In the early days of hip hop, when it was just two turntables and a microphone, having a ready collection of samples and drum breaks was mandatory. It was just how things were done. But over the years, improved sampling technology and the introduction of live instrumentation made using the same songs over and over less necessary. Nevertheless, some samples refused to die. Some are even still used (and abused) to this day. For example...
Note: this article contains essential embedded audio that will not display in a feed reader. Click back to the article to read it with audio.
8. Joe Tex - Papa Was Too
Click Here To Listen
As Heard On:
- Audio Two - Top Billin'
- EPMD - Jane Pt. 1,3,5,6
- EPMD - Who Killed Jane
- EPMD - Headbanger
- Biz Markie f/ Heavy D. - We Write the Songs
- Salt & Pepa - Tramp
EPMD sure did love this song, using it a whopping six times in as many albums. It made its earliest popular appearance on the Salt & Pepa single "Tramp" in 1986. But in the case of that particular sample, they had the common decency to at least kind of mask it a bit with a bunch of go-go music nonsense on top of it.
Biz Markie and Heavy D., with help from "legendary" producer Marley Marl, couldn't really be bothered to exert that much effort. They just kind of played the sample and went to work. Give it a listen below. And no, that picture of Heavy D. doesn't go anywhere. So maybe just read ahead while you're listening. Unless you really like looking at the Bum-diddly-Hevster. And who doesn't? (Hint: I don't.)
7. Kool & The Gang - NT
Click Here To Listen
As Heard On:
- NWA - Gangsta Gangsta
- Big Daddy Kane - On the Move
- Public Enemy - B Side Wins Again
- De La Soul - Keeping the Faith
- Ultramagnetic MC's - Moe Love on the One & Two
- Nas - It Ain't Hard To Tell
- A Tribe Called Quest - Mind Power
Kool & The Gang's "NT" features one of those ubiquitous drum breaks that you would swear you hear in every hip hop song ever. And you're probably right. Amazingly, this song made its first major hip hop appearance as a sample on NWA's Gangsta Gangsta. What's so amazing about that? Give it a listen (because this is a family show we won't post it here). Now compare it to the clip below. Big Daddy Kane was awesome, but whoever produced this song was no Dr. Dre. He was miles ahead of most every other producer around, even back then.
6. Billy Squier - Big Beat
Click Here To Listen
As Heard On:
- Ice Cube - Jackin' For Beats
- Special Ed - The Mission
- Big Daddy Kane - Put Your Weight On It
- Big Daddy Kane - Get Down
- A Tribe Called Quest - We Can Get Down
- EPMD - Get Wit This
In a perfect universe, Billy Squier's most sampled song would be "Everybody Wants You." Why? Because that's my shit, that's why. But nevertheless, it's nice to see an 80's rock has been like Billy Squier get some love from the hip hop world. This song has been used since way back in Run DMC's Krush Groove days. You know the song. The one that goes "here we go, here we go, here we here we here we here we here we go." Yeah, I don't know the name of that song either, but it's live, and we've all heard it, and it's awesome. For the most part, any song that has ever sampled "Big Beat" was pretty damn cool. Even if it was by a dude named Special Ed. And before anyone in the comments pipes up, I'm joking: I know the name of the Run DMC song is "Here We Go."
