Despite occasional disagreements in the studio, Mick Jagger and Rick Rubin shared a profound admiration for James Brown as the pinnacle of rock performance artistry. Jagger openly acknowledged that his dynamic stage presence drew heavily from Brown's innovations, adopting signature moves such as his distinctive slide across the stage and microphone tricks, though Jagger recognised that certain physical feats—particularly Brown's splits—remained beyond his own capabilities as a performer.

Rubin's assessment paralleled Jagger's when he identified Brown's 1964 T.A.M.I. Show appearance as possibly the greatest rock and roll performance ever captured on film. When the two collaborated on Jagger's solo material, both used Brown's legendary artistry as their model for achieving excellence, seeking to replicate the energy and commitment that defined Brown's career, even as they worked through their own creative differences in the recording process.