A&E Network has revealed a new four-part documentary series about James Brown, Say It Loud, executive produced by Mick Jagger, The Roots’ Questlove and Black Thought, David Blackman, Victoria Pearman, and Peter Afterman.
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Directed by Deborah Riley Draper, the series is set to arrive in 2023 and will explore Brown’s life and career from being a 7th-grade drop-out, who was arrested for armed robbery in the Jim Crow-era South to one of the most iconic figures in music. The series will cover his legacy in music through interviews with friends, family, and collaborators, along with never-before-seen archival footage, under production by Jagger’s Jagged Films, Two One Five Entertainment, Inaudible Films, and Polygram Entertainment for the A&E Network.
“I am thrilled to be producing the four-part documentary series with A&E delving into the fascinating life of James Brown,” said Jagger in a statement. “He was a brilliant performer who inspired me from the beginning and was deeply committed to the Civil Rights movement. I have always admired James and learned so much from him.”
In 2014, the late Chadwick Boseman starred as James Brown for the Jagger-produced biopic Get On Up. Jagger also served as a producer on the HBO documentary Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown.
“The life of James Brown is significant not only to understand his immense musical impact, which inspires us and other artists to this day but also for the deep and lasting impression he has had on American culture,” said Questlove. Black Thought added, “Brown’s life is a crucial and timely story of struggle, redemption, and self-identity and we are honored to have the chance to share it.”
In December of 2021, Primary Wave Music acquired a stake in Brown’s publishing, master recording income stream, and name and likeness rights. The publisher will also continue its partnership with the estate, including several projects linked to The James Brown 2000 Trust, which was established in 2000 by Mr. Brown for charitable and educational purposes.
Photo: Courtesy of Primary Wave
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