Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (Pts.1 & 2)

Recorded on 7 August 1968 at Vox Recording Studios in Los Angeles, the song was written by James Brown and his bandleader Alfred 'Pee Wee' Ellis. Brown's backing musicians included bassist Charles Sherrell, drummer Clyde Stubblefield, guitarist Jimmy Nolen, trombonist Fred Wesley and trumpeter Richard 'Kush' Griffith, with a group of children providing the call-and-response chorus. Released in September 1968 on King Records, the song became an anthem of Black pride and self-determination during the American civil rights movement, following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. It reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B singles chart, becoming one of Brown's most politically significant recordings. The recording remains a defining musical statement of Black identity and empowerment, influencing generations of musicians and activists through its direct message and distinctive rhythmic arrangement. It was recognised by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll and has remained prominent in documentaries, cultural retrospectives and discussions of the civil rights era.