Drummer James Gadson, responsible for some of the funkiest breakbeats of all time, has died at 87 years old.
News of Gadson’s death was announced on Thursday (April 3) to Rolling Stone by the musician’s wife, Barbara, who did not provide a cause of death. Gadson has reportedly completed recent surgery after suffering a fall.
The instrumentalist, who provided backing for Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, and more, provided the beat on classic soul material like Ross’ “Love Hangover,” Withers’ “Use Me,” and Gaye’s “I Want You,” the last of which was prominently sampled in 2022 Kendrick Lamar single “The Heart Part 5.”
Gadson was a second-generation drummer following his father, and relocated from his hometown of Kansas City to Los Angeles in the 1960s. While there, Gadson played in the Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, who, among other songs, released the 1970 classic “Express Yourself,” which would go on to be sampled by N.W.A. on their 1988 single of the same name.
Following the news of Gadson’s passing, The Roots drummer Questlove heralded the late musician as “breakbeats defined” and listed a ton of classic grooves he created, including those on Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and The Jackson 5’s “Dancing Machine.”
In his later career, Gadson performed with contemporary artists like Justin Timberlake, Beck, Lana Del Rey, and Harry Styles.
