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Exclusive analysis of and insight to music sampling, copyright law, and more from The Art of Sampling.
Source Material: Little Beaver – “Let The Good Times Roll”
Little Beaver, a blues and funk guitarist from Forest City, Arkansas, enjoyed a limited run in the mid '70s. He released five albums between 1972 and 1976. His third album, Party Down (1973), featured "Party Down," "I Can Dig It Baby,"…
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: Cymande – “The Message”
Cymande is a British funk band that rose to prominence in the early '70s. The group was originally comprised of nine self-taught, Caribbean born, London based musicians and singers. In 1972, Cymande released their debut album, Cymande. …
Sample Flips: G-Unit – “Smile” (Prod. by No I.D.)
2003 was a big year for 50 Cent and G-Unit. In February, 50 Cent's debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', was released and the album was a hit. Following the success of his debut album, 50 was given an opportunity (through Interscope) to…
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…
Source Material: Grady Tate – “Be Black Baby”
Grady Tate was a well-renowned Jazz drummer from Durham, North Carolina. He was a self-taught drummer who played a major role in the expansion of soul-jazz. In 1963, Tate moved to New York City to enroll at The New York Academy of…
Source Material: Honey & The Bees – “Love Addict”
Honey & The Bees were a girl group from Philadelphia that formed in 1965. During that year, the group recorded their first single, "Two Can Play The Same Game." According to Phill Hurtt, one of the co-writers of "Two Can Play The Same…
Source Material: Quincy Jones – “The Streetbeater”
"The Streetbeater," originally known as, "Sanford and Son Theme (The Streetbeater)" is one of the most iconic theme songs in television history. In an interview with the Television Academy, Quincy Jones said that he composed the Sanford…
Sample Flips: Larry June – “Organic Tears” (Prod. by Cash Fargo)
Since the beginning of his career, Larry June has consistently dropped new music. But since 2018, Larry June has maintained an increasingly prolific pace. In 2019, he dropped six total projects: Early Bird, The Port of San Francisco, Trap…
Source Material: The Salem Travelers – “Tell It Like It Is”
The Salem Travelers were a Chicago-based soul/funk group that enjoyed a limited run in the '60s and '70s. Their music bordered between classic gospel and the soulful and funk music of the late '60s and early '70s. On "Tell It Like It Is,"…