Curtis Mayfield

The Impressions were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.
. He died on December 26, 1999 in Roswell, Georgia. In 2004, he hosted the MOBO awards in London, after the original presenter, Pharrell Williams pulled out at the last minute. He was unable to perform until 1997, when he released the album New World Order. In 1998, he had to have his right leg amputated due to diabetes. He also landed the role of Ford Prefect in the long-awaited 2005 movie adaption of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. On August 14, 1990, Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down after stage lighting equipment fell on him at a concert in Brooklyn, New York. His performances in Brown Sugar, Monster's Ball, and the HBO made-for-TV film Something The Lord Made have been particularly acclaimed by critics.

Characteristically, Mayfield's lyrics included hard-hitting commentary on the state of affairs in black, urban ghettos at the time, previously unheard of in blaxploitation films. The first years of the 2000s have established Mos Def as a notable actor. The album was influential in the development of funk, rock and roll, R&B, soul, gospel and pop music. Def's music often references his Islamic faith and his contention that black artists receive little credit for their role in the birth of rock and roll music. In 1970, Mayfield left The Impressions and began a solo career, eventually peaking with Superfly (1972), one of the most influential films, soundtracks and albums in history. Socially aware rap music (alternative hip hop) has experienced something of a renaissance in the late 1990s and now the 2000s, in part due to artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, The Roots and others. The Impressions reached the height of their popularity in the mid to late 1960s, with a string of Mayfield compositions that included "Keep On Pushin'," "People, Get Ready," "Choice of Colors," "This is My Country," and "We People Who Are Darker than Blue." Mayfield's "We're a Winner" became a virtual anthem of the black power/black pride movement. By the early 1990s however, this brand of rap had been eclipsed in popularity by gangsta rap.

"Amen," an updated version of an old gospel tune, was included in the soundtrack of 1963 MGM release "Lilies of the Field," which starred Sidney Poitier. The artistic boundaries of rap music had been redefined by artists such as Brand Nubian, De La Soul, and Public Enemy, whose music was more thematically sophisticated and socially conscious than that of their predecessors. The band had hits with "For Your Precious Love" and "Gypsy Woman." After Butler left the group and was replaced with Fred Cash, Mayfield became lead singer, frequently composing for the band, as well. After the collapse of Rawkus, Def along with Kweli signed on to Interscope/Geffen Records, who released his second album The New Danger in 2004. Mayfield's career began in 1958 (see 1958 in music), when he formed The Impressions with Jerry Butler, Sam Gooden, Richad Brooks, and Arthur Brooks. Mos Def released his solo debut, Black on Both Sides, in 1999. This "message music" became extremely popular during the period of political ferment and social upheaval of the 1960s and '70s. After signing with Rawkus Records, he and Talib Kweli released Black Star, a full length album, in 1998, with Hi-Tek producing most of the tracks.

Perhaps most notably, Mayfield was among the first of a new wave of mainstream African-American R&B performing artists and composers who injected social commentary into their work. He later found success in rap music and worked with De La Soul and da Bush Babees before releasing his own first single, "Universal Magnetic" which was a huge underground hit. Curtis Mayfield (June 3, 1942 - December 26, 1999) was an African American soul, funk and R&B singer, songwriter and noted guitarist best known for his soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Superfly. Mayfield came to prominence as lead singer/songwriter for The Impressions, then went on to have a successful solo career. Mos Def (born Dante Beze on December 11, 1973) is a Brooklyn-born rapper and actor, who began his performing career on the television show The Cosby Mysteries in 1994. Ghosts - 1997. Where's Marlowe? - 1998.

Island of the Dead - 2000. Bamboozled - 2000. Carmen: A Hip Hopera - 2001. Monster's Ball - 2001.

Showtime - 2002. Civil Brand - 2002. nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, 34th NAACP Image Awards. Brown Sugar - 2002