August 11, 2008 15:05

Soul II Soul's Jazzie B pays tribute to Isaac Hayes

'I called him Black Moses' says Jazzie B

Soul II Soul's Jazzie B has paid tribute to his friend Isaac Hayes, who died on Saturday (August 10) aged 65.

Hayes was found in his house in Memphis collapsed near a treadmill, then pronounced dead at Baptist East Hospital. The cause of death is yet to be established.

Jazzie B told BBC News: "My biggest memory of Isaac is singing with him in Paris, I think it was either '95 or '97, singing 'Papa Was A Rolling Stone'. That's one of my fondest memories. We became friends after that.

"I probably remember him more from a humorous point of view, we had a lot of laughs, a lot of chuckles. Isaac definitely had an impression on people.

"There is absolutely no doubt that Isaac Hayes, "Black Moses" to me, is a huge influence to music that is being made currently.

"He was an equal cornerstone to the evolution of hip-hop, what's come to be known as R&B, and urban music in general.

"So Isaac Hayes will be truly missed and he was a very influential part of music as we hear it today."

Read NME.COM's Isaac Hayes' obituary now and leave a comment by signing into MyNME at the bottom of the news story.