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.

Redman - Bobyahed2dis (1994) sampled Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds - Fallin' In Love (1975)

Artist:  Redman
Song:  Bobyahed2dis
Year:  1994
Album:  Dare Iz A Darkside

November 1994 was the "Month of the Man" when Def Jam released Redman and Method Man albums.  I still remember hearing this song for the first time in my friend JOS's studio.  I like how this song muddies the sample and makes it fit with the concept of this album.  I think Redman enhanced the bass.

Artist:  Downtown Science
Song:  Room To Breathe
Year:  1991
Album:  Downtown Science

More Def Jam goodness.  I slept on this album when it came out but I shouldn't have because I knew it was Sam Sever's group.  The exact same sample as Redman but it can be heard more clearly in this song.

Artist:  Drake
Song:  Best I Ever Had
Year:  2009
Album:  So Far Gone

Can-Con!  The CRTC did not force me to add Canadian Content to the blog, I'm proud to say that Drake is Canadian.  Only a handful of Toronto artists have ever had American exposure, but none like Drake.  I always thought that Kardinal Offishall and Saukrates would be the chosen ones.  Drake used a different sample from the same source and chopped it.

Artist:  Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
Song:  Fallin' In Love
Year:  1975
Album:  Fallin' In Love

I was in a bar in 1996 and this song was playing in the background.  That's when I realized that music played in bars, grocery stores and elevators is pretty good.  The Redman and Downtown Science sample occurs at 0:18.  Drake's intro occurs at 0:09.  The rest of the Drake song follows this pattern:  3 hits of the sample at 0:00, 4 hits of the sample at 0:03, 3 hits of the sample at 0:06 and 3 hits of the sample at 0:09.