years