Isaac Hayes
Shaft Theme, Soul Singer, Stax Records Pioneer
The Black Moses Leo
Isaac Hayes was raised by his grandparents as a sharecropper’s child, taught himself piano, and became the architect of orchestral soul music. His Hot Buttered Soul album reimagined what a soul album could be. The Shaft theme won him an Oscar — the first African American to win Best Original Score. He was so magnificent he earned the nickname Black Moses.
Leo Legacy
- Shaft theme: 1971 Oscar for Best Original Score — first Black winner in that category
- Hot Buttered Soul: 1969 — reimagined soul music with extended arrangements and spoken interludes
- Stax Records: Staff writer and producer — co-wrote ‘Hold On, I’m Comin” and many other classics
- Black Moses: Earned the nickname for his profound influence on Black culture and politics
Hayes’ Leo grandeur was physical and sonic — he dressed in gold, he sounded like royalty.
“Shaft is a bad mother… shut your mouth!”