Tha Alkaholiks - 2014 (1995) sampled Al Green - The Letter (1969)

Artist:  Tha Alkaholiks
Song:  2014
Year:  1995
Album:  Coast II Coast

When I saw the movie Back To The Future Part II in 1989, I wondered if 2015 would be anything like in the movie.  We still don't have flying skateboards in 2013.  Tha Alkaholiks also painted this vision of the future which starts tomorrow.

Artist:  The Notorious B.I.G.
Song:  Long Kiss Goodnight
Year:  1997
Album:  Life After Death

This double album had its commercial moments but also some gems like this one.

Artist:  Capone-N-Noreaga
Song:  L.A., L.A. (Kuwait Remix)
Year:  1996
Album:  Illegal Life / Stick You / L.A., L.A. 12-inch Single

This song appeared on many mixtapes and was an underappreciated remix.  Add this to Marley Marl's long list of classic productions.

Artist:  Al Green
Song:  The Letter
Year:  1969
Album:  Green Is Blues

Tha Alkaholiks sampled one bar from 0:01.  The Notorious B.I.G. sampled two bars from 0:01.  Capone-N-Noreaga sampled one bar from 0:03.

Extra Prolific - Critics (Oh My!) (1996) sampled Roy Ayers - Everytime I See You (1978)

Artist:  Extra Prolific
Song:  Critics (Oh My!)
Year:  1996
Album:  2 For 15

Forgive the sound quality on this tune, this album was a cassette release.  I never cared too much about sound quality as long as the song had a good sample.  This is one of my favourite Hieroglyphics albums.  For Del The Funky Homosapien fans, here is a lesser-known guest verse.

Artist:  Roy Ayers
Song:  Everytime I See You
Year:  1978
Album:  You Send Me

And here a lesser- known Roy Ayers sample with his classic sound.

The sample is a two-bar loop starting at 0:11.  Extra Prolific added some other great samples to bring the track together nicely.

Ghostface Killah and Apollo Brown - Enemies All Around Me (2013) sampled Arthur Verocai - Dedicada A Ela (1972)

Artist:  Ghostface Killah and Apollo Brown
Song:  Enemies All Around Me
Year:  2013
Album:  Twelve Reasons To Die: The Brown Tape

That's a nice fencing mask.  I really liked the original version of "Twelve Reasons To Die" and then this remix album was even better. 

Artist:  Statik Selektah (featuring Action Bronson, Joey Badass and Mike Posner)
Song:  The Spark
Year:  2013
Album:  Extended Play

Another great 2013 album, full of nice beats and diverse Emcees.

Artist:  Curren$y and Young Roddy
Song:  Can't Get Out
Year:  2012
Album:  Spitta Andretti - 3 Piece Set / A Closed Session

This EP flew under the radar a bit, but this song made me remember it.

Artist:  Arthur Verocai
Song:  Dedicada A Ela
Year:  1972
Album:  Arthur Verocai

Get this album immediately, an example of the fact there is a lot of good music from Brazil.  This record is full of samples.

 

The Ghostface Killah song starts with the 8-bar sample starting at 0:16 and also uses the 2-bar loop from 0:00.

 

Statik Selektah's starts with the sample at 1:10 which appears again in the song.  The verses use the samples from 1:20 and 1:28.

 

Curren$y and Young Roddy begin with the sample from 0:00 then the 8-bar loop from 0:16.  The 4-bar loop from 0:48 is also used.  The song ends with the 20 bars (yes, 20 bars) starting at 1:20.

Cormega - Dead Man Walking (1997-2005) sampled Stanley Clarke - Got To Find My Own Place (1978)

Artist:  Cormega
Song:  Dead Man Walking
Year:  1997-2005
Album:  The Testament

I had this song on a cassette mixtape back in 1997 and played it constantly.  The song wasn't officially released until 2005.  This sample is also used on the Alternate Version of Dead Man Walking by Cormega.

Artist:  Jay-Z
Song:  Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)
Year:  2001
Album:  The Blueprint

Jay-Z sounds best on beats like these.

Artist:  Akinyele
Song:  Niggas and Bitches
Year:  1999
Album:  Aktapuss

You have to be a dedicated Akinyele fan to know this album.  I don't remember Toronto's DJ's playing any of it on the radio.  People generally don't agree with my placement of Akinyele in the top 10 greatest Emcees.  Check out the guy near the end of the song, his verse starts with "From Jamaica I Come".

