Weldon Irvine was an American composer, lyricist, and keyboardist who wrote more than 500 songs spanning jazz, soul, funk, and what would later be recognized as foundational material for hip-hop. Born in Virginia in 1943, he first gained wide recognition for writing the lyrics to To Be Young, Gifted and Black, which Nina Simone popularized on her 1970 album Black Gold. The song was subsequently covered by Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Donny Hathaway, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. Through the 1970s, Irvine released seven albums of his own, including Liberated Brother, Time Capsule, and Cosmic Vortex, blending jazz improvisation with funk grooves and spiritually minded themes. Mr. Clean, a track from his catalog, reflects his knack for rhythmically inventive compositions. His music found a second life through extensive sampling by hip-hop artists including A Tribe Called Quest, Jay-Z, and Drake. Irvine also served as a mentor and musical director for Mos Def and gave piano lessons to Q-Tip and Common. He died in 2002 at the age of 58.
