James Brown: Say It Loud’s premiere date has been revealed by A&E . The network will broadcast the documentary at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, February 19, and Tuesday, February 20.
The four-hour documentary “examines Brown’s legacy through exclusive interviews, never-seen archival footage, and his beloved music catalog,” according to the logline.
The project was directed by Deborah Riley Draper.
Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Mick Jagger, Peter Afterman, David Blackman, Victoria Pearman, Bruce Resnikoff, Shawn Gee, Zarah Zohlman, Charlie Cohen, and Mari Keiko Gonzalez executive produced the upcoming documentary.
James Brown: Say It Loud will include interviews with Terry Lewis, his kids Deanna and Yamma, Mick Jagger, Questlove, Bootsy Collins, The Rev. Al Sharpton, Chuck D, Dallas Austin, and Jimmy Jam.
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The documentary made its debut in February 2022 with a teaser. “James Brown’s life is important not only for his profound musical influence, which continues to inspire us and other musicians, but also for the profound and enduring impact he has had on American culture,” Questlove and Black Thought stated.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to share Brown’s life story—one of struggle, redemption, and self-identity—because it is an important and relevant one.”
“I am delighted to be producing the four-part documentary series with A&E exploring the fascinating life of James Brown. He was an incredible artist who motivated me right away and had a strong commitment to the Civil Rights movement. James has always been someone I admire and have learned so much from. Bringing the series to life excites me,”Mick Jagger continued.
Primary Wave Music and the James Brown Estate announced their partnership in December 2021.
Primary Wave is the owner of name and likeness rights, the master recording income stream, and a portion of Brown’s publishing under the terms of the agreement. The New York Times reports that Brown’s possessions brought in an estimated $90 million at auction.
The CEO and founder of Primary Wave, Larry Mestel, expressed his awe at the company’s selection by James Brown’s estate to collaborate with the Godfather of Soul.
“We are ecstatic to contribute to his legacy and help him maintain his influence through the James Brown 2000 Trust and his music. We believe that our choice of professionals to take the James Brown Legacy to the next level is going to prove to be one of the most successful events in Mr. Brown’s long history in show business,” said Russell Bauknight, fiduciary for the James Brown Estate and Trust.
Watch the trailer for James Brown: Say It Loud below.