| "The Grunt" | |
|---|---|
| Single by The J.B.'s | |
| from the album Food for Thought | |
| A-side | "The Grunt - Pt. 1" |
| B-side | "The Grunt - Pt. 2" |
| Released | 1970 |
| Format | 7" |
| Recorded | May 19, 1970, King Studios, Cincinnati, OH |
| Genre | Funk |
| Length | 3:30 |
| Label | King 6317 |
| Writer(s) | James Brown Clyde Stubblefield Robert McCollough Darryl Jamison William Collins Phelps Collins Frank Waddy Clayton Gunnels Johnny Griggs |
| Producer | James Brown |
"The Grunt" is a funk instrumental recorded in 1970 by James Brown's band The J.B.'s. It was released as a two-part single on King. Part 1 of the recording was included on The J.B.'s 1972 album Food for Thought. It was one of only two instrumental singles recorded by the original J.B.'s lineup with Bootsy and Catfish Collins. Large parts of "The Grunt"'s melody and arrangement are borrowed, uncredited, from The Isley Brothers' song "Keep on Doin'", which was released earlier in the same year.
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"The Grunt" has been a prolific source of samples for hip hop producers. Several different musical elements of "The Grunt" have been sampled, including a squealing trumpet glissando that begins the piece, a two-note saxophone riff that occurs in the middle of the recording, and the underlying rhythmic groove that continues throughout. Three different tracks on Public Enemy's album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back loop portions of the recording. Other artists who have sampled "The Grunt" include Eric B. and Rakim, 2 Live Crew, Jungle Brothers, Compton's Most Wanted, Ultramagnetic MCs, Wu-Tang Clan, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth and The Black Eyed Peas.
It is included in the famous Ultimate Breaks and Beats series of break records in an extended remix format. Edition 522.
"The Grunt" appears on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack on the Master Sounds 98.3 station.