B Byrd
As a long-running right-hand man, Bobby Byrd performed an invaluable function in the James Brown show, warming up the crowds as a solo singer, then retreating to the sidelines as a member of the Famous Flames, Brown's backup vocal group. Indeed, without Byrd, James Brown may have never made it out of Georgia: in the early '50s, Byrd and his family sponsored Brown's parole from prison, and Byrd gave Brown a spot in his vocal group, the Flames (which, of course, Brown eventually took over and relegated to the background). Like many of Brown's close associates and support musicians, Byrd got a chance to record his own work under Brown's direction, releasing numerous Brown-produced singles between the early '60s and early '70s. Some of these were even modest R&B hits -- "We're in Love" (1965) and "I Need Help (I Can't Do It Alone)" (1970) were the biggest, making the R&B Top 20. Brown's backing musicians (and sometimes Brown himself) often figured heavily in the arrangements, and unsurprisingly the tracks often sounded like James Brown records featuring a different vocalist. The unfortunate problem was that Byrd was an average, even nondescript soul singer, sounding much more like a poor person's Sam & Dave than a facsimile of Soul Brother Number One. The records were often fine, the early-'70s hard funk singles in particular (which usually featured the J.B.'s cook), but you can't help wondering if they might sound a lot better with J.B. himself on the front line. Still, fans of the James Brown groove will find a lot to like in Byrd's best recordings, in much the same way as they'll enjoy the James Brown's Funky People series of recordings that J.B. oversaw (but did not sing lead on). Certainly Eric B. & Rakim thought so, reworking one of Byrd's best singles (1971's "I Know You Got Soul") so faithfully that legal action ensued. After splitting from Brown in 1973, Byrd recorded sporadically and performed often (particularly in Europe), releasing On the Move in 1994. He died of cancer in September 2007, but not before performing at the memorial service for Brown, held just a few months earlier.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
-
I Know I Know (Radio Version)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure on 2 okt. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dis Dat (feat. Yung Dubey)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Byrd B on 8 dec. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
In-n-Out (feat. Gmoney)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure on 11 okt. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Control
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure Music Group on 6 feb. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Makin Plays (feat. Gmoney, Deezo & Vitto Valentino)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure on 26 jun. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Elephants
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure on 11 sep. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Last Night (Radio Version) [feat. A. K. & Luv Jones]
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure on 2 okt. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Big Pressure
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure on 22 mei 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Black Diamonds & Pearls
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure Music Group on 22 feb. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Trappin Issa Sport (feat. Dread Head Wayne)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure on 26 jun. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Salute to the Struggle
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Byrd B on 12 apr. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The David Ruffin Tape
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Byrd B on 18 okt. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nocap (feat. Luh Bottom, Relly Rell & Gmoney)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure on 26 jun. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vivids
Humour/Spoken Word - Released by Applying Pressure Music Group on 10 jan. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Countertop
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure on 3 okt. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Atm (Radio Version) [feat. Teff Deezy & Buddy Luv]
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Applying Pressure on 2 okt. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Big Fish
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Appying Pressure on 30 mei 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo