To give the soundtrack its unique tone, Blanchard integrated the jazzy sound of his band,
The E-Collective, with that of a traditional 65-piece orchestra. For example, for the main theme's signature electric guitar riff, Blanchard aimed to create a melancholic sound with an underlying strength, so he backed the guitar with low-pitched orchestral horns. The E-Collective recorded in New Orleans while the orchestra recorded at the
Sony Pictures Soundstage in Los Angeles. The film opens with the battlefield scene from
Gone with the Wind over Blanchard's orchestration of "
Swanee River". As Lee needed a song for the film's ending credits, he reached out to his friend Troy Carter, a
Spotify executive and advisor of
Prince's estate. After Carter attended a private screening of
BlacKkKlansman, he offered Lee Prince's unreleased cover of "
Mary Don't You Weep", which had been recorded on cassette in the mid-80s. ==Release==