SC State is Feeling Good!!!!
Dervedia Thomas
Issue date: 2/24/09 Section: Entertainment
SC State's James Brown exhibit opened to a packed audience of students, faculty, staff and fans of the late entertainer. President George E. Cooper who opened the exhibit said he was pleased that SC State was allowed to be the repository for James Brown's memorabilia.
"I'm a fan of his," he said. "I saw him as a teenager at FAMU, and I remember him taking at least 30 minutes to do his last encore. "At the end of his set, it was customary for Brown to stoop dawn and have one of his band members put his cape on. Brown would then throw it off and start again, much to the delight of the audience. The event which was part of SC State's 113th Founders' day celebration, added a different dimension to the normal celebrations according to Cooper.
The Godfather of Soul as he was known, reached super stardom in the late 50's and scored hits in every decade thorugh the 1980's. His music was a unique fusion of African beats, gospel and rhythm and blues, and included signature pieces "I got you" (I feel good) and "Papa got a Brand new bag." Brown also used his music to stir the winds of change and promote black pride in the racially segregated 60's with radical hits like "Say it Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud," "America Is My Home" and "I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothin' (Open Up the Door, I'll Get It Myself)."
Brown died on December 2007, and to date, the Brown family is still awaiting a final settlement of the legendary singer's estate. The courts have since ordered that Brown's possessions be taken to a museum for preservation.
After seeing the exhibit which featured Brown's stage costumes, concert posters and even the original music scores that Brown wrote, sophomore civil engineering major said it was wonderful. "It was well put together," he said. "I learned a lot and I can definitely see his influence on popular music."
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