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The past couple of days have been spent doing the usual Christmas family thing. Eating far too much (like I need an excuse...), swapping presents, watching trash TV (predictable soaps, "classic" fims, christmas cooks etc..) and playing with my new fone (thanks MissisJam!). I've also been thinking a lot about James Brown's legacy.

There's no denying that he blazed a pathway for many others to follow and when times got hard, wasn't afraid to deal with issues in his songs. We have to remember that just saying that you were proud to be black at the time he did was a very bold statement. Say what you like about the man, the musical legacy he leaves behind is undeniable. Without James Brown, would we have Hip Hop? Would we have R&B? Would we have funk? Would we have Soul music?

I guarantee you own at least 3 James Brown records. Whether that means you have the actual record or a record that sampled James because in very real terms, James Brown's music has shaped the sound of the music we know today through the use of samples of his music. Check - over 650 songs created from 12 of James'...
Even when he worked as a producer and songwriter, he was still prolific. Check - Lyn Collin's 'Think' not being the only sampled-to-death James as producer classic...
I only wish that I'd made it to one of his last UK performances - especially the one he did for the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Electric Proms.

Rest in Peace Mr Brown. Someone should tell ITV that it's not Abba that we need to thank for the music, it's James Brown.