Artist:  Stanley Clarke
Song:  Got To Find My Own Place
Year:  1978
Album:  Modern Man

This is a cool tune.  Cormega sampled the two bars beginning at 0:00 and used variations of the first note throughout the song.  Jay-Z used the same loop but changed things up with sample pieces from 2:00 to 2:05.  Akinyele used the sample from 0:00 as well but for 14 beats.  Beats 15 and 16 are the same as beats 7 and 8.

Tha Alkaholiks - No Hand Outs (1995) sampled Eric Gale - Forecast (1973)

Artist:  Tha Alkaholiks
Song:  No Hand Outs
Year:  1995
Album:  One Million Strong

Check out the young Phil Da Agony in the first verse.  Also check out Snagglepuss on this rare Liks track from the compilation album "One Million Strong".

Artist:  Mobb Deep
Song:  It's Over
Year:  2003
Album:  Free Agents: The Murda Mixtape

The same sample is used here but it is interesting how they shifted the loop back one beat from what I had grown used to with "No Hand Outs".  Shifting the loop changes the feel of the song.

Artist:  Nas
Song:  I Gave You Power
Year:  1996
Album:  It Was Written

The samples used were just for the intro to this song.

Artist:  Eric Gale
Song:  Forecast
Year:  1973
Album:  Forecast

Note in the bottom right corner of the cover it says Kudu 11.  Kudu was a record label associated with Creed Taylor (CTI Records).  There was a time where I would buy any record on Kudu.

Tha Alkaholiks used the two-bar loop starting at 0:51.

 

Mobb Deep used the same loop but added a few more samples.  Sometimes there are horns punctuating the loop, these samples are from 1:14 and 1:18.  Also, at the end of each two bar loop, there is a short sample from 1:13.  When Mobb Deep's song is ending, you can hear Eric Gale's song playing from 1:23 onwards.

 

Nas used a short loop from 0:17 in the intro and then adds five of the first six notes from the Mobb Deep sample (the first note is not heard).

Redman - Can't Wait (1994) sampled Bob James - Caribbean Nights (1978)

Artist:  Redman
Song:  Can't Wait
Year:  1994
Album:  Dare Iz A Darkside

This album was so spectacular that this was the "commercial" song, an indication that the whole package was solid underground music not meant for the general population.  I remember reading an interview with Biggie Smalls back in this era and he said that he considered Redman to be his main competition.  Now that is a compliment.

Artist:  Bob James
Song:  Caribbean Nights
Year:  1978
Album:  Touchdown

Football and Caribbean, two of my favourite things.  Bob James had albums called One, Two, Three, BJ4, Heads (a nickel on the cover for Five) and then this album; a Touchdown is worth Six points.

The two-bar loop begins at 0:17.

Masta Ace - I Did It (2012) sampled Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - We Almost Lost Detroit (1977)

Artist:  Masta Ace
Song:  I Did It
Year:  2012
Album:  MA_DOOM: Son Of Yvonne

This album is excellent.  Masta Ace used MF Doom Instrumentals (in this case, the song called "Camphor") for every track and rhymed on them.  This beat made good use of various sample pieces.

Artist:  Black Star
Song:  Brown Skin Lady
Year:  1998
Album:  Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star

I hope Mos Def and Talib Kweli make another Black Star album one day.  This beat is also well made from many sample pieces.

Artist:  Grand Puba
Song:  Keep On
Year:  1995
Album:  2000

This song takes me back to 1995.  There was so much good music that summer and fall.

Artist:  Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson
Song:  We Almost Lost Detroit
Year:  1977
Album:  Bridges

More jazz niceness from my very distant relative, Gil Scott-Heron.

Masta Ace (really MF Doom) used the one-bar loop between 0:36 and 0:39 as the main loop.  The intro is the sample from 0:11.  There are two other samples scattered through the song.  Around the 0:44 mark of the Masta Ace song is the sample from 0:31.  Also, around the 1:17 mark of the Masta Ace song is the sample from 0:25.

Black Star have a great 2-bar loop made of various pieces.  The loop starts with one beat from 0:51.  Beats 2 through 5 use the sample from 0:29.  Beats 6, 7 and 8 come from 0:48.  Also, for much of the song, during beats 6, 7 and 8 there is another sample from 0:00.

Grand Puba put together a simpler 2-bar loop.  The first bar is from 0:00 and the second bar is from 0:04.

