David Axelrod, the influential composer and producer who inspired artists such as DJ Shadow, has died at the age of 83. Axelrod’s music fused jazz with soul and rock music and helped shape the direction of hip-hop. He is perhaps best known for his 1968 debut album Songs of Innocence and the following year’s Songs of Experience, although his work as a producer and arranger was vast. However, it was in the 1990s that his work underwent a revival as artists such as Lil Wayne, Wu-Tang Clan and DJ Shadow sampled his work. DJ Shadow (@djshadow) David could be incredibly intimidating, & he did not suffer fools...but if he liked & respected you, he was the most loyal friend on earth.

Source: The Guardian February 06, 2017 10:18 UTC