© Frank H. Jump
August 11th, 2008:
Isaac Hayes Dies Ten Days Before His 66th Birthday
Frank H. Jump & Isaac Hayes @ Ziegfeld Theatre during He Got Game Premiere - May 1, 1998
© Frank H. Jump
I was so elated to meet Mr. Hayes on the evening of my niece’s (Rosario Dawson) first big premiere. Coincidentally, we were assigned to the same table as Hayes at the afterparty at the Hammerstein Ballroom– which was set up to resemble the Coney Island food strip with Nathans hot dogs and fries vendors. Former Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown (who was also in the film) was at the table as well. I proceeded to tell Mr. Hayes (who insisted I call him Isaac) how the soundtrack to Shaft still underscores my childhood memories and how I danced in the fifth grade talent show to the title track. Isaac chuckled a bit and thanked me. I said he probably had heard this before and he said he had – but usually from black women. I told him “Just call me Shanequa.” And so he did for the rest of the evening. “Shanequa! Get me some more fries and ketchup.” Jim Brown, who did not say much, busted a gut.