Erick Sermon - Freak Out (1995) sampled Wes Montgomery - Up And At It (1968)

Artist:  Erick Sermon
Song:  Freak Out
Year:  1995
Album:  Double Or Nothing

I was fortunate to get this album before it officially came out because my friend, RGH, received a promotional copy to review for a magazine.  This song features Redman and has the classic Def Squad sound.

Artist:  Tim Dog
Song:  Hardcore
Year:  1993
Album:  Do Or Die

Anyone remember this?  I know my buddy CPW does.  We used to listen to this on cassette for hours on end.

Artist:  Wes Montgomery
Song:  Up And At It
Year:  1968
Album:  Down Here On The Ground

Hot jazz from the genius guitarist, Wes Montgomery.

 

The Erick Sermon sample spans the 4 bars starting at 0:00.

 

The Tim Dog production is only a 1-bar loop, but it is interesting.  The bass note from 0:01 is held for the whole bar.  Meanwhile, each loop begins with the sample from 0:05 and just after the third beat is another sample from 0:01 (just after the bass note).  With the jazz drums heard over the music, this is a well made beat.

Lords Of The Underground - Lord Jazz Hit Me One Time (Make It Funky) (1993) sampled Gil Scott-Heron And Brian Jackson - Peace Go With You, Brother (As-Salaam-Alaikum) (1974)

Artist:  Lords Of The Underground
Song:  Lord Jazz Hit Me One Time (Make It Funky)
Year:  1993
Album:  Here Come The Lords

My most vivid memory of Lords of the Underground was when the "Psycho" 12-inch single came out and on the cover, they misspelled their name as "Lords of the Undergound".  This album was full of videos and hits.

Artist:  Extra Prolific
Song:  Skimask & A Mic
Year:  1996
Album:  2 For 15

I've never met anyone who liked Extra Prolific as much as I do.  I remember that Duane "Snupe" Lee was in The Source magazine's unsigned hype as "the other Snoop" just after Snoop Doggy Dogg made waves.  When Snupe came out as part of Extra Prolific, I had never heard laid back vocals with a pimp vibe of jazz.  I wish he hadn't been removed from the Hieroglyphics crew.  This 2 for 15 album is extremely rare because it only came out on cassette.

Artist:  Gil Scott-Heron And Brian Jackson
Song:  Peace Go With You, Brother (As-Salaam-Alaikum)
Year:  1974
Album:  Winter In America

Rest in peace to Gil Scott-Heron, he had an awesome poet's and singing voice.  I recently learned that through marriage, I was actually related to him.  I got some Heron's in the family tree!

Lords of the Underground created a 2-bar loop with the first 6 beats from 3:01 and the final 2 beats from 1:51.

 

Extra Prolific created a 4-bar loop with the first two bars from 4:00 and the next two bars from 3:12.

213 - So Fly (2004) sampled The Whispers - You Are Number One (1977)

Artist:  213
Song:  So Fly
Year:  2004
Album:  The Hard Way

This is a great album and here is a great sample.  Nate Dogg sounds great and Snoop Dogg and Warren G round out the supergroup.  Every team should be so lucky to have a Big 3.

Artist:  50 Cent
Song:  The Good Die Young
Year:  2000
Album:  Power Of The Dollar

50 Cent used the sample before 213.

Artist:  The Whispers
Song:  You Are Number One
Year:  1977
Album:  Open Up Your Love

213 used the 2-bar loop from 0:00 throughout the song.  Also included throughout the song are the samples from 0:07 and 0:11.

 

50 Cent simply used the 2-bar loop from 0:00.

Kam - Every Single Weekend (1991) sampled Lenny Kravitz - Fear (1989)

Artist:  Kam
Song:  Every Single Weekend
Year:  1991
Album:  Boyz N The Hood (Music From The Motion Picture)

I still remember going to see Boyz N The Hood in the theatre.  When the movie ended, Ice Cube's "How To Survive In South Central" got me excited about the soundtrack.  Adding Main Source and this song by Kam made the soundtrack memorable.  Kam is an underrated lyricist, the "conscious" rapper from the West.  Notice the album cover has a car with the license plate "Mac Dad".

Artist:  Da Brat
Song:  Come And Get Some
Year:  1994
Album:  Funkdafied

Da Brat does her thing but when Mac Daddy (the recently deceased Chris Kelly of Kris Kross) jumps on the track, the beat sounds even better.

