Demond Wilson died Friday morning at his home in Palm Springs. The 79-year-old actor lost his battle with complications from cancer. Wilson’s son, Demond Wilson Jr., confirmed his father’s death to TMZ. “I love him. He’s a great guy,” he said.
The actor became a household name after playing Lamont Sanford on NBC’s “Sanford and Son” from 1972 to 1977. He stars opposite Redd Foxx, who plays his cantankerous father, Fred Sanford.
Wilson was born Grady Demond Wilson on October 13, 1946, in Valdosta, Georgia. He grew up in New York, studying tap dance and theater. After “Sanford and Son” ended, Wilson starred in “Baby…I’m Back!” ” aired for one season on CBS.
In the early 1980s, he also played Raymond Ellis in “The Odd Couple.” Wilson turned his talents to movies, starring in films such as 1993’s “My Children and Me.” He left showbiz for nearly 20 years to pursue his faith and become a pastor.
According to his IMDb page, the veteran actor returned to the screen in 2023 for his final show, Eleanor’s Bench.
Wilson’s Lamont represents a younger generation trying to escape poverty and build a better society. The fight resonates with hip-hop artists who grew up watching reruns.
The show addresses real issues faced by black families in Los Angeles. Wilson and Foxx brought authenticity to their father-son relationship that people still love today. Hip-hop’s sampling culture keeps Wilson’s sound alive in new music. His delivery and timing make even simple dialogue memorable enough to be played on a loop to the beat.
De La Soul sampled Lamon’s famous tap dance moves on their classic song “Pease Porridge,” while Flying Lotus, Captain Murphy and Snoop Dogg used Sanford and Son’s cut on their 2014 song “Dead Man’s Tetris.”
The song follows Wilson’s character as an example: “What did you say?”
Nolan the Ninja and Blu sampled two different moments from Sanford and Son on their 2017 song “Lei$ure.” They quoted Wilson’s lines “I wouldn’t do anything for you or anyone else” and “I just can’t stand being poor like this.”
Devo-X sampled the show’s famous “You big idiot!” which was the catchphrase for his 1991 song “Ghetto Stories.” According to WhoSampled, the show’s theme song “The Streetbeater” by Quincy Jones has been sampled 23 times.
T.I., BoB, Prince Charlez and Mohombi collaborated with Jones himself on the 2010 remix of “Sanford and Son.”
MIA used the theme on her debut album while Diplo layered it. Countless other hip-hop producers have subverted this iconic melody.
Wilson is survived by his son, Demond Wilson Jr., and other family members. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.
