The Mohawks - The Champ / Baby Holdon
Year Released: 1968
Genre: Funk / Soul / Breakbeat / Instrumental Funk
Description:
“The Champ / Baby Hold On” by The Mohawks is an iconic 7″ funk single released in 1968 on Pama Records (UK), led and produced by Alan Hawkshaw, the prolific British composer and session keyboardist known for his extensive work in library music. Though initially overlooked upon release, the record went on to become one of the most sampled pieces of music in hip-hop history — its infectious groove serving as a rhythmic foundation for countless classic tracks.
The A-side, “The Champ,” is an explosive instrumental built around a playful Hammond organ riff, punchy horn stabs, and a driving breakbeat rhythm. The track’s signature hook — a call-and-response chant of “Ooh! Ahh! The Champ!” — is adapted from Otis Redding & The Bar-Kays’ “Tramp” (1967), but transformed by Hawkshaw’s crisp, mod-soul arrangement into something entirely fresh and funky. With its tight rhythm section, raw drum breaks, and infectious energy, “The Champ” quickly became a DJ favorite and an essential breakbeat standard.
The B-side, “Baby Hold On,” contrasts with a smoother, more soulful instrumental feel — featuring organ-led melodies and laid-back grooves, demonstrating Hawkshaw’s melodic sensibility and versatility as an arranger.
While “The Champ” saw only modest attention at the time of release, it gained massive underground fame during the 1980s hip-hop era, becoming one of the most sampled tracks of all time. It has been used by an extraordinary list of artists including:
Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President”
The Notorious B.I.G. – “Machine Gun Funk”
Salt-N-Pepa – “I Desire”
Onyx – “Slam”
De La Soul – “Keepin’ the Faith”
Nas – “Where Are They Now”
and many more, establishing its place as a cornerstone of hip-hop production.
Musically, “The Champ” epitomizes late-1960s British studio funk — a raw, groove-based instrumental style that merged American soul influences with the crisp precision of London session musicians. The Hammond organ, in particular, gives the track its instantly recognizable tone, while the breakbeat section made it an enduring loop for DJs and producers.
Original UK pressings on Pama Records (PM 719) are highly collectible, prized for their analog warmth and the cultural legacy tied to their grooves. The single’s reissues on labels like Mocambo and Stateside have kept its legendary status alive among new generations of vinyl collectors and beatmakers.
“The Champ / Baby Hold On” stands as a timeless piece of funk history — a perfect fusion of groove, grit, and rhythm that became one of the backbones of hip-hop sampling culture and an immortal dancefloor favorite.