Source Material: Cymande – “The Message”

Cymande is a British funk band that rose to prominence in the early ’70s.  The group was originally comprised of nine self-taught, Caribbean born, London based musicians and singers.  In 1972, Cymande released their debut album, Cymande.  The success of their debut single, “The Message” and their self-titled album Cymande led to tours in the U.S. with Al Green, Mandrill, and Ramsey Lewis.  In 1973, they became the first British band to perform at the famed Apollo Theater.  However, while the United States embraced the band, the lack of support in the UK caused the group to disband in 1975.

Fortunately, the legend of Cymande does not end there.  Starting in the ’80s, Cymande received new love stateside, but this time it was in the form of hip hop.  Hip hop pioneers like DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash spun Cymande records (particularly their debut album) during their sets.  And later, beatmakers like Marley Marl, DJ Premier, and RZA sampled songs from Cymande to create their own respective music.  One of my favorite samples is “Me and the Biz” by Masta Ace (produced by Marley Marl), which samples Cymande’s “The Message.”