Prince ‘BlkMagic’ Damons

Artists have been sampling snippets of music for years. This manipulation or borrowing of music dates back to at least 1961, when James Tenney used samples of Elvis Presley’s “Blue Suede Shoes” to create the song “Collage #1 (Blue Suede)”. Though such practices were also employed by legendary rock groups like the Beatles, artists of the hip hop genre are largely credited for popularizing sampling.

Early Sampling

It is difficult to specify who started the trend but conventional wisdom indicates that Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” was the first popular rap song to feature sampling. On the other hand, these recordings were far different from sampling as we know it today. For example, rather than actually sampling Chic’s song “Good Times,” Sugar Hill Gang used a house band known as Positive Force to record a copy of the track while they performed lyrics over the beats. In fact, the group employed numerous session musicians to play live music on several of their classic jams. In this sense, the sounds of Sugar Hill Gang were not powered by samples but rather live musicians. Unfortunately, many of hip hop’s most acclaimed artists cannot say the same.

Sampling at its Best

From the very explosion of rap music in the late 1980s and early 1990s, samples became so popular that it is now common to catch a piece of Al Green or Ron Isley blended into the latest hip hop tune. Ice Cube was one artist who let it be known that he wasn’t above borrowing a few notes from the old school to make a profit. Originally released in 1990 on the album Kill At Will, “Jackin for Beats” was a cut that basically glorified the art of sampling. With the help of his producer, Cube jacked nearly two dozen songs, borrowing riffs from legendary soul singers as well as a few hip hop artists who were popular at the time. Some of the samples included in this classic track are Zapp’s “More Bounce to the Ounce”, “Welcome to the Terrordome” by Public Enemy and four different cuts performed by the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. At this point, it was clear to see that sampling would be around for the duration.

The Verdict

Should rappers and hip hop artists be looked down upon for sampling classic soul music? Does it show a sign of creativity or a lack thereof? These are tough questions to answer, especially when considering the countless number of songs that have been remade by some of today’s brightest stars.

Mary J. Blige, Beyonce’ and Lauren Hill are all guilty as charged for reviving the old school hits, nearly mimicking the melodies to the tee and barely changing a single note. Instead of criticizing those who sample the sounds of their musical ancestors, perhaps we should focus more on the original lyrics and view this practice as a way of paying homage to the old school. Besides, would N.W.A.’s “Gangsta Gangsta” really have been the same without the snippet from William DeVaughn’s “Be Thankful for What You Got?” “Diamond in the back, sunroof top” … You know the rest.