Every generation has its own way of collecting the "recorded word." My generation has these memories on cassettes—stand-up specials or one-man shows recorded live. Nowadays, we have Netflix Specials divided into shorts and clipped into endless loops for social media. But in the 1970s, it was, of course, the vinyl. Therefore, the 2019 biographical movie, Dolemite Is My Name. 

 

Directed by Craig Brewer and written by the biopic specialists Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, the film is more than just a movie—it is a movie-within-a-movie that captures the determination of the artist, Rudy Ray Moore (played by Eddie Murphy), who refuses to take "no" for an answer.

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The Man, The Legend, The Alter Ego

When we meet him in the early ’70s, Moore is a struggling singer, comedian, and MC who is certain he is meant for more even though the world doesn’t see it. 

Dolemite Is My Name shows how he makes Dolemite on stage, on vinyl, and on screen, and then lets that creation become a cult hit. 

 

Moore is known as a blaxploitation icon and a proto-rapper. People often see his "spoken word routines" as an early influence on hip-hop. Artists like Snoop Dogg and Eazy‑E have called him the “Godfather of Rap,” the man who cleared the path for gangsta rap. 

 

Dolemite itself is a 1975 blaxploitation crime‑comedy built around Moore’s alter ego: a pimp, comedian, and nightclub owner who is framed by corrupt cops, goes to prison, and is released by the governor to clean up his hometown from the illegal drug trade. He runs his operation with kung‑fu‑trained prostitutes as a private army, which makes the movie a low‑budget, almost silly, but a very energetic one. 

 

The 2019 film, Dolemite Is My Name, uses all of that history & blends nostalgia, character, and a look at the genre itself. It shows how Moore made Dolemite from scratch, with little money, no studio support, and a lot of faith. It also captures the look, sound, and feel of the 1970s blaxploitation era.

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​Blaxploitation: Where the Funk Comes In

To get what Dolemite Is My Name sounds like, we need to go back to the time and place that made it. And to understand Dolemite, we have to understand the Blaxploitation era. 

The movies under this genre come out in the early 1970s because of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, allowing Black artists to reclaim their representation on screen. 

"Blaxploitation" is a term coined by genre critics to highlight some of the stereotypes but experts accept that this genre has huge impact on cinema. As FUNKretrospect chases that funky stuff, here comes the music impact: 

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Some of the early films of this genre like Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, Shaft, Super Fly, Coffy, Across 110th Street, The Mack aren’t just about style, violence, or politics; they are the first to feature soundtracks rooted entirely in funk and funk‑influenced scores: Heavy bass, wah‑wah guitars, tight drums, soul‑jazz backing, and rich orchestrations. Artists like Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, and Marvin Gaye define the specific sound of the era. 

Dolemite Is My Name lives in that same musical world of the 1970s sound. The 2019 movie's score by Scott Bomar channels blaxploitation funk and goes right along with that sound.

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Scott Bomar’s Score

Scott Bomar is a Memphis‑based musician, producer, and composer. His roots are in soul and funk with the Stax/Hi‑Records tradition, growing up inspired by the instrumental legends of Booker T. & the M.G.’s. To get the "Dolemite" sound right, he brings in musicians who actually lived that sound, through his band The Bo-Keys and his work with legacy players connected to Stax Records—players who have actually worked with Isaac Hayes, James Brown, and Quincy Jones! We hear the work of: Willie Hall on drums (known for his work on Shaft sessions), Lester Snell on keys, Michael Toles on guitar and Fred Wesley on trombone (Architect of the J.B.'s sound with James Brown)!!! 

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The film moves with the music. It opens with the high-energy ‘Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)’ by Sly & The Family Stone, setting an upbeat tempo for Rudy’s struggle. There are ’70s funk and soul hits (‘Hip Hug-Her’ from Booker T. & The M.G.'s, ‘Slippery When Wet’ from The Commodores, ‘Funky Stuff’ from Kool & The Gang), mixed in with Bomar’s original score and the transition just flows. 

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Scott Bomar builds the score around the idea of a ‘Rudy theme’: a motif that follows Rudy Ray Moore from his early stand‑up days to the moment he becomes Dolemite and steps into the spotlight. Moore tries out the Dolemite routine and at that moment we get our first taste of the ‘Rudy theme’ and the full version hits when he gets out of the limo on the night of the premiere. 

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My favorite scene (though the famous sex scene is of course everyone's favorite) is the Action Scene—where Rudy owns Dolemite in full and then the 'Rudy theme' lands—pure 1970s funk victory! 🎬

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Gülben - 4/2026

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