5. James Brown - Funky President
Click Here To Listen
As Heard On:
- Big Daddy Kane - Word To The Motherland
- NWA - F**k Tha Police
- De La Soul - Brain Washed Follower
- Beastie Boys - Hey Ladies
- Ice Cube - Jackin' For Beats
- Public Enemy - Fight the Power
- A Tribe Called Quest - Show Business
- Ice Cube - I Wanna Kill Sam
- Ice Cube - Horny Lil' Devil
- Ultramagnetic MC's - I Like Your Style
- Big Daddy Kane - Give It To Me
- A Tribe Called Quest - Oh My God
- Craig G. - Duck Alert
This list could, in all reality, be 20 entries long and every single entry could be a James Brown song. The Big Payback, Cold Sweat, Funky Drummer...the list is endless. But, as luck would have it, my favorite overused James Brown sample is Funky President. Fact #1, as a kid raised on hip hop, me and my friends called this the "Duck Alert" sample. Fact #2, I couldn't find "Duck Alert" by Craig G. anywhere on YouTube. If any benevolent commenters have inroads to a video clip of the song, by all means, post a link. It's awesome. In the meantime, check out the KRS One video below, which samples "Duck Alert" "Funky President" almost unaltered. I bet Craig G. wouldn't have made a video that looked like a low budget "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
4. Melvin Bliss - Synthetic Substitution
Click Here To Listen
As Heard On:
- Public Enemy - Miuzi Weighs A Ton
- Public Enemy - Brothers Gonna Work It Out
- Ultramagnetic MC's - Ego Trippin'
- De La Soul - Potholes In My Lawn
- Big Daddy Kane w/Biz Markie - Just Rhymin' With Biz
- EPMD - Mr. Bozack
- Special Ed - 5 Men and a Mic
- De La Soul - Millie Pulled A Pistol on Santa Claus
- PM Dawn - On a Clear Day
- EPMD - Scratch Bring It Back
- Tha Alkaholics - Bullshit
- Tha Alkaholics - Turn the Party Out
- Big Daddy Kane - Looks Like a Job For
With Melvin Bliss' Synthetic Substitution we're moving into the realm of hip hop sample royalty. I'm not completely sure Melvin Bliss is a real person. If you don't believe me, give him a quick Google search. The top result is a picture that, I assume, is Melvin with his back turned to the camera. After that, you get the labels from the 45 of "Synthetic Substitution" and a few pictures of dudes who are probably named Melvin that just happen to be tripping on acid. No matter what the case, Melvin Bliss is a damn hip hop institution. I have my suspicions that most of you reading may not know who the Ultramagnetic MC's ar. If you do, good for you. If you don't, check out the video below and revel in the days when rap music didn't blow.
3. Zapp and Roger - More Bounce To the Ounce
Click Here To Listen
As Heard On:
- EPMD - You Gots To Chill
- Ice Cube - Jackin' For Beats
- Public Enemy - Anti-Ni**a Machine
- Public Enemy - One Million Bottlebags
- Ice Cube - Look Who's Burnin'
- Ice Cube - What Can I Do?
And about fifty million other songs.
Is it possible that an east coast rapper could be responsible for spawning the "west coast sound?" Yes, yes it is. When Erick Sermon of EPMD sampled "More Bounce To the Ounce" in 1988, he effectively changed rap music forever. Up to that point, hip hop was all about James Brown samples and drum breaks lifted from obscure rock and R&B songs. After EPMD's seminal hit "You Gots To Chill," it was all about the funk. For a long, long time. Whether or not Erick Sermon gets his due credit for helping shape west coast rap as we know it, he'll always have one thing going for him that some famous west coast producers don't. There are no pictures of him floating around that look like this...
Score that as a win for Erick Sermon. Anyway, to hear the "More Bounce..." sample in action, check out the video below.
2. Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers - Ashley's Roach Clip
Click Here To Listen
As Heard On:
- Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full
- PM Dawn - Set Adrift On Memory Bliss
- Lloyd - Girls Around The World
And something much, much worse.
This is one sample that absolutely refuses to die. As recently as this year it was used prominently in a minor hit called "Girls Around the World" by R&B singer Lloyd. It found its earliest and most beloved use on the Eric B. & Rakim classic "Paid In Full" way back in 1987. But, give those drums a couple more listens. Are they bringing anything else to mind? Do you suddenly find yourself feeling a bit ill? Can't put your finger on the reason? Check out the video below, that should help (or hurt...a lot). Oh! And be sure to pay special attention to the lip syncing in the opening spoken word bit. It could not possibly be more appropriately atrocious.
1. The Honeydrippers - Impeach the President
Click Here To Listen
As Heard On:
Approximately 1 out of every 5 rap songs from 1988 -present.
If The Honeydrippers were actually paid for every time this song was sampled, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page would be wealthy men. Wait...wrong Honeydrippers. Never mind, you know what I'm getting at. "Impeach the President" has been underneath more MC's than that Superhead chick who wrote that tell all book a few years back. Big Daddy Kane, Audio Two, NWA, LL Cool J, Ice Cube. The list is endless. My personal favorite "Impeach the President" jacking tune is below.
