In Popular Culture
- Several anecdotes about Hathaway are contained in Jerry Wexler's book Rhythm and The Blues.
- On soul group The Whispers' 1980 self-titled album, the group paid homage with "Song for Donny", written by fellow soul singer Carrie Lucas. The song was set to the melody of Hathaway's "This Christmas".
- Dr. Dre's 1992 album The Chronic features a song "Little Ghetto Boy" which incorporates a sample of Hathaway's "Little Ghetto Boy". This sample was also used on the Wu-Tang Clan's song "Little Ghetto Boys" on the album Wu-Tang Forever.
- On Jim Jones's song "Certified Gangstas", rapper The Game refers to Donny Hathaway with the lines "Blowin in the crowd like Don Hathaway".
- In 2005, neo-soul singer songwriter guitarist, Raul Midón (Blue Note) worked with Hathaway's longtime producer Arif Mardin (known for collaborations with The Bee Gees, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Norah Jones, and Aretha Franklin) and created a tribute song to Hathaway called "Sittin' in the Middle".
- On Ray J's 2005 album, Raydiation, Norwood sings the line "Donny and Stevie they can Write You" on the second verse on the track, "Melody".
- Amy Winehouse refers to "Mr. Hathaway" in her song "Rehab" about depression and alcoholism.
- On New York artist Nas's album Hip Hop is Dead on the song "Blunt Ashes", he tells a story that includes reportedly claiming Donny Hathaway "freefell" from his balcony.
- Hathaway's name is mentioned multiple times in rapper Common's lyrics (i.e.: "What could get me halfway calm, was this Donny Hathaway song") in "Stolen Moments Pt. II". Also, Common's duet with Lauryn Hill entitled "Retrospect for Life" contains a sample from Hathaway's "Song for You".
- In the 2001 hit by Jay-Z "Girls, Girls, Girls" Donny Hathaway's song "Love, Love, Love" is sampled. A 1999 song called "This Life Forever", Jay-Z mentions listening to his music with the lyrics saying "bumping Donny Hathaway".
- In 1999 Aaron Hall recorded a brief tribute version of "Someday We'll All Be Free" on the third album for his group Guy titled Guy III, with Teddy Riley and Damion Hall.
- In September 2001, Alicia Keys performed "Someday We'll All Be Free" on the 9/11 televised tribute concert America: A Tribute to Heroes.
- Teena Marie does a brief tribute version of "Someday We'll All Be Free" on a bonus track on the reissue of her It Must Be Magic album.
- Rhymesayers artist Brother Ali mentions Donny Hathaway in his songs "Room with a View" and "Writer's Block".
- Soul Position mentions Hathaway in their song, "Hand-Me-Downs".
- Talib Kweli mentions Hathaway in his songs "The Beautiful Struggle" and "Hold It Down" with Buckshot and 9th Wonder.
- In 2007, Deniece Williams covered "Someday We'll All Be Free" for her Love, Niecy Style album. Williams later shared that she broke down in tears in the studio while recording.
- In 2008, Ed Pavlic published Winners Have Yet to Be Announced (University of Georgia Press), poems re-imagining the life of Donny Hathaway.
- Bizzy Bone's song entitled "A Song for You", is a track that includes an interpolation of Donny Hathaways's original recording of the same name.
- The song "What a Catch, Donnie", from Fall Out Boy's fifth studio album, Folie à Deux, is named for Hathaway and mentions Roberta Flack, his writing partner.
- In November 2008, Dutch singer Gordon Heuckeroth released the album, A Song for You, with several songs by Hathaway.
- Rapper Scarface mentions Hathaway in his song "Still Here" off of the 2008 album, Emeritus.
- Prince mentions Hathaway's "Song for You" in his song, "Here" from the album titled MPLSound; part of a 2009 three CD release titled Lotusflower ("Donny Hathaway's 'Song 4 U' ain't the same without you here".)
- Kanye West mentions Hathaway in his 2010 song "Power" ("All my old girls know that I'm the one that got away. I think about 'em on Christmas and play some Donny Hathaway").
- On an episode of Girlfriends, Maya and Darnell share a dance on Donny's version of "Giving Up (Is Hard to Do)" in the aftermath of their divorce.
- "A Song for You" is covered in one take by Amy Winehouse on her posthumously released album, Lioness: Hidden Treasures. The track concludes with studio dialog in which she expresses her deep admiration for Hathaway.
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