"Compared to What" performer Les McCann, a hip-hop sampling influence, dies at 88.

Les McCann, a jazz legend known for his performance with Eddie Harris of the protest song "Compared to What," has died at the age of 88. McCann was a key architect of soul-jazz, connecting jazz with counterculture protest music, and providing material for hip-hop stars like B.I.G., Pete Rock, C.L. Smooth, Warren G., Slick Rick, Dr. Dre, and A Tribe Called Quest.

January 01, 2024
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