![]() Missy Elliott seems more often than not to embrace the citational aspect of sampling. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock It Takes Two (1988) Samples Lyn Collins' Think (About it) (1972) This perhaps speaks as a testament to the power of sampling's referentiality. Still, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em, remains one of the best selling hip-hop albums of all time. It seems that part of the success of the entire album, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em, is likely attributed to this type of high profile citationality, as many songs contain sources from legendary artists including the Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, and Prince to name a few. Thus Hammer was shrewd to credit James as a co-writer in order to avoid controversy and share some royalty dough with the sound's originator. While it is possible for the unaware to assume that the Super Freak beat was Hammer's own creation, it wasn't. Nearly ten years earlier it had topped the American dance charts at #1 for three weeks. Super Freak, however, was a phenomenal hit in its own time. U Can't Touch This uses Super Freak so prominently that younger generations of today may be more likely to associate the backing with Hammertime circa 1990. MC Hammer's U Can't Touch This (1990) Samples Rick James' Super Freak (1981) Thus the beat seems an automatic hit to its purchaser, and the Annie sample clearly chosen for its content which begs to be reappropriated. Though the source material seems unexpected for a hip-hop beat, The 45 King has produced another ingenious beat which also contains its own lyrical content suitable for directing a proper thematic remake. Based on the song, It's the Hard Knock Life from Annie the Broadway Musical, this beat interestingly makes liberal use of the child-sung chorus amidst various types of accompanying instrumentation provided in the background. Originally produced by DJ Mark The 45 King, Hard Knock Life was Jay-Z's most successful single at the time of its release. Jay-Z Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) (1998) Samples Annie and Orphans' It's the Hard Knock Life (1982) ![]() So, whether you're interested in sampling or just looking to be entertained, I highly encourage you to check out these songs behind these songs. Still, sampling has always been about the joy of music and culture. Another interesting category suggests that sounds having already been sampled by many artists have become, for this very reason, more desirable to many producers of today. ![]() And while there is also a rich tradition of sampling to produce full on thematic remakes, this distinction often goes undeclared. Artists may often adopt a sound for its sonic properties or use a sample primarily for its cultural content. There are countless sonically unique moments that've already been etched to recording, and these sounds have become highly desirable for various reasons. Many samplers are interested solely in the sounds themselves. Thus artists of today generally sample for three fundamental reasons which are often combined. Good public reception of a sample-use often depends on a combination of factors including what is sampled, who is sampled, and how that sample is used to create something new. Once controversial, the practice of sampling is now generally regarded as a viable artistic method of production and a mostly legitimate commercial endeavor.
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