Sample Source
1961–1990
Curtis Mayfield's catalog runs from his Impressions recordings to the Superfly soundtrack to his solo Curtom Records output — all of it is deeply embedded in hip hop's DNA. Superfly (1972) is the archetypal blaxploitation soundtrack. Move On Up is one of the most sampled individual tracks in history. The wah-wah guitar, the falsetto vocals, and the Curtom rhythm section appear in production from Common to Kanye West to Jay-Z.
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Start Digging →"Move On Up" (1970) is the single most sampled Curtis Mayfield track — it appears in hundreds of hip hop productions across decades. The Superfly soundtrack (1972) is collectively the most referenced album. "Pusherman," "Freddie's Dead," and "Superfly" from that soundtrack are all heavily sampled. His Impressions recordings (particularly "People Get Ready" and "It's All Right") are also widely referenced.
Curtom Records was Curtis Mayfield's own label, founded in 1968. It released his solo work, the Superfly soundtrack, and recordings by Leroy Hutson, the Staple Singers, Five Stairsteps, and other soul artists. Curtom pressed its records through independent distributors, giving them a specific mastering and pressing quality that differs from major-label contemporaries. Original Curtom pressings are collectible but available on Discogs.
Mayfield played guitar in an unusual open C# tuning, giving his chord voicings a distinctive shimmer that is hard to replicate with standard tuning. The wah-wah guitar parts from the Superfly era are immediately recognisable and sample cleanly as isolated elements. His falsetto vocal style also creates distinctive chop material — the vocals have a specific tone and register that sits differently under beats than conventional soul singing.