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Hip Hop Samples that Changed the Game
When the hip hop genre was being created, a lot of the music production technology and software that artists use today was still in its infancy. This forced early D.J.’s and emcees to build off of music that was already published in order to make something that had never been heard before. They would take the part of a song, called the ‘Get Down’, where the singer takes a back seat role with dance-heavy, rhythmic percussion driving the car, and lay their own raps over it. Thus began the sampling nature that defines hip hop music.
RUN DMC – “Walk This Way” feat. Aerosmith
Although they weren’t the first to use the sampling style of beat production, RUN DMC took it to another level when they chose to remix Aerosmith’s ‘Walk This Way’ in 1986. With rock bands dominating the scene, this was a huge step for hip hop as it was not even close to the level of fame that it currently has. This song formed a lasting relationship between hip hop and rock. The music video for RUN DMC’s remix is a perfect metaphor for what really happened between the two genres as it starts with both Aerosmith and RUN DMC showing discontent for each other’s music, but as the song progresses, it highlights how they are able to work together to create something new and exciting.
Kanye West- “Gold Digger” feat. Jamie Foxx
Instantly becoming a hip hop classic, Kanye West’s ‘Gold Digger’ played a big role in shaping the way that future artists use samples. Its fame did not come from remixing an already popular song, but instead used the voice of star-actor, Jamie Foxx, in an iconic way. Foxx’s voice turned out to be incredible, but, as the video shows, it’s his relationship with Kanye and his status as a celebrity that helped take the song to the top. This was a genius marketing move by West, as well as a unique way to use a sample.
J. Cole- “G.O.M.D.“
J. Cole has always been known for his lyricism and production skill, but he displayed his full musical prowess with his 2015 track, ‘G.O.M.D.’ (Get Off My D-ck). By cutting small vocal samples out of Branford Marsalis’ ‘Berta, Berta‘ and speeding them up, Cole was able to create, arguably, the best beat that features a vocal sample. It’s so well constructed that he lets it ride for a minute before he jumps in with his first verse. This song sheds a whole new light on how vocal samples were created and perceived, almost showing more dedication to the beat than the words.
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