Hot Pants

James Brown recorded the single on May 13, 1971, at Starday-King Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, with his band, the J.B.’s. The original release featured Brown’s then-new People Records operation and the familiar tight, horn-driven Brown ensemble sound. Released in 1971, the track became a major R&B hit and reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. It captured Brown at a high point in his early-1970s funk era and helped define the era’s stripped-down, rhythmic style. The track remained one of Brown’s best-known funk records and a durable source of breakbeats and samples. Its title phrase and groove have stayed in circulation through hip-hop, compilation anthologies, and repeated reissues.