Mion’s most renowned works with Cortex are Troupeau Bleu and Volume 2, which were released in 1975 and 1977 on the Paris-based Disques Espérance label. Both albums, like their entire catalog, are a skillful mesh of jazz, funk, soul, and rock. Troupeau Bleu in particular has been a goldmine for producers, especially in the past decade.

Casual fans may not understand Mion’s musical impact, but your favorite producers do. He’s reportedly France’s most sampled artist, with Whosampled tracking 116 samples of Mion and 124 samples of Cortex (some overlapping). The five-piece band he formed in 1974 with musicians like Alain Gandolfi and Jeff Huttner is the sample source for some of 21st-century rap’s most memorable moments, including Rick Ross’ grandiose “Amsterdam,” Wiz Khalifa’s nothin’-to-somethin’ ode “Visions,”  and Lupe Fiasco’s lyrical masterpiece “Mural.”

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