Song Clearance Sheet
3 sources citedCissy Strut
Funk1960s88BPM
C minKey
More around 90 BPM → · More in C minor →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →, Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (the full Meters), no dispute found, extensive real precedent of legitimate reuse — directly tied to Allen Toussaint, whose house band the Meters were.
Sampled 60+ times
Quick Facts
Released1969
AlbumThe Meters
GenreFunk
LabelJosie Records
ProducerAllen Toussaint · Marshall Sehorn
Recorded atNew Orleans
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — The Meters (Neville, Nocentelli, Porter, Modeliste)
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally Josie Records; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Yes — 60–80+ documented uses (N.W.A, Eric B. & Rakim’s “Eric B. Is President,” ATCQ, 2 Live Crew, Del the Funky Homosapien); in “Jackie Brown,” “King Richard,” and “The Wire.” Grammy Hall of Fame (2011).
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Toussaint connection — the Meters were his house band (already in this catalog)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Art Neville, Leo Nocentelli, George Porter Jr. & Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste (the full band)
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Allen Toussaint’s own house band
The Meters were literally Allen Toussaint’s house band for his label Sansu Enterprises, backing his New Orleans roster (Lee Dorsey, Dr. John, Earl King, Betty Harris) before releasing under their own name — a direct tie to Toussaint’s well-documented presence across this catalog.
Last.fm · read it →
Reach beyond this one track
A different Meters song was later sampled by Rich Harrison for the main loops of Amerie’s “1 Thing” — showing the band’s reach beyond “Cissy Strut.”
Last.fm · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
60+
Times sampled
A widely-sampled funk instrumental
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itN.W.A · Eric B. & Rakim · A Tribe Called Quest
Who to Contact
CS
The Meters
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 3 updates
Jul 2026BPM corrected 175 → 88 (manual): the automated two-source pass agreed at the octave but picked the double-time reading; 88 is the conventional tempo — same pattern as the earlier Jolene/Addictive corrections. Key (C min) unaffected.
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 7)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass