Funky President (People It's Bad)

Recorded in August or September 1974 at Sound Ideas in New York City, with James Brown backed by a studio band that included David Sanborn, Joe Farrell, Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, Pat Rebillot, Joe Beck, Sam Brown, Gordon Edwards, Allan Schwartzberg, and Johnny Griggs. Brown handled the production himself. Released in 1974 on Polydor, the single continued Brown's run of socially pointed funk and reached No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. It also appeared on the album Reality. The track became one of Brown's most heavily sampled recordings, turning up in songs by Public Enemy, N.W.A., Eric B. & Rakim, Kanye West, Jay-Z, and many others. It later reached a wider pop audience through placement on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack.