Iconic producer Lamont Dozier sadly passed away yesterday and left behind an incredible musical legacy. In memory of his work, Okayplayer has revived their ‘In Hip-Hop and Beyond’ series to showcase his influence:
After leaving Motown along with the Holland Brothers in the late ’60s, Dozier spread his talents across several sides of the music industry. With Brian Holland, the songwriter launched the labels Hot Wax and Invictus, which offered a home to some of the earliest recordings from Parliament, Freda Payne, 8th Day, and Chairmen of The Board. Dozier also went on to embark on a solo career as a performer, releasing ten albums of deeply soulful original compositions with big, ear-worm hooks and melodies that have been endlessly covered and interpolated, both traditionally and through the samplers of some of hip-hop’s most revered producers, including Pete Rock, Madlib, Alchemist, 9th Wonder, DJ Paul, and countless others.
Stream the Spotify playlist below and RIP Lamont Dozier 🕊