For Those That Don’t Hear: The Sample.
January 10, 2010
I realized the other day how many people are still completely unaware of how integral the sample is in hip-hop production to this day. The amount of truly successful producers out there who are actually crafting a beat top to bottom from scratch on a daily basis, is somewhere around the amount of fingers on your right hand. I'm not going to go into the whole history of sampling. We'd be here sitting around talking about the RZA pulling in ancient kung-fu dungeon vocals through his TV and speeding them up for Wu-Tang tracks in the early 90's. Not to mention Premier, Dre, and just about every other legendary producer you can think of from Kanye West and Just Blaze to Rick Rubin and back again.
There's nothing more beautiful then the original chords of a song that have been transformed and played to death on the radio in its original form. Producers have been tearing up the Menahan Street Band over the past few months, you'll recognize those samples as soon as you click the link and press play.
Menahan Street Band-Make The Road By Walking
The best part about the Menahan Band? The different in audience. Menahan has a whole separate listening audience. But when you grab the sample and flip it like this? a whole new set of folks are exposed to the goodness. Impressive business.
All sorts of classic. The Moments, "Love On A Two Way Street"? Music doesn't even come out sounding like this anymore. The introductory chords on this track have been being abused on New York Radio for weeks now, but in the original listen for the entire beat to take a drastic 180 degree turn and head a whole different direction then the one Alicia Keys and Hov took it. That's a beautiful thing.
The Moments-Love On A Two Way Street
I'm always a fan of samples, if you feel like you have the drop on something half way epic? Don't hold that, spread the love.
Stay Safe-Phil.
sampling makes hiphop that much more interesting, giving it historical depth. it´s a beautiful thing. i like how you always writes about something concrete, something that inspires or interest you, phil. thats what makes your blog stand out and the most interesting to read!
yea ye yea "not band" old news. drop the freckin line already.
Nice post, Phil. Was seriously thinking about this yesterday and how much more credit the vocalists get to a lot of songs. The number of well-known artists compared to well-known producers is simply said, a lot to a little. Menahan is great too, I remember first hearing about them because Cudi sampled one of their records (The Traitor) on Mr. Solo Dolo.
The question is: is it harder to be the producer and make the beats; or to be the rapper/vocalist/singer and think of what to sing/spit over it?
Hey I can tell you love music but you use to spit? Am I right?
the best beats these days are sampled. if you like samples listen to mf doom, he samples lots of obscure 70s and 80s soul and jazz groups
tjdizzle: Greatly appreciated sir!
tweety: Haha I have no idea what "not band" refers to, but appreciate the comments regardless. The line will probably come out whenever it comes out, comments like that usually end up pushing it back to be honest. Makes me sit back and shake my head to some degree.
Jack: I give equal light to the producers / vocalists man. A song is a process from beginning to end, every part is key to the final product. I sure as hell couldn't produce I can say that much, I've tried.
Chucko: No rapping for me sir.
A Quest: I'm an enormous fan of DangerDoom sir and some select other tracks from DOOM. Agreed 100%.
Another great post Phil!
Whether it be the Award Tour site, Hypebeast blog or your thoughts on twitter you always speak the truth brother. Sampling is the single most important aspect in crafting a great hip-hop beat, and it is overlooked by the masses as a lost art. Taking something well done, and transforming it into something that is your own. Although still very present in music today, not as respected as it should be.
-buLLey
haha i loved love on a two way street...completely unexpected its sound after the intro. i've got to say this has made me very curious about a lot of beats...particularly madlib's. the man has some banging yet eclectic tunes with the weirdest samples out there.
This young lady knows her samples.
http://www.heightfiveseven.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E604eC7wRc
i think that the great samples are those made with old 80's song everytime they sound amazing is lknow that the french hip hop star doing things like that
chris from paris (loved your vintage lettermann)
http://dipsblacklife.blogspot.com/