In 1972 , Isaac Hayes performed " Theme from '' Shaft '' " as part of the Academy Awards ceremony in his trademark chain mail vest , but accepted the Academy Award for Best Original Song later that night wearing a tuxedo . He dedicated his historic win to his grandmother , Rushia Wade , who joined him onstage to accept the award . Following the Academy Awards , Hayes , the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Stax staff dedicated the win to the black community at an Operation PUSH rally . " When it hit so big I was in severe disbelief ... " he later reflected . " Then when it won an Academy Award — it won Best Song , but the album was also nominated for Best Soundtrack — I was in a state of shock . This was after the Academy tried to disqualify it , too , saying , because I ca n't write music , it was n't my composition . Quincy Jones got in there and argued my case ; saying that , even if I did n't physically write it down , they were my ideas . " Later that year , Hayes performed " Theme from '' Shaft '' " live at the Wattstax concert in Los Angeles Film footage of this performance was recorded for Mel Stuart 's documentary film of the concert , but was cut before the film 's release due to legal complications with MGM , who would not allow Hayes to perform his '' Shaft '' songs in any other film until 1976 . A 2003 remastered version of the '' Wattstax '' film reinstates Hayes ' performance of " Theme from '' Shaft '' "
Academy Awards
44th Academy Awards
Theme from Shaft