Deborah Riley Draper: ‘James Brown’s Music Is a Blueprint of How to Live in America … and Be Free’ (Content Spotlight)

A&E will examine the music and cultural legacy of entertainer James Brown in its new documentary series James Brown: Say It Loud, premiering February 19.

The two-night documentary series, executive produced by music legends Mick Jagger and Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson, looks at the life of the Godfather of Soul and delves into the musical and cultural impact of the entertainment icon, according to A&E.

Series director Deborah Riley Draper says the series goes beyond Brown’s contributions to music to focus on his legacy as one of the most influential cultural forces in the 20th Century. Draper, who most recently directed OWN’s The Legacy of Black Wall Street docuseries, added that Brown’s influence on music and culture can still be felt today.

“He is the history of a lived experience that stretches from the depression to the announcement of Barack Obama running for president,” Draper said. “His contributions and what he was able to see, experience is definitely a record — not a vinyl record, but a record of the passage of time and experience that was important to look at, study and learn from.”

Click below to listen to the interview with Draper on the latest episode of the "Content Spotlight" podcast.