Eddie Murphy James Brown impersonation| Eddie Murphy’s impersonation of James Brown is one of his most legendary comedy bits, capturing the Godfather of Soul’s intense energy, signature screams, footwork, cape drama, and over-the-top stage presence perfectly.
He first showcased it in his 1983 stand-up special Delirious (filmed when he was just 22), where he hilariously riffs on James Brown’s performing style, including lines like jumping around, screaming “Hit me!” and poking fun at how long Brown had been singing the same high-energy songs. It’s widely regarded as one of the highlights of that special and still circulates a lot online.
He also did a memorable version on Saturday Night Live (Season 9, 1983–1984) in the sketch “James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party,” where he plays Brown promoting a hot tub in his dramatic soul-singing way, complete with the iconic robe drop and intense reactions to the water. It’s considered one of the all-time great SNL sketches for how spot-on the impression is.
One of the coolest moments came at a Richard Pryor tribute concert in the early 1990s (around 1991), where the real James Brown was on stage, turned to Eddie Murphy, and basically challenged him: “Can you really do James Brown?” Murphy, nervous but game, proceeded to do the impression right in front of the legend himself. Brown loved it, and it turned into an impromptu dance-off/moment of mutual respect. Videos of that interaction still go viral because it’s comedy gold—Eddie nailing every tic while Brown watches and reacts.
People rate it super highly (often 9–10/10) for nailing Brown’s mannerisms, and even James Brown himself was a fan, once telling Murphy he should play him in a biopic seriously.
If you’re looking for clips:
• The Delirious bit: Search for “Eddie Murphy Delirious James Brown” on YouTube.
• The SNL hot tub sketch: “James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party SNL”.
• The live in front of James Brown moment: Often titled “Eddie Murphy impersonates James Brown in front of him” or similar.
It’s peak Eddie Murphy comedy—sharp, physical, and fearless!
