17th July 2009

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free samples II: the samples strike back

…And off we go with Part II of TBHHSOOOAG (THE BEST HIP-HOP SAMPLES OF OUR OR ANY GENERATION).

II. The “Great Oden’s Raven” Set

I’m not gonna lie: these clips you’re about to hear may shock you. They may anger you. They may cause you to reverse your position on school vouchers and/or the “Paul is Dead” theory. While some sampling is rather obvious throughout hip-hop, I was genuinely stunned upon the first hearing of many of these samples. Enjoy. Don’t freak out. We’ve just got to remember to KEEP OUR COMPOSURE.

1. Dennis Edwards feat. Siedah Garrett - Don’t Look Any Further

YES; it’s true. The hardest, scariest rap song of all time (well, at least until THIS) was partially lifted from a mediocre 80’s R&B song and its mediocre 80’s R&B singer.

New Track(s): Tupac – Hit ‘Em Up; also Lil’ Wayne – Way of Life.

2. The Isley Brothers - Between the Sheets

First, what a delectably smooth jam from the Isleys. Second, Biggie obviously pulled this one off in glorious fashion.

New Track: Notorious B.I.G. – Poppa

3. Joe Cocker - Woman to Woman

I want to apologize for the (probable) shock you just experienced. This one BLEW ME AWAY when I first heard it.

New Track: Dr. Dre & Tupac – California Love

……BUT WAIT. There’s more. Go to 0:22 of this song:

3 1/2. Ronnie Hudson - West Coast Pop Lock

Just…wow. Nothing against Dre here; he took a hecka obscure song and made its hook legendary. Especially for people who are from California…or who think they are when they’re about 6 Silver Bullets deep.

New Track: The Robot Voice – California Love

4. Freddie Scott - You Got What I Need

Sorry Biz fans. Still a great song. AAAAAND I’m gonna act like the Mario version of this song does not exist.

New Track: Biz Markie – Just a Friend

5. Herb Alpert - Rise

I can’t help but go, “Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see?” as soon as the track started up. Floored again. This one is crazy. Plus Herb Alpert (whoever he is) looks like a total square. And his video embodies everything creepy about 80’s music videos.

New Track: Notorious B.I.G. – Hypnotize

6. Bernard Wright – Spinnin’ (Go to 1:25 in the clip.)

That’s right, guys. The original jock envy theme was not driven purely by Skee-Lo’s musical and lyrical genius. And when I say genius I of course mean genius.

New Track: Skee-Lo – Baller

7. Wild Sugar - Bring It Here

0:00-:0:10. Pretty self-explanatory. The Beasties were beasts of sampling.

New Track: Beastie Boys – Brass Monkey

8. David McCallum - The Edge

0:00-0:16. This one may also be shocking. Never woulda pegged The Next Episode to be a sample.

New Track: Dr. Dre feat. The Entire West Coast – The Next Episode

9. Brenda Russell – A Little Bit of Love

I know, I know. You’re thinking, “How can the man who wrote the line, ‘Puffin the lye, from my Twinzito/Up in the Benzito with my kiko from Queens, nicknamed Perico,’ not have put this beat together himself?” Believe you me, I thought exactly the same thing. Uptown baby, uptown.

New Track: Big Punisher feat. Fat Joe – Still Not a Player

10. Lyn Collins – Think (About It)

1:22-1:35. Whether you know the actual rap song that later sampled it, you DEFINITELY know the “Woo! Yeah!” break.

New Track: Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock – It Takes Two

11. Labi Siffre - I Got the Blues (Check 2:32)

Apart from the Labi Siffre track being an amazing song all by itself, I, for one, was really impressed that such a cool little lick was made so long ago. Also impressive that Dre was able to find it and then turn it into an iconic beat in its own right.

New Track: Eminem – My Name Is

12. Leon Haywood – I Want’a Do Something Freaky to You

Whoa. Just whoa.

New Track: Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg –Nuthin’ But a “G” Thang

13. Mtume - Juicy Fruit

And here’s Biggie again.

New Track: Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy

14. Bill Withers – Grandma’s Hands

Oh no they didn’t. Yes. They did. Blackstreet and Dre turned a strong Withers track into an absolute 90’s classic.

New Track: Blackstreet feat. Dr. Dre – No Diggity

15. Chi-Lites – Are You My Woman (Tell Me So)

Wait ‘til about 10 seconds into the clip. You’re gonna totally flip.

New Track: Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z – Crazy in Love

16. The Clash – Straight to Hell

Gotta love this one. Also gotta love the fact that “Swagga Like Us” was on the hip hop charts at the same time as “Paper Planes.”

New Track: M.I.A. – Paper Planes

17. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Pretty Little Ditty (Check 0:51)

How dare you, you tatted-out/pierced out man? How dare you.

New Track: Crazytown – Butterfly

—> (Sidenote: I may or may not have recently karaoke’d this very Crazytown song. I don’t feel good about it.)

18. Hossam Ramzy – Khusara Khusara

THE MOST SHOCKING SAMPLE I’VE EVER HEARD. LOUD NOISES.

New Track: Jay-Z – Big Pimpin’

Now that you’ve gotten to the end of this super lengthy post, you get a prize: SET III. Coming soon.