Though it may have been eclipsed (saleswise) by Shaft and Superfly, Willie Hutch delivers his own masterpiece with this audio companion to the Blaxploitation classic starring Max Julien and Richard Pryor. Like both of those albums, The Mack plays out the film's storyline, taking you into the sultry but dangerous world of pimps, prostitutes, pushers, and police. Set to a dense backdrop loaded with dramatic drum breaks, swelling strings, and cinematic horns, Willie's lively guitar style and smooth vocals depict the sweat and the struggle of a young player trying to succeed with The Man breathing down his neck. An immensely talented songwriter and producer, (he worked with the Jackson 5 and Marvin Gaye, among others), Hutch's inherent knack for making funky hits shines all over the album, especially on the much-loved singles "Slick" and "Brother's Gonna Work It Out." He released many other good records in the years that followed, but this album is arguably his most important and its impact continues to live on, thanks to frequent sampling from rap artists including UGK, OutKast, Three 6 Mafia, and Cormega.