Subscribe to the AUDIOTUTS RSS Feed featuring great content for music and audio lovers.
Recommended- How to Process Vocals for an Amazing Professional Sound
- How to Create Futuristic Laser beam Effects
- 5 Former Music Badasses Who've Lost Their Way
Related Posts
Keep reading with more great tutorials and articles!
Enjoy this Post?
We'd love your vote!
Plus Members
Source Files, Bonus Tutorials and
More for $9 a month for all TUTS+
sites in one subscription.
User Comments
( ADD YOURS )Fabio FZero October 2nd
How could you leave out the amen break? Or, with the needed respect:
THE Amen Break.
Certainly THE most sampled break ever.
( )MeMyself&I December 21st
We’re talking hip-hop here not drum’n'bass (yes I know it’s been used in hip-hop aswell).
( )collis October 2nd
Awesome article as always guys! For some reason the Honeydrippers sample isn’t playing
Haven’t seen Milli Vanilli for a while, forgot how freaky some of those dance moves were
( )sadchild October 2nd
no amen break?
( )http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SaFTm2bcac
Matt October 2nd
Great article. Maybe these young guns can learn something about the REAL Hip Hop we gre up on. Good lord I miss classic beats and rhymes. I’ve been wondering for many years now when there was going to be a Nirvana of Rap music, to break the funk of all this garbage and bring some good hip hop back
( )design October 2nd
“Roach Clip” that sample is so 90s! I think I heard it an Enya song. Nice to finally hear the original version.
( )Adam October 2nd
I don’t care how many YouTube videos people make, the Amen break hasn’t been used in hip hop a FRACTION as much as “Impeach the President.” Or “Synthetic Substitution” for that matter. It’s been used a lot, but when it comes to hip hop, it doesn’t belong on this list.
( )GiGi October 2nd
“impeach the president” makes me immediately think of that shaggy song from the late 90’s
( )Robb Walker October 2nd
Billy Squier – Big Beat was used quite recently in Dizzee Rascals – Fix Up, Look Sharp….
( )nsrmbo October 3rd
> I have my suspicions that most of you reading may not know who the Ultramagnetic MC’s ar.
Yeah yeah, but everyone knows who Kool Keith is.
( )PS: arrr?
Tausif Islam October 3rd
Robb is correct, Dizze should be on there
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZGvnI37mxk
( )Adam October 3rd
>Yeah yeah, but everyone knows who Kool Keith is.
If you don’t know about the Ultramagnetic MC’s, you don’t know a thing about Kool Keith.
( )lys October 4th
Great write up Adam!
( )finally i heard the original of one of my favourite grooves ever: Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers.
Other info: Melvin Bliss – Synthetic Substitution also appears on Naughty by Nature’s “OPP”
Skrizzle October 8th
Yeah, OPP popped into my head as soon as I heard that one too.
I’m kinda surprised the Funky Drummer didn’t make the list.
( )Roshan October 10th
It sounds cool
Nice collection.
Roshan
( )Freelance Developer
http://www.instantshift.com
Carlos October 11th
As a music lover and an avid musician, I do not believe in sampling.
To take a sample and incorporate it into another song is not true musicianship. People have worked hard to either write those beats, melodies, and harmonies in the songs and them someone else goes and rips off and rips them apart. I know they have to buy rights to use the song, BUT, maybe come up with your own beats, melodies, basslines, and harmonies. It is very frustrating and aggravating to hear awesome ORIGINAL songs, destroyed by samplers, DJ’s and Hip Hop artists.
Don’t get me wrong. Hip Hop is great, R&B Great, but I have heard many artist who use original samples that they themselves came up with they sounded much better than ripping off other musicians’ hard work.
That is just me.
( )JP March 26th
The point is that sampling is another form of musicianship. Do you truly believe it’s any different to work magic with a sample or mixing different samples together than it is to use the same notes on an instrument that everyone else who has ever played that instrument have ever used? In that context, anyone playing a middle C on a piano is destroying the work of any composer who has ever used that note. What a silly notion. Many samplers chop a sample into tiny pieces and rearrange them, a la Microsampling. Others layer different samples from diverse ranges of music together creating new sonic textures overlayed with original compositions. And still others mix breaks to give new interpretations of the music used. You call it ripping off, I call it art. It’s no more “ripping off” than every artist from Titian to Boucher to Matisse all painting women nude, reclining. One man’s interpretation of the same subject is no more valid than the next’s.
