By Christopher Rosa
The long-awaited James Brown biopic Get On Up explores the late Godfather of Soul’s legacy that continues to influence hip-hop, R&B, funk, and nearly every other musical genre to this day. The great JB changed the game over the course of his half-century career, and artists still strive to emulate his passionate live performances, howling vocals, and impossibly high levels of swagger. Some of those artists — including Jennifer Hudson — chatted with us about Mr. Brown’s untouchable body of work that was all his own. He truly was the hardest working man in all of show biz!
“[Brown] is the validation for an artist to be the artist you are,” Hudson tells us. “He owned his artistry for sure.” The “It’s Your World” singer revealed Brown’s style impacted her personally and encouraged her to reach her full potential. “He wasn’t necessarily normal,” she said. “But it was his way.”
Listen to the rest of Hudson’s interview and our one-on-ones with Aloe Blacc, Black Thought and Questlove. And don’t forget to catch Get On Up when it hits theaters this Friday, August 1st!