Labi Siffre: Biography, Parents, and Kanye West Sample

You’ve almost certainly heard Labi Siffre’s music, even if you don’t know his name yet. He’s the British singer-songwriter behind records sampled by Kanye West and Eminem, a quiet poet whose work exploded into hip-hop’s mainstream decades after it was recorded.

Full name: Claudius Afolabi Labi Siffre · Born: 25 June 1945 · Nationality: British · Occupation: Singer, songwriter, poet · Active years: 1970–present · Number of studio albums: 9

Seven key facts capture the arc of Siffre’s life, from his London roots to his current status as a cult icon.

Who Were Labi Siffre’s Parents?

Labi Siffre was born Claudius Afolabi Siffre on 25 June 1945 in London, the fourth of five children (Wikipedia, The Independent, Voices and Visibility). His mother was a British woman of Barbadian descent, and his father was Nigerian, a background that placed him at the crossroads of cultures in postwar London (Voices and Visibility).

Family background

• Born in London to a British mother of Barbadian descent and a Nigerian father (Voices and Visibility)
• Fourth of five children (Voices and Visibility)
• Full name is Claudius Afolabi Siffre (Wikipedia)

Upbringing and education

• Brought up in Bayswater and Hampstead (Wikiwand)
• Educated at St Benedict’s School in Ealing, West London (Wikiwand)

The implication: Siffre’s identity was forged in the intersection of cultures and classes in postwar London, a backdrop that would later inform his distinctive songwriting voice.

How Do You Pronounce Siffre?

The pronunciation of “Siffre” trips up even long-time fans. The most commonly cited phonetic rendering is LAB-ee SIF-ree, according to Wikipedia’s biographical entry.

Phonetic breakdown

• Labi: LAB-ee, rhyming with “tabby”
• Siffre: SIF-ree, with a short ‘i’ and a pronounced final ‘e’

Common mispronunciations

• Some assume SEE-free, influenced by the name’s possible French origins (Wikipedia)
• Others drop the final syllable entirely, saying “Siff”

The catch: because the name carries French roots, some assume a softer “SEE-free” pronunciation, but Siffre himself has answered to the anglicized version throughout his career.

Which Labi Siffre Song Was Sampled by Kanye West?

Kanye West sampled Siffre’s “My Song” for “I Wonder”, the 2007 track on Graduation. The Independent described it as being “lifted wholesale” and placed at the start of the song (Wikipedia, The Independent). But that’s only half the story. A year earlier, Eminem and Dr. Dre had built the hook for “My Name Is” on an instrumental element from Siffre’s 1975 track “I Got The” (The Big Issue, Rolling Stone India).

I Wonder and the Kanye West catalog

• “My Song” from the 1972 album Crying Laughing Loving Lying was sampled for “I Wonder” (Wikipedia)
• “I Wonder” appeared on Graduation (2007) (Wikipedia)
• WVAU’s Sample School also flags “My Song” as the source material (WVAU)

The Eminem sample and its aftermath

• “I Got The” provided the hook for “My Name Is” (The Big Issue)
• Siffre approached Eminem’s team to clear the sample, securing a major payday (Rolling Stone India)

The pattern: Siffre’s music didn’t just get sampled; it was foundational to the sound of two of hip-hop’s biggest eras.

Where Is Labi Siffre Now?

Siffre, who turned 80 in June 2025, has largely retired from the commercial music industry. He continues to write poetry and remains based in the United Kingdom (The Big Issue). His music has found a new generation of listeners through streaming, film soundtracks, and a 2025 U.S. compilation album (Rolling Stone India).

Current activities

• Writing and publishing poetry
• Overseeing his catalog and licensing

Recent projects

• 2025 U.S. compilation album released
• Featured in renewed media coverage and film soundtracks (Rolling Stone India)

The trade-off: Siffre stepped away from the spotlight before streaming made his catalog wildly popular, but his poetry and public statements show he remains engaged with his audience.

What Is Labi Siffre’s Net Worth?

Public estimates place Siffre’s net worth between $1 million and $5 million, built on decades of songwriting royalties and sampling licenses (The Big Issue). According to Rolling Stone India, Siffre’s team approached Eminem to clear the “My Name Is” sample, which became a significant revenue source.

Sources of income

• Songwriting royalties from albums like Crying Laughing Loving Lying
• Sampling fees from Kanye West, Eminem, Jay-Z, and others
• Sync licensing for films, TV, and advertisements

The upshot: Siffre’s catalog is small but enduring, and the steady stream of syncs and samples means his financial floor is likely secure even if the exact ceiling is unknown.

Labi Siffre’s Life and Career at a Glance

Timeline signal

• 1945: Born in London (The Independent)
• 1970: Released self-titled debut album (Wikipedia)
• 1971: “It Must Be Love” released; later covered by Madness (Wikipedia)
• 1975: “I Got The” released; later sampled by Eminem (The Big Issue)
• 1984: Wrote “(Something Inside) So Strong”, an anti-apartheid anthem (Voices and Visibility)
• 2007: Kanye West sampled “My Song” on “I Wonder” (The Independent)
• 2025: Renewed media interest and U.S. compilation (Rolling Stone India)

The pattern: from 1970s songwriter to 2000s sample source, Siffre’s influence has come in waves.

What’s Confirmed and What’s Unclear

Confirmed facts

• Born 25 June 1945 in London (Wikipedia)
• Parents: British mother of Barbadian descent, Nigerian father (Voices and Visibility)
• Husband: Peter Lloyd (The Big Issue)
• Sampled by Kanye West on “I Wonder” and by Eminem on “My Name Is” (The Independent, The Big Issue)
• Retired from commercial music; writes poetry (The Big Issue)

What’s unclear

• Exact net worth (estimates range from $1 million to $5 million)
• Whether he has children (no public records)
• Full details of his parents’ backgrounds (some sources describe his mother as white British and Afro-Barbadian, and his father as British Nigerian) (Wikiwand)

The pattern: the more distant the source, the hazier the detail.

What the Records Say

“My Song” was lifted wholesale by Kanye West and placed at the start of “I Wonder”.

— The Independent (British news outlet)

Siffre’s biggest moment was an Eminem sample, then came The Holdovers.

— Rolling Stone India (music publication)

His music had a renewed life in the 1990s and 2000s through hip-hop sampling.

— The Big Issue (UK social justice magazine)

The Lasting Influence of Labi Siffre

Siffre’s story is a reminder that commercial success and cultural impact don’t always arrive together. For younger listeners discovering his catalog through samples and film soundtracks, the decision is clear: explore Siffre’s original albums, or you’ll only ever hear half the story.

Related reading: The Independent · The Big Issue

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