Cymande were a London-based group of Caribbean and West African musicians who created a distinctive brand of soul-funk that they called "nyah-rock." "Bra" (1972) is perhaps their finest recording — a mellow, deeply groovy track built on an irresistible bass line, gentle percussion, and a warmth that feels almost spiritual. The group's multicultural background gave their music a character that no American funk band could replicate.

The break from "Bra" became a hip-hop sampling classic, valued for its warmth and its ability to add emotional depth to a production. De La Soul, The Fugees, and numerous other artists have drawn from it. Cymande's music exists in a space that's simultaneously mellow and funky, relaxed and deeply groovy — a combination that makes their breaks some of the most emotionally expressive source material in the hip-hop sampling canon.