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".

Pete Rock - Strange Fruit (1998) sampled David Axelrod - The Smile (1968)

Artist:  Pete Rock
Song:  Strange Fruit
Year:  1998
Album:  Soul Survivor

Continuing the Pete Rock and Sticky Fingaz collaboration from my last post, here is another jewel.  Pete Rock assembled a diverse and interesting cast for this haunting beat:  Tragedy Khadafi, Cappadonna and Sticky Fingaz (sounds great here).

Artist:  Lord Finesse
Song:  Actual Facts
Year:  1995
Album:  The Awakening (Hidden Bonus Track)

Three years earlier, Lord Finesse assembled an All-Star team on a similar beat:  Sadat X, Large Professor and Grand Puba.

Artist:  Royce Da 5'9"
Song:  Shake This
Year:  2009
Album:  Street Hop

There is some good music in the David Axelrod song outside of the piano samples and Royce Da 5'9" took advantage of that.

Artist:  David Axelrod
Song:  The Smile
Year:  1968
Album:  Song Of Innocence

David Axelrod is responsible for some of the greatest Hiphop samples.  I also admire him for the concepts he brings to his albums (i.e. religion, environmentalism, etc.).  Pete Rock used two samples:  The two note piano sample located at 3:08 and the other piano at 3:13.  Lord Finesse used the 2-bar loop starting at 3:07 and added to that foundation.  Royce Da 5'9" used 4 samples.  The first is for his chorus, it appears at the 1:16 mark, but he also uses the note at 1:27 to start subsequent loops.  The verse uses three samples as it builds, located at 2:01, 2:09 and 2:19.