An Ear for Music & Samples: Kool G Rap – “Cakes” feat. RZA (prod. by RZA)
Whether it’s a beat that’s built around multiple micro-chops or a 2-bar loop, what’s always in play is a beatmaker’s (producer’s) ear for music. In Chapter 9 of my book ‘The Art of Sampling: The Sampling Tradition of Hip Hop/Rap Music and Copyright Law, 3rd Edition,’ I discuss the significance of having a developed ear for music. In the context of sample-based hip hop/rap music, an ear for music — or more specifically an ear for samples — means having a personalized conception of *how a sample can be used and repurposed.
Kool G Rap – “Cakes” feat. RZA (prod. by RZA) is an excellent illustration of RZA’s ear for music and samples. Listen to “Cakes,” then listen to Curtis Mayfield’s “Hard Times” (1975), which “Cakes” samples. What you notice is that RZA speeds the pitch of the sample up. This is the first thing that points to RZA’s ear for music and samples. It’s common in sample-based hip hop/rap music to pitch a sample up or down. But having a knack for when and how to do it — i.e. up or down — is another thing altogether. The second thing that points to RZA’s ear for music and samples is the vocal snippet that RZA adds over the primary sample. By alternating the pitch of this vocal sample, RZA creates a new musical element and sonic effect that wasn’t present in the “Hard Times” sample. This further exemplifies how RZA transformed the sample.
Kool G Rap – “Cakes” feat. RZA (prod. by RZA) (2000)
Curtis Mayfield – “Hard Times” (1975)
