Sharpton: Clean up lyrics in Brown’s honor

Samantha Gross

NEW YORK — Invoking the memory of soul legend James Brown, the Rev. Al Sharpton and members of Brown’s family gathered on what would have been the singer’s 74th birthday to press the music industry to stop using three terms they called racist and sexist.

Sharpton and some of Brown’s children marched last Thursday to the Manhattan offices of major music labels. Later that day, some of Brown’s friends and family members questioned the direction of the music industry while remembering him at the Apollo Theater.

At the march, Sharpton called on music labels to stop using two derogatory words for women, as well as a racial epithet used to describe blacks.

Sharpton compared the terms to homophobic and anti-Semitic phrases that have ignited complaints, which have sometimes resulted in such consequences as canceled concerts and re-recording of songs.

“You can’t have standards for some, and when it comes to women and African Americans, you don’t have standards,” Sharpton said.

Sharpton said the activists were “not asking for censorship” as they rallied outside the offices of Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony Music.

Universal told the NY1 cable news channel in a statement that artists have a right to express themselves, even if their music doesn’t appeal to all listeners. The company also said it flags some music with warning labels and adheres to broadcast standards.

Sharpton described the march as a fitting birthday tribute to Brown, saying the singer “was one to challenge us to bring decency back to music.”

Brown’s family echoed Sharpton’s message at the Apollo Theater.

“How did we get from, ‘Say it loud, I’m black and I’m proud,’ to where we are today?” asked his daughter Deanna Brown Thomas, referring to her father’s famous lyrics.

“We got to start taking care of our own people. We have to be accountable to our own people,” said Daryl Brown, lead guitarist of the 17-piece band the Soul Generals, which backed his father for two decades.

Surrounded by photographs of the soul singer, Sharpton said that less than a week before Brown’s death, “we talked about how he wanted to see the music cleaned up.”

Those gathered watched a video of Brown’s final performance at the Apollo in 2004, during a birthday celebration for Sharpton. In the video, the singer urged the crowd to focus on education and brotherhood — and to believe in those less fortunate than themselves.

“You take the negative and make a positive,” he said.

Thousands of fans gathered at the Harlem theater in December to pay their respects to the singer, whose 24-karat gold coffin was delivered to the venue in a white horse-drawn carriage.

Brown died of heart failure in Atlanta on Christmas Day while hospitalized for treatment of pneumonia. He was known for his high-energy performances, husky grunts and shimmying dance moves.

His hits, such as “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” inspired generations of soul, funk, disco, rock and rap artists.

Last Thursday, the singer’s children described his birthday as bittersweet.

“I used to call him every night … so it’s really hard,” Venisha Brown said through tears. “You see him as ‘The Godfather of Soul,’ the ‘hardest working man in show business.’ But I just see him as my dad.”

Associated Press video journalist Ted Shaffrey contributed to this report.

(Associated Press)