FUNK/SOUL
1968
120 BPM
E minor
Say It Loud (I'm Black and Proud)
Civil rights anthem that provided both rhythmic foundation and cultural significance
James Brown
"Say It Loud - I'm Black and Proud"
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Original Track
James Brown - "Say It Loud - I'm Black and Proud" (1968)
The original track containing the legendary 4.6-second drum break
Break occurs at 0:30 - 0:34.6
The History
Civil rights anthem that provided both rhythmic foundation and cultural significance. Recorded in the aftermath of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.
Recorded just months after MLK's assassination
Became an anthem for Black pride and civil rights
James Brown was criticized by some for being 'too political'
The cultural message was as important as the musical content for hip-hop
Features call-and-response vocals that anticipated hip-hop's interactive elements
Recorded at James Brown's own studio with complete creative control over the political message
The track's political boldness made it essential source material for conscious rap pioneers
Represented the first time a major funk artist explicitly centered Black pride in their music
Who Sampled It
Public Enemy
"Rebel Without a Pause"
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
1987
Ice Cube
"The Nigga Ya Love to Hate"
AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
1990
💡 This breakbeat has been sampled 2 times in our database
Tags
funk
soul
james-brown
civil-rights
political