In the court system, four years to settle an estate that might be worth $100 million doesn't seem like long. But to James Brown II, it's almost half a lifetime.
The youngest son of the Godfather of Soul, who was only 5 when his father died unexpectedly on Christmas Day 2006, today is a tall, exceptionally polite 9-year-old, said his mother, Tomi Rae Brown, in a phone call from their Las Vegas home.
"He's the No. 1 math student in the whole school. He's incredible with numbers, just like his dad was," she said.
James Brown II also is "dancing and singing" and wants to be a singer.
"He's just a beautiful young man," she said.
James Brown died at age 73, only three days after appearing at his annual Christmas toy giveaway in Augusta.
Attorneys soon challenged both the legitimacy of his marriage to Tomi Rae and little James' paternity.
Tomi Rae Brown proved both.
Today, the estate is in its third set of trustees, after predecessors either resigned amid allegations they mishandled Brown's assets or were removed at the request of lawyers for the estate's beneficiaries.
An Aiken judge signed off on a settlement of the estate last year -- granting half to a James Brown Scholarship Fund, a quarter to Tomi Rae Brown and a quarter to the six adult children named in James Brown's will -- but its final disbursement awaits further litigation by the estate against its two former state-appointed trustees, Adele Pope and Robert Buchanan.
Tomi Rae Brown and James Brown's other children and grandchildren continue to carry on their lives and his legacy without his money.
Guided for the past four years by Brown's daughters, Deanna Brown-Thomas and Yamma Brown, the singer's Thanksgiving turkey and Christmas toy giveaways were just held for a 20th year and without any support from the estate.
"Around Christmas, it's always a bittersweet time," said Elif Crawford, a longtime assistant to Brown who now helps the Brown Children Foundation with the giveaways. "We're just trying to keep positive and keep his memory alive."
She, like the family, hopes the estate will be settled in court soon, because of "all the positive things" Brown wanted to do with his legacy.
Brown-Thomas said at the toy giveaway, which was hugely successful: "I've been fighting all of my emotions all week long."
Brown-Thomas, who, with the Rev. Al Sharpton, clashed with the estate trustee over its lack of support for the giveaways, remarked that life goes on and that bills -- such as her son's college tuition -- get paid, even though neither she nor the foundation has seen any of her father's money.
Her son Jason, a 20-year-old film student at Savannah College of Art and Design, is carrying on his grandfather's legacy in his own way.
Jason Brown-Thomas recently started a film production company called Legacy Entertainment, a tribute to the late soul singer, "the most sampled artist in the world."
The college student, who shot footage at the giveaways for the foundation, said that although his grandfather is no longer around, his legacy is very much alive.
"He's not just living on through his family, but through his fans, his music and through his city," he said. "Even though we lost him, it's still amazing to see him living on now. He's not gone, he's not completely gone."
Sharpton, for whom Brown was "like a father," said last month that the estate's lack of support for Brown's charitable traditions showed that it cared only about commercially exploiting the late singer.
"Remind your readers that none of his children have gotten a dime yet from his estate, or anything else," Sharpton said.
After it's settled, however, Tomi Rae Brown said, she'll reunite with other family members here to begin work on a museum at Brown's Beech Island mansion and other projects.
"Tell everybody I said 'Merry Christmas,' " she said. "As soon as we get this squared away, we'll be back in Georgia doing wonderful things."
The family is expecting decisions from the courts early in 2011, and also will come together Feb. 5 for the Grammy Awards, where Brown will receive a special honor, she said.
At least James Brown's family has proven that it's not all about getting their hands on their fathers money. With their charitable events at Thanksgiving and Christmas being carried on, they have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that James Brown was one class act, and he passed that class on to his family. Live on, James Brown!
well said tuffenuf4u.
"Sharpton, for whom Brown was "like a father," said last month that the estate's lack of support for Brown's charitable traditions showed that it cared only about commercially exploiting the late singer. Remind your readers that none of his children have gotten a dime yet from his estate, or anything else," Sharpton said."
Give Rev. Sharpton a break. :)
You can't be serious. This has always been about the money to the family that tried to keep Tomi Rae and James II from getting anything. I wished the family had gotten zilch after the way they acted after JB's death. They couldn't be any sleazier than the lawyers. This has been a major embarassment for the city of Augusta, as if it needed any more.
???? "This has been about the money to the family. .. ." Are you reading the same publication everyone else is reading?
The Brown Family held 2 toy and turkey give-a-ways in 2 seperate cities across GA. . . . .I wonder how much money this costs? While still sending a child to college. . . .
Remind your readers that none of his children have gotten a dime yet from his estate, or anything else," Sharpton said."
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