If you are unfamiliar with Common’s earlier work (released under the name Common Sense), you don’t know what you’re missing. Can I Borrow A Dollar? is Common’s 1992 extremely underrated debut release. The album shows Common’s earlier style of rapping; namely a sing-songy and inflection-heavy vocal delivery, as well as lyrics packed with wordplay and popular culture allusions. The album’s production, prominently utilizing samples, keyboards, and drum breaks, tends to be minimalistic, jazzy and laid back. Enjoy these samples and thanks again to Thomas who has been hard at work hooking these sets up!
- “Intimate Friends” by Eddie Kendricks
- Sampled in “A Penny For My Thoughts”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “I Bet You” by Funkadelic
- Sampled in “A Penny For My Thoughts”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Vapors” by Biz Markie
- Sampled in “A Penny For My Thoughts”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Side By Side” by Earth Wind & Fire
- Sampled in “Charms Alarm”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Juicy Fruit” by Mtume
- Sampled in “Charms Alarm”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Don’t Change Your Love” by The Five Stairsteps
- Sampled in “Charms Alarm”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “When Will the Day Come” by Rasa
- Sampled in “Take It EZ”
- Produced by 2 pc. DRK
- “Between The Sheets” by The Isley Brothers
- Sampled in “Breaker 1/9″
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Black Jack” by Donald Byrd
- Sampled in “Breaker 1/9″
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Get Out of My Life, Woman” by Lee Dorsey
- Sampled in “Breaker 1/9″
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Red Baron” by Billy Cobham
- Sampled in “Two Scoops of Raisins”
- Produced by No I.D.
- Tappan Zee” by Bob James
- Sampled in “Two Scoops of Raisins”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Papa Was Too (Live)” by Joe Tex
- Sampled in “Two Scoops of Raisins” and “No Defense”
- Produced by No I.D. and Twilite Tone (respectively)
- “Impeach the President” by The Honeydrippers
- Sampled in “No Defense”
- Produced by Twilite Tone
- “Gimme, Dat, (Woy)” by Boogie Down Productions
- Sampled in “No Defense”
- Produced by Twilite Tone
- “Harlem River Drive” by Bobbi Humphrey
- Sampled in “Just in the Nick of Rhyme”
- Produced by 2 pc. DRK
- “Snow Creatures” by Quincy Jones
- Sampled in “Tricks Up My Sleeve”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Good Ole Music” by Funkadelic
- Sampled in “Tricks Up My Sleeve”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Never Knew Love Like This” by Stephanie Mills
- Sampled in “Tricks Up My Sleeve”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Smiling Faces Sometimes” by Bobbi Humphrey
- Sampled in “Puppy Chow”
- Produced by Twilite Tone
- “For The Love Of You” by The Isley Brothers
- Sampled in “Puppy Chow”
- Produced by Twilite Tone
- “I Like It” by DeBarge
- Sampled in “Soul By The Pound”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “Sneakin’ in the Back” by Tom Scott
- Sampled in “Soul By The Pound”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “A Chorus Line” by Ultramagnetic MCs
- Sampled in “Soul By The Pound”
- Produced by No I.D.
- “God Made Me Funky” by The Headhunters
- Sampled in “Pitchin’ Pennies”
- Produced by No I.D.
Download Can I Borrow A Dollar: Original Samples (175 MB)
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks. I will have to check this album out for sure.
Pitchin’ Pennies contains a sample from “Is This All?” off Bobbi Humphrey’s ‘Dig This!’ album
Do you have the song for us to put in the comp?