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James Brown’s daughters still get DMs from his fans ‘all the time,’ almost 20 years after his death

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Their papa’s got a brand new message.

James Brown’s daughters said their Instagram inboxes are filled with DMs from their dad’s fans — from places as far as Japan, Africa, and Australia — almost 20 years after his passing.

“It’s all the time from people from all over the world. Sometimes I’ve got to hit ‘See translation’ because I don’t understand what they said,” said Deanna, 55, who is featured in the exclusive clip above The Post got from the upcoming A&E docuseries “James Brown: Say it Loud.”

“They don’t even realize, ‘I don’t speak your language, baby. You gotta talk to me in English.’”

Deanna said she gets Instagram messages about her father, James Brown, “all the time from people from all over the world.” Courtesy of Dr. Deanna Brown Thomas

Yamma, 51, said she is always touched to learn that Brown, who was called “the Hardest-Working Man in Show Business,” took time to chat it up with his fan base.

“Most people say, ‘I met him and we got a chance to talk’” she told The Post ahead of the premiere of the docuseries, which airs on Feb. 19 and 20.

The Brown girls, who are both based in Aiken, S.C., pay homage to their dad, who died in 2006 at 73 after contracting pneumonia, with their Instagram handles — Deanna’s is @jamesbrowndaughter and Yamma’s, @daughterofsoul.

Brown, who grew up extremely poor in Georgia and only had a 7th-grade education, was put in a juvenile prison at 15 for car theft and later in his life was arrested multiple times for drugs, weapons and domestic violence.

“I grew up, of course seeing the love, but also seeing the hurt that he caused my mom by abusing her,” Yamma recalls in the docuseries.

The women said their mother, Deidre Jenkins, who was married to Brown from 1970 to 1981, is “doing well” but was not interested in being a part of the docuseries.

“My mom is in that part of her life [where] this kind of stuff does not faze her. It’s like, ‘Y’all go do that for you, daddy. That’s real nice. Enjoy and have fun,’” said Deanna.

Yamma said fans tell her that Brown took time to speak with them. Courtesy of Dr. Yamma Brown

They said their mother doesn’t always get the recognition she deserves.

“She was there during the high prime of his life and was very, very instrumental in a lot of different things. But she kind of stayed behind the scenes, she wasn’t one to be on the stage. She was happy raising her two daughters and being Mrs. James Brown,” said Deanna, who was born in St. Albans, Queens, where Brown had a home.

Deanna recalled the Queens historic district of Addisleigh Park, where many well-known African-Americans resided.

Deanna said their mother, Deidre Jenkins, “was happy raising her two daughters and being Mrs. James Brown.” Courtesy of Dr. Deanna Brown Thomas

“Our neighbors were people like Ella Fitzgerald and W.E.B. Du Bois,” she explained. “Dad had the front driveway [shaped] like an album.”

The duo said as they got older, they tried not to bring their boyfriends around their father — especially when Deanna was dating her now-husband, who worked for Brown.

“The rule was, you don’t mess with the boss’ daughters,” she said.

Brown, who only had a 7th-grade education, wrote all his own music and lyrics. Getty Images

“I ended up dating on the down low for two years my husband, because he was a property manager at the house. Dad was very protective of us because of course, somebody could come and think they could hit the jackpot or something.”

Deanna also explained that the death of Brown’s son Teddy from a car accident in 1973, which their half-brother Daryl believes was caused by him getting shot before the crash, added to their father’s fear for his daughters’ safety.

“He certainly was very protective over his girls,” she said.

Their honorary brother Usher, whom their dad dubbed the “Godson of Soul,” made them proud during his Super Bowl halftime performance.

Brown, who was called the “Godfather of Soul,” dubbed Usher the “Godson of Soul.” Getty Images

“I remember being at Michael Jackson’s funeral and I was talking to Usher at the reception,” said Deanna.

“And he was like, ‘What is that your dad used to call me? The Godson? Yup, that’s me. I got my marching orders.’ He took it serious too. He did an amazing job at the Super Bowl. He knows what his mission is.”



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