chantel nouseforaname’s Reviews > Kill 'Em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul > Status Update

“Brown’s children—six claimed, one adopted, and at least four others unclaimed—were a mishmash of grace, tragedy, or greed, depending on whom you ask. They had to make appointments to see him. Brown, by 1998, had become an increasingly isolated old man.”

Crazy— Nick Cannon’s future/present?

Wow, this book is really something. It’s heavy on the heart all these men who shaped and changed the culture — who died penniless while fat cats ate their food. Crazy.

“Looking at him, I’m feeling old myself. How many times have I seen this? A black musician who never got paid. Take his head off his body and screw on another head and you’ll see half my friends.

Call me naïve, but how is it that one of the richest nations in the world does so little to aid the artists whose sacrifices created one of our greatest cultural and economic exports?”

Aww learning about the tragic death of his son and the relationship between the first wife _ heavy

The weight of a man’s world, it was heavy heavy and layered, but very enterprising. Chapter 8 and I’m impressed with how the talented Mr. Brown made it happen for himself and others and just kept going and going.

C5: big fraught family life, but he loved his Daddy

C4: “Sucking on the James Brown vapors just like every two-bit writer who’s ever needed a contract. Fifty-five years old and going nowhere. And not feeling a bit of goodness in my heart toward James Brown either, that’s the other thing. Six months in and I’m just like everybody else who lived off the Godfather. I’m sucking on his vapors, trying to get paid.”

At least McBride admits it.

“But here’s something only a musician might think about: that film was co-produced by Rolling Stones impresario Mick Jagger. ”

Wow, I didn’t know Get On Up, which I’ve ever seen, was produced by Jagger, whom James Brown didn’t like! Jagger then goes on to improvise and somewhat attempt to make a mockery of James Brown’s life in the film? It’s a cold and vile world at times!

Chapter 1 hit.. “He was a super talent. A great dancer. A real show. A laugher. A drug addict, a troublemaker, all hair and teeth. A guy who couldn’t stay out of trouble. The man simply defied description.
The reason? Brown was a child of a country in hiding: America’s South.”

Excerpt From
Kill 'Em and Leave
James McBride
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