Dennis Coffey was a Detroit session guitarist who played on dozens of Motown recordings before stepping out as a solo artist. "Scorpio" was his 1971 instrumental hit — a wah-wah guitar showcase that reached the top ten on the pop chart. The track's opening, built on a funky drum groove and Coffey's signature wah-wah tone, became one of the most distinctive sounds of early-1970s funk.

The break's combination of punchy drums and that unmistakable wah-wah guitar made it irresistible to hip-hop producers, who often sampled both elements together. The Motown session musician's solo track ended up having as much impact on hip-hop as many of the Motown recordings he'd played on anonymously.