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
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I Know I Know (Radio Version)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 02.10.2017
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Dis Dat (feat. Yung Dubey)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Byrd B am 08.12.2015
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In-n-Out (feat. Gmoney)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 11.10.2018
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Soul
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 01.06.2018
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Control
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure Music Group am 06.02.2017
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Makin Plays (feat. Gmoney, Deezo & Vitto Valentino)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 26.06.2018
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Elephants
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 11.09.2018
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Last Night (Radio Version) [feat. A. K. & Luv Jones]
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 02.10.2017
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Big Pressure
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 22.05.2020
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Hit
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 24.06.2018
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Black Diamonds & Pearls
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure Music Group am 22.02.2018
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Trappin Issa Sport (feat. Dread Head Wayne)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 26.06.2018
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Salute to the Struggle
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Byrd B am 12.04.2016
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The David Ruffin Tape
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Byrd B am 18.10.2016
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Nocap (feat. Luh Bottom, Relly Rell & Gmoney)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 26.06.2018
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Vivids
Hörbücher - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure Music Group am 10.01.2021
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Countertop
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 03.10.2017
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Atm (Radio Version) [feat. Teff Deezy & Buddy Luv]
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Applying Pressure am 02.10.2017
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Big Fish
Hip-Hop/Rap - Erschienen bei Appying Pressure am 30.05.2020
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