( )Richie Cunning June 15th
If you do not believe in sampling than you don’t in fact think “Hip Hop is great”.
( )Norm September 1st
Sampling can be abused, but it’s a great way to create new music from old recordings. Nothing “unoriginal” about it, because all music borrows from some where. Every blues song uses variations on the same basic progression. Every rock song uses some variation on the same old “rock beat” drums. Jazz musicians routinely quote other jazz songs in their solos.
( )nicolas October 12th
yo, great data!! loved the big beat loop (also appeared on dizzy rascal’s “fix up look sharp”). Guess you skipped james brown’s “funky drummer” and the winstons’ “amen brother” because of the obviousness, right??
great resources, big hug yo
( )Tee August 24th
Amen brother is NOT a classic hip hop break, it was first used on Mantronix – King Of The Beats in the late 80’s, it’s next big break was NWA, Amen is a classic D&B beat more than anything.
Classic Hip Hop Beats are
Apache
Funky Drummer
Think
Dance To The Drummers Beat
Take Me To The Mardi Grass
These are bigger more used breaks than what are listed!
Alot of different breaks were used on alot of different tunes though!
( )Emmett Cooke October 15th
I must not be up on my music – most of these songs I haven’t heard lol…
Emmett
( )http://www.filmandgamecomposers.com
kristof October 18th
dont forget enigma (cool & the gang)
( )L1 October 23rd
how can you forget the amen break?
and to the person that said sampling isint true musicianship. sampling is an art and a culture.
obsucring the sample so well, and chopping it up so much yet still making it sound good, is an art.
its taking a song, and making it a hit.
( )Jeff October 26th
What, no “Nautilus?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcDoFUBAJYo
( )major October 26th
How could you forget Al Green’s Love and Happiness? I hear that sampled about once a year.
( )Big Man October 26th
Gotta go with the Amen break also
Halloween Costumes for Fat Dudes
( )http://thingsfatpeoplehate.wordpress.com/2008/10/25/halloween-costumes-not-for-the-fat-guy/
inbetween October 26th
salt n pepa’s “tramp” samples lowell fulsom’s version of “tramp” btw…
( )Skull Snappin October 27th
Surely Skull Snaps “it’s a new day” should be in there!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0_uMSd4xOM
( )John October 27th
Zapp & Roger is also sampled in Going Back to Cali by Notorious B.I.G….
( )Al Beuscher October 28th
I’m really surprised at the omission of “Apache”, the Michael Viner version. Not only is it widely regarded as the first song to be sampled (Kool Herc in a club in NYC – don’t have a reference link handy), but shows up consistently through every era of rap – most recently in Missy Elliot’s “We Run This”. Great article. Thanks for the list.
( )Dylan November 5th
What about Barrington Levy?
( )Will November 13th
I know it isn’t heavily oversampled, but I just had to mention Steely Dan’s Black Cow.
Uptown Baby!
( )Jimmy Do Dah November 14th
LOL, good ones dude, real nice indeed.
jess
( )http://www.anonymity.cz.tc
Raf November 14th
When I heard the beat from Billy Squier – Big Beat, I immediately thought of Fix up, Look Sharp by Dizzee Rascal:
( )http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZGvnI37mxk
Television Voyeur November 14th
Billy Squier – Big Beat
( )They’re still using that today, but I think you missed out on a few – I mean there’s that track that comes with orchestral music from garageband that just about every rap band out now has used.
gregg November 14th
you forgot nautilus by bob james
( )rich November 14th
the billy squier break is most recently used in………Duh!!! Jay-Z’s “99 Problems”. im so dissapointed no one knew that picked up on that!!!!!!
( )Rich November 14th
also i agree with the “apache” sample. one of the most instantly recognizable ever. and “funky drummer” also. definitely!
