America Is My Home

"America Is My Home" to its credit was the very first all rap recored music. It was intended as patriotic song written by James Brown and Hayward E. Moore. Brown recorded it in 1967 in response to increasing criticism of the Vietnam War by black leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Stokely Carmichael. Brown speaks rather than sings the words of the song over an instrumental backing. The lyrics affirm that "America is still the best country, without a doubt" and claim "black and white, they may fight, but if the enemy come we'll get together and run 'em out of sight." Brown delayed the song's release until the summer of 1968 when he thought the timing was right. It charted #13 R&B and #52 Pop. He followed it later that year with "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud".