James Brown was a troubled man in many respects. However, he will be forever remembered for influence on American popular music.
He's an example of the age old question: is it how we live our lives or what we leave behind?
I think the answer is: It's both. It's how we live our lives AND what we leave behind.
Another poster implied that he hit his wives because they wouldn't listen to him. Thanks for not posting anything insensitive like that.
How James Brown lived his woman beating life left behind the legacy of a human being that is not worthy of being called a man. What he left behind is a legacy of young men believing that denigrating and beating women is OK if you happen to be connected. His musical influence was beneficial. There was nothing good about him. IMHO.