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Exclusive analysis of and insight to music sampling, copyright law, and more from The Art of Sampling.
Source Material: Dave Valentin – “We’ll Make Love”
Dave Valentin was a Puerto Rican jazz flutist from the South Bronx. He was born and raised in New York City, and he was playing music by ten years old. First, he played the conga and the timables for the majority of his teenage years. …
Sample Flips: Illogic – “Hate in a Puddle” (Prod. By Blueprint)
Illogic is a rapper from Columbus, Ohio who started rhyming in the late '90s. In the beginning of his career, he mainly participated in freestyle battles. In 1999, he released his debut album, Unforeseen Shadows. The entire album was…
Source Material: Johnny Osbourne – “In Your Eyes”
Johnny Osborne is a reggae artist from Kingston, Jamaica who sang in the '60s, '70s, and the '80s. In 1967, Osborne started singing as the lead vocalist for a Jamaican group called The Wildcats. The Wildcats mainly recorded for Winston…
Source Material: Marvin Holmes & The Uptights – “Ohh Ohh The Dragon”
Marvin Holmes & The Uptights were a funk band from Oakland, California who recorded in the '60s and '70s. In 1969, they recorded "The Funky Mule (Parts 1 & 2)." It was one of their first hits, and it helped them secure a record…
Sample Flips: Artifacts – “C’mon Wit Da Git Down” (Prod. By Buckwild)
The Artifacts are a hip hop group from Newark, New Jersey who primarily recorded in the '90s. The group included three members: El Da Sensei, Tame One, and DJ Kaos. Before rhyming, El Da Sensei and Tame One were well-known graffiti…
Source Material: Frank Mills – “When You Smile”
Frank Mills is a Canadian pianist an singer from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He grew up in a musical family; his mother was a pianist, and his father was a singer. Mills started playing the piano at three years old. However, he didn't…
Sample Flips: Pharoahe Monch – “Simon Says” (Prod. By Pharoahe Monch)
Pharoahe Monch is a rapper from South Jamaica, Queens who emerged in the '90s. He started his career as a member of Organized Kufsion, a hip hop duo that featured Prince Po. Organized Kufsion had a solid fan base on the underground…
Source Material: Lee Moses – “Time and Place”
Lee Moses was a soul singer and a guitarist from Atlanta, Georgia. His career spanned over three decades. In the '50s, he formed his first band, The Showstoppers. They enjoyed a nice run locally, but Moses eventually moved to New York…
Source Material: Judy Mowatt – “Black Woman”
Judy Mowatt is a Jamaican reggae artist from Gordon Town, Jamaica. In 1967, she started her singing career when she joined The Gaylettes. Mowatt sang lead, Beryl Lawson and Merle Clemenson completed the trio, and they released a slew of…
Sample Flips: Sparky Dee – “I Want You Back” (Prod. By Spyder-D)
Sparky Dee is a rapper from Brooklyn, New York who came up in the '80s. She first joined The Playgirls, a local hip hop group of female emcees. The group included Mona (Mo Ski) and Lisa (City Slim). In 1983, they recorded one of their…