The first record I remember hearing was “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.”
I must’ve been five or six, but even at that age, James Brown’s rhythmic groove pulled me in. That song planted a seed that grew into a lifelong love for funk, soul, and the man who became known as the Godfather of it all.
But like many of our icons, James Brown’s life was far more complicated than the stage persona he crafted.
In The One – The Life and Music of James Brown, author R.J. Smith delivers a comprehensive, unflinching look at a man who was both dazzling and deeply flawed.
Drawing on interviews with more than 100 people who knew or worked with Brown, Smith paints a vivid portrait of a man shaped by poverty, racial injustice, ambition, and raw talent.
Born in 1933 in Barnwell, South Carolina, Brown came of age in the Jim Crow South, growing up in conditions the book compares to medieval poverty. He hustled to survive shining shoes, sweeping storefronts, and singing for change before music became his salvation.
As you read, you see the contours of Brown’s character take shape: a school dropout raised in a brothel, a young man who served time for theft, a performer whose tireless work ethic (often 350 shows a year) masked deep insecurity and a need for control.
What makes The One so powerful is Smith’s refusal to sanitize the darker parts of Brown’s legacy.
He doesn’t gloss over the drug abuse, the domestic violence, or the paranoia that clouded Brown’s later years. But neither does he diminish Brown’s genius.
The book balances critique with admiration, celebrating his innovations while holding him accountable for the harm he caused.
Reading The One stirred a mix of emotions in me: pity for the boy abandoned by his parents, joy at the musical breakthroughs, and anger at the damage Brown inflicted on those around him. By the end, I didn’t walk away with a tidy resolution, but I did gain a deeper, more nuanced respect for the man and his music.
Brown wasn’t easy to love, but his story demands understanding.
Whether you grew up dancing to “Sex Machine” or just want to understand the roots of hip-hop, funk, and soul, The One is essential reading.
It reminds us that legends are human and sometimes the brilliance we admire is born from deep, painful contradictions.
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Frederick J. Goodall is the Editor-in-Chief of Mocha Man Style, media spokesperson, event host, photographer, and a top social media influencer in Houston, TX. He likes to write about fashion, cars, travel, and health.