Each on film screens and within the charts, November 1971 was all in regards to the new phenomenon of blaxploitation. With Black consciousness reaching new ranges of confidence and Afro-American tradition extra influential than ever, filmgoers had already loved the trailblazing They Name Me MISTER Tibbs! the 12 months earlier than, adopted by Candy Sweetback’s Badaasssss Tune. Then got here Shaft.
The MGM movie starred Richard Roundtree as a brand new type of hero, non-public detective John Shaft. It hit film screens in July 1971 and was a direct success. Made for a reported funds of $1 million, it grossed something as much as ten occasions that quantity. That whole was helped no finish by the contribution of a grasp songwriter, artist and Black music figurehead.
Isaac Hayes’ soundtrack to Shaft entered the US chart just a few weeks after the movie’s launch, in August. It quickly confirmed his unstoppable rise as a real soul famous person. Each of Hayes’ 1970 albums, The Isaac Hayes Motion and … To Be Continued, had hit No.1 on the US R&B chart. As Shaft grew to become one of many actual cinema occasions of the 12 months, so did the artist’s rating album.
Encouragement from Quincy
“At last we have a black hero of James Bond stature in John Shaft,” Hayes informed Beat Instrumental. “Shaft looks at things from a black point of view, it tells it like it is.” He additionally defined that his uncertainty, when Stax Information’ Al Bell beneficial him to MGM because the rating author and performer, was allayed by a much-respected producer.
“I didn’t feel too confident at first,” he recalled, “but I talked it over with Quincy Jones and he encouraged me to give it a try. Actually, I didn’t read the book or the script but when I saw the final rushes I was sold on the idea.”
On November 6, 1971, the Shaft LP climbed to No.1 on the Billboard pop album chart. It unseated John Lennon’s Think about within the course of. Two weeks later, the memorable “Theme From Shaft” single hit the highest of the pop chart. Each single and album went on to win Grammys, and the theme took the Oscar for Finest Authentic Tune. The “Black private dick” had formally helped Hayes to the highest of his occupation.
Purchase the two-disc version of Shaft, with music from each the soundtrack album and the movie itself.
