The Dutch duo L.A. Style (founded and produced by Wessel van Diepen who later helped create Vengaboys) released "James Brown Is Dead" in 1991. It appeared on Billboard's Hot 100 Airplay chart and was the first techno song to hit the Billboard Hot 100. Despite the lyrics and title, James Brown was alive at the time of the song's release and did not die until December 25, 2006.

While remixes of this song often include the words "James Brown Is Dead" as the only discernible words, the song has other lyrics including:

I checked up on the late great J.B.
His death is said on national TV
Now memory, man are you with that
James Brown is dead
Total chaos, man it's resurrected
I'm confused that things are gettin' hectic
In my brain, what is happenin'?
Could this be a big misunderstanding? It is
The hardest working man in show biz is alive so
Don't be misled, cause the newsman said
JAMES BROWN IS DEAD

Some sources report that the basis for the song is a 1992 broadcast that falsely reported the singer's demise and that a sample of that broadcast became the basis of the recording. Because the song was released in 1991, this cannot be true.

Although a false report of the singer's death may have been made on the airwaves at some time before the song was released (or perhaps at a later date with origins as a prank inspired by this song), this entire assertion may fall under the category of an urban legend.

Text from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown_Is_Dead