Author
Amir Said
Amir Said (aka Sa’id), is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Art of Sampling and the creator and series editor of the Best Damn Hip Hop Writing book anthology. A writer, publisher, and beatmaker/rapper from New York (now living in Paris, France), Said is also the founder of BeatTips and the publishing company Superchamp Books. He is an author with a number of books to his credit, including ‘The Art of Sampling,’ ‘The BeatTips Manual,’ ‘Ghetto Brother,’ and ‘The Truth About New York.’ He is also a recording artist with a number of music projects, including the albums 'Soul Review' and 'The Best of Times.' Follow him on Twitter at: @amirsaid.
The following is an excerpt from my forthcoming book The Art of Sampling, 3rd Edition, which I’m currently running a Kickstarter campaign for. If after reading you have learned anything from this article and you would like to learn much…
Nottz – “Shine So Brite,” A Demonstration of Rap Music’s Impenetrable Force Field
Here’s a simple truth. Within the beatmaking tradition (of the broader hip hop/rap music tradition), the more beatmakers who make beats, the more fluid the notions about what constitutes a dope beat. But hip hop/rap music, perhaps more than…
Dope Beat Heads: Simulated Sid
Representing Houston, TX and comprising 1/8 of the Beat Workers Union collective, Simulated Sid is Dope Beat Head whose beats are perfect fits for raps just as much as for score music.…
Check This: Y.N.X.716 – “Excel”
Y.N.X.716 describes himself as a "Buffalo lyricist embracing the '90s sound...," but if you listen with a careful ear, you'll notice that he's much more that. His sound is timeless. And while is no doubt a student (and master) of the '90s…
Was It Fair Use? Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – “Road To The Riches” (prod. by Marley…
Released in 1989 as the title track of the album of the same name, “Road To The Riches,” produced by Marley Marl, features a sample of Billy Joel’s “Stiletto” (1979). Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and Marley Marl were never sued for copyright…
Source Material: Pablo Gad – “What Makes A Natty Dread Cry”
A gem from late 1970s/early 1908s reggae. Also, why dub proves to be useful for coming up with new drum sound techniques.
Overlooked by most, save for die-hard reggae and dub fans, Pablo Gad is pure gold. His vocal styling is distinct,…
Source Material: Stevie Wonder – “Black Man”
Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life is one of the most important albums in the canon of American popular music. Featuring songs like, "Isn't She Lovely," "As," and "I Wish," his album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart in…
Kanye West Flipped “Strange Fruit” for “Blood On The Leaves;” And There’s Nothing Wrong With That
First, it was “Blood on the Leaves.” Outrage from everywhere for how Kanye West used a sample of Nina Simone’s heart-wrenching rendition of “Strange Fruit,” a 1939 song about lynching written by teacher Abel Meeropol and first popularized…
Madlib Made All the Beats for ‘Bandana’ On His iPad
Madlib shook up the beatmaking community Saturday when he announced that he'd made all of the beats for Bandana, the stellar collaborative album with Freddie Gibbs, on his iPad:
As I've said in my book The BeatTips Manual, if you…
BeatTips List Of Great Records For Drum Sounds, Vol. 1
Record gems with open drum sounds.
I’m a strong advocate for using custom drum sounds. Although I have no issue with stock drum sounds (I’ve used stock drums in the past, and I have no problem with using them in the future), I believe…