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.