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 co-founder of 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 and @Art_of_Sampling.
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…
Sample Flips: A$AP Rocky – “Praise The Lord (Da Shine)” Ft. Skepta
The demise of sampling has been greatly exaggerated. We continue to see the art of sampling power many of the hits of today. Whether it's trap or a trap-blend, sampling still remains a go-to for its sound and flavor. And what stands out…
Beat Breakdown: Prodigy – “Keep It Thoro” (Prod. By Alchemist)
A menacing apparatus, “Keep It Thoro” personifies how light and heavy textures co-mingle and combine, giving a beat a powerful sonic impression
When certain names in beatmaking get tossed around with praise, it’s not always easy to…
Check This: Ghostface Killah – “Guest House” Feat. Fabolous & Shareefa
I gotta admit, 10 years ago when it was first announced that Ghost was doing an "R&B" flavored album called Wizard of Poetry In Emerald City, I had serious concerns about. But after hearing "Guest House," I was longer worried. The…
Are Sample-Based Beatmakers Musicians?
A “musician” is simply one who creates (makes) music. It’s someone who is conscious of the notion of music as well as at least one type of music-making process. Whether one likes a particular music form, or prefers the methods used to make…
Gensu Dean: Production Master, Music Traveler, Perennial Record Borrower
What comes across the most when speaking with Gensu Dean is a sense of community. Not simply how much he cares for the beatmaking community, but how many individuals in this community have helped to shape his understanding of the art of…
Beat Breakdown: The Game – “Old English” (Prod. By Hi-Tek)
Crafted Like a Horror Flick Score; “Old English” Is A Groove That Engages With Slow-Tempo Urgency
I was confused upon my first listen of “Old English” (Doctor’s Advocate, 2006) by the Game, produced by Hi-Tek. I was dumbfounded. I…
Rhythm Roulette: Large Professor
"I'm not just gon make some bullshit." —Large Professor
This is one of the best installments of Mass Appeal's Rhythm Roulette series. It finds Large Professor, one of the pioneers of beatmaking, flip records that at first seem…
Classic Samples: Nas – Illmatic
Illmatic, arguably the greatest hip hop/rap album ever recorded, features some of the biggest pioneering names in the history of beatmaking: DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock (of Pete Rock & CL Smooth), Q-Tip (of a Tribe Called…
5 Things To Help You Make Beats Consistently And Grow Your Style And Sound
The key to making great beats is consistency. Consistency keeps you in a music-making zone and away from the dreaded beat block. Consistency also ensures your growth as a beatmaker. In this tutorial, I outline five things that will help you…