Isaac Lee Hayes (born August 20, 1942, in Covington, Tennessee) is an actor, and influential soul singer, Academy Award-winning songwriter, musician and arranger. He also voiced the character "Chef", a singing ladies' man and elementary school cook, on the animated sitcom South Park.

In 1972, Hayes won an Oscar for Best Original Song for the film Shaft. Hayes became the first African American to win an Academy Award in a non-acting category. After Hattie McDaniel, James Baskett and Sidney Poitier, he became only the fourth performer of African descent to ever receive an Academy Award. He was also nominated in the Best Original Score category (for Shaft) as well.