“Nas Is Like” Sample Revealed…

by Kevin on May 27, 2008

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DJ Premier

For years, the sample behind the DJ Premier produced track “Nas Is Like” has been a mystery… until now. Thanks to Carsten for turning me onto this discovery. Apparently the record label Strictly Breaks is about to close up shop, but not before revealing one last sample source. Strictly Breaks member Dusty Kid has revealed that the sample that we have all been searching for comes from a Christian record from 1967. The track is called “Cantata of New Life” by John Rydgren. Listen and compare below…

Cantata of New Life

Nas Is Like

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Posted in Diggin' In Da Crates

  • http://www.sp1200.net MiRKED

    thats dope , the sad thing strictly breaks is shutting down i dont follow their page but i do have some of their vinyl.i was hopping for more from them.im gonna have to find out whats the deal :(

  • bosshog

    Nice one, been looking for the Nas Is Like sample for a minute, pity the original is an awful song though!

  • Thomas

    The sample has been floating around for a while, but not complete. Is this the complete version? It sounds like the sample that Primo used.

    bosshog- I would respectfully disagree…I think “Nas is Like” is another (in a long line of) bangers that NaS has.

  • smallpro

    craziness…now all they have to find is the sample for the original crooklyn dodgers

  • DBA

    @ smallpro

    The sample for Crooklyn Dodgers that Primo produced is a Young Holt Unlimited sample.

    The one Q-Tip produced…I dunno

  • 1

    Might sound like silly Q, but how do i get ma hands on the sample??? (how can i download it?)

    Anyone…

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/12676847b6576ce7/

    Courtesy of the OkayPlayer.com Boards

  • Blaze Da Hard Luck Kid

    Does anyone know the sample primo used for gang starr’s take it personal? I’m talking about the melody, not the drums. I know skull snaps was used for the drums.

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  • CTRL+ALT+DEL

    LBC Represent! What What!

  • bosshog

    #3 Thomas, Nas is LIke is a classic!!

    It’s the tack Primo sampled that is gash….

  • me llamo lucas

    is not john rydgren
    before copy / paste check the facts!

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    Ok Lucas, if it’s not John Rydgren, then who is it? All of my sources says that’s the name. The sample is definitely the one used in “Nas Is Like”. You can hear that clear as day. So what’s your point?

  • me llamo lucas

    sorry, not my intention to offend

    first is not john rydgren’s voice,
    second the original record is a 10″

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    No offense taken, Lucas. In all honesty, you could be right. The only way for me to verify this information is to hear it from Premo first hand or listen to it myself from the original vinyl; neither of which I have done. I based this article strictly from the sources online that I have researched. Like I said, the mp3 is definitely the sample. Whether it is is called “Cantata of New Life” and is by John Rydgren is another question. I have not been able to verify that as I don’t have access to the original vinyl.

    My question for you is, what makes you so certain that this recording is not John Rydgren?

  • jimsee

    sorry if im stating the obvious but the orig is a variant of “greensleeves”

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  • http://eardrummer.wordpress.com/ 3ardrumm3r

    i hate to blow your buzz guys, but i think jimsee is right…
    http://eardrummer.wordpress.com/2008/06/06/that-nas-sample/

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    Yeah, maybe the mystery remains, huh? Just for the record, I didn’t start the rumor (I guess I just helped spread it). But it still is possible that Primo sampled this track. I guess only he will know.

  • Thomas

    Can someone give us a link to the “greensleeves” song. I’ve seen the sample for “Nas Is Like” as Don Robertson’s “Why.” I can’t remember what album it comes (or the site I seen it on) from and I haven’t heard the sample to compare. I’ll find it and post.

  • Thomas

    The Mystery will con’t.

  • http://eardrummer.wordpress.com/ 3ardrumm3r

    Thomas, for the Greensleeves “original,” check the post i’ve linked to in comment 16.

  • Patriquito

    Sorry, I just dont understand how that first sample with the christian talking after it (John Rydgren) isnt the correct. It sounds like it to me. Please explain futher.

  • http://www.theconcretejournal.com Fresh

    I agree Patriquito… i dont understand what all the fuss is about, sounds to me that regardless of who the sample belongs, that IS the sample….

    i question some of your ears… are we hearing the same thing? i dunn0

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    Yeah, there’s no doubt that what you hear in the sample is what Preemo flipped. The doubts that true crate-heads have are…

    1. Is this sample actually “Cantata of New Life” by John Rydgren? Anyone can rename mp3 tags. It’s possible the track is something else by somebody else. We’ll never know without the original vinyl.

    2. Even if this track is “Cantata of New Life” by John Rydgren, it’s very possible that he may have used a sample himself. 3ardrumm3r is saying that the track in question actually samples “Greensleeves”. And when I say sample, I mean that’s the track you hear in the background.

  • http://myspace.com/atfradio Myk Blauuw!

    Well, when i hear that John Rydgren joint, its clearly the sample for Nas Is Like….

    but later on in the song, you do hear the melody for greensleeves…except i can’t find one version of greensleeves that has the melody from nas is like.

    it sounds like a new piece added to the old melody.

  • S.T.T.R.E.S.S.

    Regardless what the case may be , thats what I call really digging in the crates!!!!!

  • muel aka dj flipz

    where can i get the original sample for nas is like???

    i wanna make a dope dnb tune from it but can find it ne where… sum1 help a bruva out..

    Peace!!

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin
  • muel aka dj flipz

    alrite that samples wack but thanks ne way… ne1 know where i can get the strings part of the tune without the stupid talkin…

    Peace!!

  • smithers

    the sample is from a lutheran 10″ church record. The label has a pink fish on it. Premo was going to throw it away but just before he did he checked it and found that sample! And all this info came out of his mouth!!

    By the way kevin where did you get that picture from? My friend dan medhurst took that!

  • Eric

    what if he used both of them.. is that possible?

  • Eric

    i think the link is down.. can someone re-up please?

  • Eric

    “it was pink with a BLACK fish on it.” – DJ PREMIER.

    here’s Premo speaking on how it came about…

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  • Narc

    That “Cantata of New Life” has been known about since summer. It’s not a song as such, it’s just dialogue over music.
    When I first heard the sample, I recognised straight away that it incorporated “Greensleeves” which was once thought that it was written by King Henry VIII.

    As good as the sample is, it’s actually the other sample in the track that heads were anxious to unveil. The bird chirping sample.

  • soulcontrollah

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