( )female model November 14th
right count, nr 1 is it. cant get any better then that
( )DJ Disturbed November 14th
The Amen Break is one of the most Highly sampled thing out there…. BUT not in Hip-Hop, the amen break is used in DnB ALOT, but when it comes to hip-hop there are many other ones that blow it out of the water (like the ones on this list).
( )Darkmajik November 14th
the kool and the gang sample was also used on the remixed version of refused’s “refused are fucking dead”. i recognized it immediately.
( )Mr. Poopie Pants November 14th
On the list of songs that sample “Big Beat” you left out Jay-Z’s “99 problems!”
( )Ian K November 14th
To the person complaining about sampling (Carlos), keep in mind that there has not been an original concept in pop music since the blues. EVERYTHING you hear is developed or based on something else. If you have never taken the time to sit at an MPC for hours on end editing and pitching, adjusting lengths of your hits, you have no idea of the artistry that goes along with sampling. Sure, some people just take the break and loop it. Not the most innovative. Does someone wanking on a guitar to standard 12 bar blues mean anything more since it’s played “live”?
Listen to what Squarepusher has done with the Amen, or what DJ Shadow can do with old vinyl and an MPC and you will hear incredibly complex musical works.
You say “…come up with your own beats, melodies, basslines, and harmonies. It is very frustrating and aggravating to hear awesome ORIGINAL songs, destroyed by samplers, DJ’s and Hip Hop artists.” This indicates to me someone with a limited understanding of what sampling is capable of, and how creative a tool it can be. Like I said, check out DJ Shadow or Cut Chemist to hear someone take beats, melodies, basslines and harmonies from DIFFERENT sources and compose an original work that can potentially surpass the musical qualities of the source material.
There are NO original harmonies, what you hear in modern pop are mostly all based on a western interval and scale pleasing to western listeners. Anything you hear on a Bon Jovi album was done by Choirs and Symphonies a century ago. Don’t hate on something just because you don’t understand it. I challenge you to sit in front of an MPC or other sampler and then tell me how “easy” it is.
( )Mr J November 14th
Take Me To The Mardi Gras – Bob James???
Thats been sampled a-plenty!
( )codeman38 November 14th
Wow. “Synthetic Substitution” really is all over the place; as an electronica fan myself, I recognized it from Forest For The Trees’ “Dream” and Cujo’s “Cat People”.
( )Dillz November 14th
All of you people claiming the “Amen Brother” break should be on this list must be some jungle freaks. That sample hasn’t been used that much in hip-hop songs.
What’s seriously missing on this list is “Sing A Simple Song” by Sly & The Family Stone. That actually should come in around #2 or 3 on this list.
( )Recockulous November 14th
Missed “Think (About It)” by Lyn Collins. Found this list of songs that sample it:
http://www.the-breaks.com/search.php?term=Think+(About+It)&type=4
The Amen Break is an even bigger omission.
( )adam November 14th
Though it was already heavily mentioned… THE AMEN BREAK. YOU MISSED THE AMEN BREAK.
FAIL.
( )peasprout November 14th
Quick FYI– the sample on Audio Two’s “Top Billin’” isn’t Joe Tex, it’s from “Impeach the President.”
( )ntopics November 14th
I can see why Kool & The Gang’s “NT” was over sampled
during the years, and James Brown too – their the best.
thanks from tony
( )G-Blaze November 14th
2nd on Nautilus. it should have been #1
( )Music November 14th
That list is bogus. 6 out of every 10 hip-hop beats are James Brown samples. If you dont know that; you dont know shit about rap music.
( )Joel Falconer November 14th
@Ian – actually, the blues takes its structure, call and response characteristics and blue notes from age-old African tribal music, and European harmonic structure. Even the original stuff came from somewhere
. But good points nonetheless. Purists are usually shocked to learn that Sound Replacer has been used on half of their favorite songs from the last fifteen years!
( )chris combe November 14th
the big beat track was also sampled by dizzee rascal – at the big beat
( )d'jini November 14th
Fight the Power doesn’t sample Funky President. Maybe you’re confusing it with Hot Pants Road?
( )ron art November 14th
Joe Tex – Papa Was Too — was NOT used in Audio Two – “Top Billin”
( )erichansa November 14th
The author/s of the article had a hard time branching outside of late 80s early 90s gangsta rap.
