Ras Kass - Etc. (1996) sampled Herbie Hancock - Wandering Spirit Song (1971)

Artist:  Ras Kass
Song:  Etc.
Year:  1996
Album:  Soul On Ice

Another world premier from Representative Sample.  The only reason I was able to find this sample is because I'm a big fan of both Ras Kass and Herbie Hancock.  I made the connection eventually.  I've never bought into the argument that Ras Kass is the greatest lyricist with the weakest production.  Also, sampling Buckshot Shorty on a chorus is usually a good idea:  "Pen Predator, Etcetera, Yeah Right".

Artist:  Herbie Hancock
Song:  Wandering Spirit Song
Year:  1971
Album:  Mwandishi

This song is long but a good listen.  Herbie is in outer space.  There are two samples here.  The main loop can be found at 4:59.  Right after that loop, starting at 5:02, is another loop that Ras Kass samples briefly to change up the groove (1:39 and 2:37 in "Etc.")

Ras Kass - Life & Bullshit (2005) sampled Leon Ware - Instant Love (1976)

Artist:  Ras Kass
Song:  Life & Bullshit
Year:  2005
Album:  Institutionalized

I heard this song for the first time in the summer of 2005 and loved it, but the same beat was used that same summer by another artist.  Years earlier, Ras Kass put out a song called "Home Sweet Home" and Jadakiss released the same beat with "We Gonna Make It".  I heard that Alchemist initially produced "Home Sweet Home" for Ras Kass but later sold it to Jadakiss because Ras Kass's label didn't pay up.

Artist:  Tragedy Khadafi
Song:  The Game
Year:  2005
Album:  Thug Matrix

I don't know the story for why Tragedy Khadafi also put out a song with the same music around the same time.  It may be a coincidence in this case because Havoc produced this gem (Havoc is one of the most underrated producers in the game).  Ras Kass's version is produced by someone else but it sounds almost identical.

Artist:  Leon Ware
Song:  Instant Love
Year:  1976
Album:  Musical Massage

I consider this to be the Marvin Gaye album that should have been.  Leon Ware could have given any of these tracks to Marvin Gaye but he instead chose to sing over them himself.  I recommend this album for baby-making.  The Ras Kass and Tragedy Khadafi songs both use the same three elements: an introduction sampled from the 1:54 mark, a main verse loop from 1:20 and an alternative verse loop from 1:43 (includes some singing - "instant love, like we're feeling".

Onyx - Shout (Pete Rock Remix) (1996) sampled Hubert Laws - Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again (1976)

Artist:  Onyx
Song:  Shout (Pete Rock Remix)
Year:  1996
Album:  Not officially released

I don't know much about this song's history.  What I do know is that I first heard it on a Chubby Chub mixtape from 1996 called "Get Dirty".  I'm assuming it is an unreleased song that has been later unofficially released.  Nice beat from Pete Rock.

Artist:  Onyx
Song:  Shout (Album Version)
Year:  1995
Album:  All We Got Iz Us

I like when a song and its remix are sampled from the same source.  The album version of Shout sounds similar to the remix.

Artist:  Ras Kass
Song:  Drama
Year:  1996
Album:  Soul On Ice

A Coolio appearance on the blog!  Ras Kass invites Coolio to rhyme on his classic album and I think that Coolio never sounded better.  It goes without saying that Ras Kass is in my Top 10 Emcees of all time.

Artist:  Hubert Laws
Song:  Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again
Year:  1976
Album:  Romeo & Juliet

A member of the Creed Taylor crew, Hubert Laws has been sampled a lot.  The Pete Rock Remix of "Shout" uses the sample located at 5:37 and repeats it before letting the rest of the loop play.  The album version of "Shout" uses the loop at 5:35, you can hear flute at the beginning, and I think they played the bassline, copying the notes from the sample at 1:47.  Finally, the Ras Kass used the loop at 1:38.