Isaac Hayes

Who's the cat that won't cop out

when there's danger all about

(Shaft!)

Right on

You see this cat Shaft is a bad mother -

(Shut your mouth)

Anybody who has heard these lyrics before knows that the deep, sultry voice who sings the funky beat is talking about "Shaft." But most people do not know much about the man behind the infamous Shaft theme, Isaac Hayes.Hayes lost his mother and father at a young age and was raised by his grandparents in Covington, Tennessee, where he got his start in the music industry by singing at churches and teaching himself the organ, saxophone and piano. After mastering his craft, Hayes moved to Memphis in the early 1960s to perform with some short-lived jazz bands. While there, he made many influential connections with rising starlets such as Carla Thomas and Johnnie Taylor. Hayes debuted his solo album in 1967, which established him as the smooth-talking and gold-loving man he would become known as throughout his career. Hayes' image was immortalized later when he recorded the theme to "Shaft" in 1971, a recording that not only solidified his image as a musician but also earned him an Academy Award for Best Score, making him the first black man to receive such an award.

Over three decades later, Hayes is still in the swing of things. Popular for his role as "Chef" in Comedy Central's "South Park," Isaac Hayes still manages to maintain his cool image. Hayes has even appeared on VH1's "I Love the 70s" series and contributed to Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill: Volume 1" soundtrack as well.