Artist:  Lenny Kravitz
Song:  Fear
Year:  1989
Album:  Let Love Rule

I always enjoy a 2-year gap between original and sampled songs.  The Kam samples form a 4-bar loop.  The first bar is from 0:02.  The second and third bars are the same sample.  The fourth bar is from 0:12. Da Brat used a 2-bar loop.  The first bar from 0:02 and the second bar from 0:09.

EPMD - For My People (1990) sampled Lyn Collins - You Can't Love Me, If You Don't Respect Me (1975)

Artist:  EPMD
Song:  For My People
Year:  1990
Album:  Business As Usual

Best Hip Hop album ever?  Maybe.  Top 10 definitely.  I can't think of too many albums where every song is solid (I even like "Funky Piano").

Artist:  The Game
Song:  No More Fun And Games
Year:  2005
Album:  The Documentary

The Game rhymes over the same loop.

Artist:  Lyn Collins
Song:  You Can't Love Me, If You Don't Respect Me
Year:  1975
Album:  You Can't Love Me, If You Don't Respect Me 45-Single

Ice Cube had Yo-Yo and James Brown had Lyn Collins.  This is an interesting song because it sounds like some of the song is repeated.  Therefore, I will list both appearances of each sample.

 

The EPMD verse sample is the two bars from 1:25 and 3:39 (sounds identical to me).  The EPMD chorus is the one bar from 2:06 and 4:20.  Notice that each chorus sample is 41 seconds after each verse sample.

 

The Game had a more complex arrangement.  The verse sample is the same as EPMD, but occasionally there is a one bar sample from 0:28.  The "No More Fun And Games" sample is from 2:04 and 4:18.

Capone -N- Noreaga - Capone Bone (1997) sampled Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson - Step In To Our Life (1978)

Artist:  Capone -N- Noreaga
Song:  Capone Bone
Year:  1997
Album:  The War Report

I still remember the summer of 1997, this song was steadily playing on my system.

Artist:  Top Quality
Song:  Magnum Opus
Year:  1994
Album:  Magnum Opus

Remember this song?  What happened to this guy?  I remember Parrish Smith, PMD, put him on and this song was on the radio every day.

Artist:  Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson
Song:  Step In To Our Life
Year:  1978
Album:  Step In To Our Life

This album is full of nice tunes, typical of the Roy Ayers discography.  Excuse the vinyl clicks, my copy of this has been played a lot.

 

The Capone -N- Noreaga sample is a 4-bar loop.  The first 7 beats start at 0:40, the next 4 beats from 0:42, the next 4 beats repeat the sample at 0:42 and the final beat is the two notes at 0:44.

 

Top Quality used the two-bar loop starting at 1:31.

The Beatnuts - Yeah You Get Props (1994) sampled Herbie Hancock - Toys (1977)

Artist:  The Beatnuts
Song:  Yeah You Get Props
Year:  1994
Album:  The Beatnuts: Street Level

I have been thinking about this album for the past few weeks so to follow up the last post, here is the "remix" of that song (they were both on the same 12-inch single).  This album is solid.

Artist:  Herbie Hancock
Song:  Toys
Year:  1977
Album:  V.S.O.P.

I have already documented my admiration for Herbie Hancock.  This is a long song, for true jazz heads.  I love when samples are one-time occurences in the middle of a jazz song.  It requires a good ear to find.  The sample is a 1-bar loop from 0:41.

The Beatnuts - Props Over Here (1994) sampled Donald Byrd and Booker Little - Wee Tina (1960)

Artist:  The Beatnuts
Song:  Props Over Here
Year:  1994
Album:  The Beatnuts: Street Level

This album seems to be more of a classic as each year passes.  Timeless.

Artist:  Deda
Song:  I Originate
Year:  1996
Album:  The Original Baby Pa

Another hit from this obscure album.  Pete Rock on production!  If you like Pete Rock, this album is mandatory listening.

Artist:  Donald Byrd and Booker Little
Song:  Wee Tina
Year:  1960
Album:  The Third World

Donald Byrd passed away earlier this year, so I want to honour the great jazz man with one of his lesser known samples.  The Beatnuts used the 2-bar loop starting at 2:03.  Deda has a slightly more complex 4-bar arrangement.  The first two bars come from 2:32, most of the third bar starts at 2:01 and the final bar begins at 2:34.