As hip hop celebrates 50 years, let’s take a look at the First Coast’s place in that history. The Jacksonville area is where James Brown and crew crafted hip hop’s iconic funky rhythms.
In James Brown’s 1962 single “Mashed Potatoes U.S.A.” the Godfather of Soul shouts out a national tour list for the new dance craze record. He name-checks only two places in Florida: “I’m going to Miami and Jacksonville, too.” In the late 1950s and early 60s, Jacksonville was a frequent touring stop for the hardest working man in…
