9th Wonder - Brooklyn In My Mind (Crooklyn Dodgers III) (2007) sampled Curtis Mayfield - Love To Keep You In My Mind (1971)

Artist:  9th Wonder
Song:  Brooklyn In My Mind (Crooklyn Dodgers III)
Year:  2007
Album:  The Dream Merchant Vol. 2

The Crooklyn Dodgers first incarnation (Masta Ace, Buckshot and Special Ed) is my favourite and the sequel (Jeru The Damaja, O.C. and Chubb Rock) was spectacular as well.  The third in the series is also worthy of the Crooklyn Dodger name, featuring Mos Def, Jean Grae and Memphis Bleek.  This beat loops on in my mind.

Artist:  Kaze
Song:  Dynasty
Year:  2007
Album:  Block 2The Basement

Kaze used the same sample but changed the arrangement a bit.

Artist:  Curtis Mayfield
Song:  Love To Keep You In My Mind
Year:  1971
Album:  Roots

Curtis Mayfield is a hall-of-famer.  I had to get one of his songs on the blog.

 

Here's some more complicated 9th Wonder production.  I always enjoy trying to figure out the pieces of his puzzles.

Brooklyn In My Mind is composed of two 16-beat "loops", the verse loop and the chorus/intro loop.

The verse loop begins at 2:37 and runs for 7 beats.  The next 3 beats start at 2:42.  Beat 11 comes next and it is the same beat as beat 9.  The final 5 beats begin at 2:06.

The chorus/intro loop starts at 2:01 and runs for 10 beats.  Beats 11 and 12 I can't figure out for sure, if you know, please leave a comment.  Beats 13 to 16 begin at 2:07 and are the same four beats as in the verse loop.

Kaze has a simpler song.  It begins with the same intro as Curtis Mayfield from 0:00.

Each chorus starts with the 2-bar loop from 1:03 and repeats it again.  The next 2-bar loop is from 0:49 and the chorus finishes with the 2-bar loop from 1:10.

The verse is similar to Brooklyn In My Mind.  The first two bars of the verse begin at 2:37.  The next 6 beats are the same from 2:37.  Beats 7 and 8 are the same as beat 6.

Da King & I - Tears (1993) sampled Ohio Players - Our Love Has Died (1972)

Artist:  Da King & I
Song:  Tears
Year:  1993
Album:  Contemporary Jeep Music

The finest work from the Rowdy record label.  Undisputed classic!

Artist:  Genius/GZA
Song:  B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)
Year:  1995
Album:  Liquid Swords

This is one of the best album covers ever created.  Elements of martial arts, chess and Hip Hop within an unknown universe.  This particular song does not feature GZA, it's a Killah Priest guest track.

Artist:  Ohio Players
Song:  Our Love Has Died
Year:  1972
Album:  Pleasure

My friend JOS brought this record home just after Da King & I released their song.  We got excited about finding the horns to EPMD "Hardcore" and the well sampled "Funky Worm".  However, this is the song that I'm still listening to.

 

Da King & I used the 2-bar loop starting at 2:22 for their song's backbone.  In the chorus you can hear "Can't Keep These Tears From My Eyes" from the 2-bar loop at 2:35.  After the first chorus there is another 1-bar sample from 3:05.

 

RZA did a great job of producing the GZA/Killah Priest track.  He interlaced 2 loops at various points.  The song starts with the 2-bar loop from 0:41 and soon mixes the 2-bar loop from 4:39.  The loop from 4:39 is heard mostly throughout the song and the loop from 0:41 appears in the chorus and occasionally during the verses.  Very clever production.