( )Chris November 14th
Kraftwerk was used extensively after their “Trans Europe Express” in 1977 and “Computer World” in 1981.
( )Baron November 14th
I cant believe, that the “Champ” by The Mohawks” is missing.I can hear it in 50 % of hiphop tracks.
( )nicknack November 15th
Great article. “Think” by Lynn Collins should be added to the list. It was heavily used back in the day and essentially spawned and IS bmore.
( )Jimmi BMtH November 15th
no U.F.O the strings from that are everywhere!
( )Name November 15th
Wait? No “Funky Drummer” from JB?
( )wat November 15th
james brown ‘woo yeah’ sample np
( )Rick November 15th
Thank you. As a video editor I have a cursory knowledge and appreciation for this, I’m sure there are more ‘over-used’ samples but a great effort for guys like me.
( )FPM November 15th
I used to be a homeless rodeo clown but now I am a world class magician !
( )Ed November 15th
What about James Brown – Funky Drummer? Surely that’s up the top three.
( )passive consumer November 15th
AMEN! To the Amen…Give it the respect it deserves…sampled throughout numerous genres.
( )a November 15th
No Parliament?
( )George November 16th
Yuck! Why would you write an article about overused samples and assume the audience doesn’t know Ultramagnetic MC’s? Please stop writing soon!
( )Music November 16th
They’re all used and reused, mainly because they’re great grooves!
( )MrB November 19th
The “Impeach the President” Honeydrippers is not the same as the Robert Plant/Jimmy Page Honeydrippers. Robert and Jimmy wouldn’t see a dime from the use of this sample. Just thought I’d be obnoxious and point that out!
( )Lyrics November 19th
What about Phil Collins- In the Air Tonight?
( )MJ November 22nd
Billy Squier – Big Beat = Joe Budden – just a minute
( )Natsplat November 25th
HELP???
Does any one know the funk sample featured during the dance section of Jlo’s ‘I’m Real Pt. 1′ (she’s wearing the white jumpsuit on stage)! Puffy sampled it previously and it was in the movie ‘Any Given Sunday?’
That song is SO phat…. words can’t even describe.
I need it!!!!!!! Cheers
( )ReLZ January 20th
Joe Tex – Papa Was Too… Premo used the drums for Das Efx Real Hip Hop…
( )Adam February 15th
Re: “The “Impeach the President” Honeydrippers is not the same as the Robert Plant/Jimmy Page Honeydrippers. Robert and Jimmy wouldn’t see a dime from the use of this sample. Just thought I’d be obnoxious and point that out!
”
Wow, you nailed the “obnoxious” thing more than you know. I clearly said in the article that I knew it was a different Honeydrippers that wrote Impeach the President. You should finish reading the article before you comment.
( )Liam March 5th
What about Lyn Collins: “Think” –
I first heard the track it on James Brown’s Funky People.
Most obviously used on “It Takes 2″ Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, then a multitude of other times, more subtly than that. (Including, much later, in Jungle tracks like Massive by Capone)
Wow. That’s a long time ago… Am I Old School, or just bloody Old?
( )Liam March 5th
Sorry lads,
I should have read the page thoroughly… Lyn Collins is already mentioned…
But as an aside – The amen may well be the most sampled track in the universe, but not when it comes to hip hop. The Amen is the domain of the junglist.
( )Rürup Rente March 19th
Milli Vanilli is so great! Love that guys
( )Basisrente March 24th
Can’t hear this songs anymore…
( )Fondspolice March 30th
Stop playing those songs!
( )kreuzfahrten kroatien April 21st
Check out croatian Hip hop. It is unique and cool.
( )poohead July 3rd
no dizzie rascal should’nt be on there, he has no talent, just steels old beats and gets little 12 year old girls buying his shit
( )bryan September 24th
tommy roe , sweat pea
( )Rocktopolis December 9th
2 words : FUNKY DRUMMER!!
( )Vighnesh M. Peters January 29th
What about the ‘When the Levee Breaks’ drum loop?
On of the most over-used samples ever.
See article: http://www.artofthemix.org/FindAMix/getcontents2.aspx?strMixID=96744
( )