Welcome back, readers! I don’t know about you but summer time usually makes me want to get back into hip hop and R&B music. There’s something about summer jams, anthems (see: Usher’s “Love In This Club“), and danceable hip hop that makes me want to get on the dance floor and get down. As if creative lyrics and mystifying dance moves weren’t enough, I’m constantly impressed by the creativity and diversity of famous songs that are sampled. Sometimes it can be brilliant, other times it can be a disaster. Case in point: Will Smith penning “Will 2K” that borrow from The Clash’s “Rock The Casbah”. Stick to Jerry Bruckheimer movies, Big Willy. Today I’m featuring a handful of tracks that sample other artists in a unique way. Enjoy!
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.Puff Daddy and Faith Evans (feat. 112) – “I’ll Be Missing You”
Sample: The Police – “Every Breath You Take“
Who would have ever thought Puff Daddy was a Police fan? Fresh pain over his dear friend’s death (Notorious B.I.G.) got the creative juices flowing in this memorable tribute cover song. Normally I’d be appalled at the idea of somebody ripping of The Police’s killer bass line, but Puff Daddy manages to make this song work. I particularly love the addition of 112 to sing the heart-wrenching, repetitive chorus.
.Lloyd – “Get It Shawty”
Sample: Technotronic - “Pump Up The Jam“
I absolutely love this song that was actually originally written for Usher. Lloyd’s 2007 summer dance tune is the rare gem that got me out of my chair and on the floor that year. In fact, I still get chills whenever I catch it on mainstream hip hop radio stations. Recognize the chorus? Any child of the 1980’s will be quick to scream “Technotronic!”
.Kanye West (feat. Lupe Fiasco) – “Touch The Sky”
Sample: Curtis Mayfield – “Move On Up“
One of the more versatile hip hop artists of this generation, Kanye West turned my head with this incredible track that features a memorable rap by Lupe Fiasco, another one of my favorites. He took Curtis Mayfield’s memorable tune, slowed it down, and turned it into a mega-watt hip hop anthem about climbing the charts. This cover only proves the boundless imagination of Mr. Kanye West.
.Beastie Boys – “She’s Crafty”
Sample: Led Zeppelin – “The Ocean“
Much like the audacity of Puff Daddy, Beastie Boys went back in time and enlisted the help of Led Zeppelin’s catchy guitar riff for “She’s Crafty” in a way that is oddly endearing and not the slightest bit offensive. Perhaps the genius of this not so shameless pilfering is the fact that this was done over 20 years ago when the idea of mixing rock with hip hop was still a musical taboo. Looks like “she” isn’t the only one who’s crafty.
.Gym Class Heroes – “Clothes Off!”
Sample: Jermaine Stewart – “We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off“
Hey, I love the original and I’m not ashamed I find the cover equally hysterical. Gym Class Heroes take’s the world’s best abstinence anthem and spins it on his head. Jermaine Stewart was quick to say “we don’t have to take our clothes off to have a good time” and instead offered above-the-clothes fun mixed in with a little cherry wine. Apparently, this isn’t good enough for GCH as they insist “we have to take our clothes off” for all night partying and got Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy to emphasize this in the high-pitched chorus. I bet former classmates are sorry they picked lead singer Travis McCoy last in gym class now!
“over 20 years ago when the idea of mixing rock with hip hop was still a musical taboo”
wild thing? funky cold medina? i thought of them as crossover pop (in the phase where pop won’t accept 100% pure, and the new thing is too pure to not be “underground”).