Monday, August 11, 2008

Fathers of Rap, Volume One: Isaac Hayes


Waking up to the news of the passing of the one and only Isaac Hayes distraught me greatly this morning. Since I was a child, I was always mesmerized by the Black Moses' smooth, one of a kind voice. His composition skills were unmatched in his field, and he brought the funk liver than anyone else this side of James Brown and only an elite few group of his fellow entertainers. Passing away only ten days shy of his 66th birthday, Isaac Hayes may have left us in the physical sense, but his contributions and legacy will carry on infinitely and indefinitely.

This HHIR exclusive right here, entitled "Fathers of Rap, Volume One", is a labor of love that's been nested in the back of my mind for over a year now (a James Brown set is assuredly soon to follow). "Fathers of Rap, Volume One" features a slew of my favorite, personally-picked hip hop tracks which sampled the great Isaac Hayes. But to call this collection of tracks "a bunch of songs which sampled Isaac Hayes" would be an absolute understatement. Isaac Hayes' music wasn't simply the source for sampling; his music was a source for inspiration. Much like sample greats Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, James Brown and others, Isaac Hayes' music offered more than a sample, loop and/or break; his music supplied and injected soul into any project or song connected to it. Each of these tracks bears a strong connection to the original Hayes' compositions -- each a classic in their own right.

Unlike our usual releases, this self-mixed collection comes in the form of a seamless flow of great music, each track blending in to its successor. Ripped at 320 kbps, you're getting nothing but high-quality, classic music. Like I said, this self-mixed compilation was a labor of love, in honor of the legacy of Mr. Isaac Hayes. I hope you'll enjoy this HHIR exclusive as much as I did working on its completion. Turn it up for Ike and bump this:

01. Chuck D - 'Eulogy for Isaac Hayes'
02. Public Enemy - 'Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic'
• Produced by The Bomb Squad
03. Ice Cube - 'I Gotta Say What Up!!!'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' ''Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic'
• Produced by Ice Cube & The Bom Squad
04. DJ Quik - 'Born and Raised in Compton'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic'
• Produced by DJ Quik
05. 2Pac - 'Soulja's Story'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'No Name Bar'
• Produced by Live Squad
06. Geto Boys - 'Mind Playing Tricks on Me'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Hung Up on My Baby'
• Produced by Geto Boys
07. Redman - 'Tonight's Da Night'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'A Few More Kisses to Go'
• Produced by Erick Sermon & Redman
08. Eric B. & Rakim - 'Keep the Beat'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Joy'
• Produced by Eric B. & Rakim
09. Dr. Dre - 'Stranded on Death Row'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Do Your Thing'
• Produced by Dr. Dre
• Featuring Bushwick Bill, Kurupt, The Lady of Rage, RBX & Snoop Dogg
10. Compton's Most Wanted - 'Hood Took Me Under'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Walk on By'
• Produced by DJ Slip
11. The Notorious B.I.G. - 'Warning'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Walk on By'
• Produced by Easy Mo Bee
12. KRS-One - 'Wannabemceez'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Buns O Plenty'
• Produced by DJ Premier
• Featuring Mad Lion
13. Jay-Z - 'Can I Live'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'The Look of Love'
• Produced by Irv Gotti
14. Jay-Z - 'Reservoir Dogs'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Theme from Shaft'
• Produced by Erick Sermon & Darold Trotter
• Featuring The Lox, Sauce Money & Beanie Sigel
15. Dr. Dre - 'Xxplosive'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Bumpy's Lament'
• Produced by Dr. Dre & Mel-Man
• Featuring Hittman, Kurupt, Nate Dogg & Six-Two
16. Wu-Tang Clan - 'I Can't Go to Sleep'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Walk on By'
• Produced by RZA
• Featuring Isaac Hayes
17. Ghostface Killah - 'Malcolm'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Going in Circles'
• Produced by Choo the Specializt
18. Beanie Sigel - 'Still Got Love for You'
• Samples Isaac Hayes' 'Ike's Mood I/You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin''
• Produced by Just Blaze
• Featuring Jay-Z & Rell
19. Isaac Hayes - 'Bonus Track: Shaft (End Theme)'