The Most Sampled Musician Of All Time Was Born Today

James Brown has a million kickass nicknames - Mr. Dynamite, Soul Brother Number One, Sex Machine, The Minister of the New New Super Heavy Funk, and  Mr. Please Please Please 

One of James Brown's more boring nicknames was Music Box. But, Brown received the nickname when he was in prison at 15 years old for breaking into cars. Released at 19, Brown worked his way up from performing on street corners, in brothels, and jail - to Rolling Stones No. 7 Greatest Performer of All Time and The Hardest Working Man In Show Business.

A title given to Brown in more recent years is The Most Sampled Musician in History. If your favorite artist has ever sampled a beat, chances are they've taken it from a James Brown song. Below is a list of over 40 musicians who have used Brown's beat to make a song. 

This video shows a list of musicians who have created a song by sampling just ONE of the Godfather of Soul's songs (The Funky Drummer ) ... here are A FEW of the musician's on the long list. 

1989 NWA - Straight Outta Compton - Fuck Tha Police

1990 Simpsons Sing The Blues - Deep Deep Trouble

1991 Prince - Gangster Glam - Get Off 

1992 Dr. Dre - Let me Ride - The Chronic 

1998 Power Puff Girl's Theme Song - City of Soundville 

2003 Britney Spears - Touched My Hand - In The Zone 

2010 Niki Minaj - Save Me - Pink Friday 

2014 Ed Sheeran - Shirtsleeves - X

Oh, James Brown also REALLY loved drugs. A LOT.   

Today The Godfather of Soul would be 87 years old. Happy Birthday James Brown.