Which soul singer composed the soundtrack for the film "Shaft"?

The soul singer who composed the soundtrack for the film Shaft was Isaac Hayes.

Hayes wrote and recorded the music for the 1971 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Shaft, directed by Gordon Parks and starring Richard Roundtree as private detective John Shaft. Hayes had initially hoped to audition for the title role, but instead was asked to create the score after Parks heard his musical ideas.

He composed the film’s distinctive blend of funk, soul, jazz and orchestral music, including “Theme from Shaft,” “Soulsville” and “Ellie’s Love Theme.” The soundtrack was recorded for Stax Records’ Enterprise label and became one of Hayes’s defining achievements. Its long-form album version combined instrumental score pieces with vocal tracks such as “Do Your Thing.”

“Theme from Shaft” became a major hit, reaching No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1971. At the 1972 Academy Awards, it won Best Original Song, making Hayes the first African American to win an Oscar in a non-acting category. The soundtrack also won the Grammy for Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special.

The common confusion is with the film’s director, Gordon Parks, or with other major soul composers. Parks directed Shaft, but Hayes composed its landmark soundtrack.