Before Cameo became known for 1980s pop-funk hits like "Word Up," they were a hard-edged funk band making raw, uncompromising music. "Rigor Mortis" (1977) is from that earlier era — a dark, intense track with a stark, minimalist groove that's miles away from the polished production of their later work. The drums are dry, the arrangement is spare, and the overall feel is menacing.

Public Enemy's use of the break in "Rebel Without a Pause" — one of the most aggressive and sonically revolutionary hip-hop tracks ever made — gave "Rigor Mortis" a second life as a hardcore anthem. The break's raw intensity matched the Bomb Squad's confrontational production style perfectly. EPMD, Gang Starr, and Black Moon have also sampled it, drawn to the same stark energy that made Public Enemy reach for it.