Fam District

“So James, where do you see the New JB’s fifteen years from now?”This was the question posed by Donnie Simpson to the legendary Mr. James Brown in 1993 on BET’s VIDEO SOUL. Glancing back at his group comprised of eight brothers and a sister Mr. Brown replied, “ Running their own record label, calling shots, they’re ready now!!” Spoken into fruition comes FAM District. Not always known as the New JB’s, it started as Mass Extension in the 1970's. Four siblings were joined by three more and adopted the sound of GO-GO Music. They strived to stand out by bringing class and appeal to what many considered a rare and primitive type of music. In 1985 the group wrote, recorded, and released a local hit, “HAPPY FEET”( joined by two youngest siblings). Making Billboard, “Happy Feet” broke into Europe, bringing international acclaim. Island Records signed the group and sparked a movement. In 1987 they joined the MCA family as producers and had success with their production of “Better World”, by Omar Chandler. In 1992 the group released their go-go driven remake of the Sly Stone classic “Thank You” and caught the attention of the “Godfather of Soul”. Mr. Brown heard a ten minute mix of the song, and immediately flew the group to Georgia to sign them. As the New JB’s, they received instant respect that comes with being the coveted group of James Brown. Learning the music business from one of its greatest pioneers will surely make FAM District one of the premiere artists in the industry.