Illmatic Beat Contest: Week 3

by Kevin on January 4, 2009

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So far this beat contest has been hot, hot, hot! We just about have the winner of Week 1 determined… should have that posted today or tomorrow. Moving along into Week 3, we’re gonna recreate Nas‘ fourth single from Illmatic, “Life A Bitch”. Two samples were used for this track: The Gap Band‘s “Yearning For Your Love” and Grover Washington Jr‘s “Black Frost”. The main sample from the Gap Band is the one were gonna flip this week. Tons of cats have sampled this song and it is one of my favorite soul tracks of all time. So let’s see what you got!

Don’t forget to read the rules if you haven’t already.

So far for Week 2 we’ve received 40 beats, so gimme some time to get all those up tonight after the 3pm deadline.

DOWNLOAD SAMPLE

Related posts:

  1. Illmatic Beat Contest Week 1: The Entries
  2. Illmatic Beat Contest: Week 2
  3. Illmatic Beat Contest: Week 1
  4. This Is Hip Hop Remix Contest Part II: Week 12
  5. This Is Hip Hop Remix Contest Part II: Week 10

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Posted in Contests

  • http://rap1masse.blogspot.com Isbjerg

    Thanx for that sample… 40 beats a week is a lot.. One got to work harder to get noticed… nice..

    One love to all my producer friends – YOU make me a better producer…

  • http://rap1masse.blogspot.com Isbjerg

    I dont know if I should post it now, or await… Im done with the track and don’t wanna change a thing about it, because of the feel about it – One thing is to listen to the samples and find the thing, chop it right and then work it, another thing is to finde a different way to bring it, and in throughout this contest, Im sticking to the regonizing vibe plus some of the dane’s special..
    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53687981eba53734/
    I didnt wanna wait for the mass to post theirs and vanish in the crowd… Let’s get ready yo rumble…

  • http://www.myspace.comflamesyall FlamesYall

    No, you make ME a better producer!! Ha ha.

    Didn’t Dilla flip this a few times (Runnin’, Pad & Pen, 5 Ela)?

    How do you judge 40 beats??!!

    Looking forward to this, should be a dope week.

  • http://www.myspace.comflamesyall FlamesYall

    Isbjerg, that’s some nice smooth ish… Very close to the original. I imagine it is gonna be hard to stand out, as you say. Nice drums, very introspective.

    I get the impression some of you guys have already finished the 10 tracks, ha ha. I’m just doing it week by week. I got a nice idea for this.

  • Dr. MaD

    heeeey thats a hot contest i should post something this week. Great concept I hope ur going to add other contests after these 10 weeks !! (L)kn.com !! :D

  • http://www.myspace.comflamesyall FlamesYall

    Yo, heres mine – http://www.zshare.net/audio/536934894e076663/

    I’m really fucking pleased, I hope no one else uses the sample vocal though!!

    I’m pleased, that is, until I hear all the other entries (One Mic, STTRESS, Tokyo Cigar, Blinky, etc) and remember how dope they all are, ha ha.

    Enjoy and feedback please, yo.

  • http://myspace.com/tokyocigarstyle Tokyo Cigar

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/536955487726ac38/

    Peace yall. Here my joint. Laced it a while back and just stuck with this chop even though i had another beat using the other sample more. Yo Isbjerg and flames Yeah Yeah son. Dope shit.

  • http://www.myspace.com/ohsomanycolors Cory Hall

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/537070999798e68e/

    some island flair, doesn’t really fit the contest at all, but i had fun with it. (and yeah i did rip that vocal sample from mo fire by lil wayne)

  • http://www.myspace.com/skidflow skidmatik

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53711466d4949fda/

    illtravis 3
    life’s a bitch… and sometimes you marry one.lol

  • http:/www.myspace.com/simamussic Sima

    i like your beat skidmatik!

    it is mine:
    http://www.zshare.net/audio/537150050a46c5a2/

    peace!

  • http://myspace.com/flamesyall FlamesYall

    Tokyo, love it. Nice drums (as always) and I love the floating vocals.

    Cory, tropical – Nice vibe.

    Skidmatic, Smooth ish and nice warm feel. Drums thump nice.

    Sima, Zshare won’t let me hear yours!!

    Keep the quality coming…

  • http:/www.myspace.com/simamussic Sima

    Thanks FlamesYall!

    it is the correct link:
    http://www.zshare.net/audio/537155241d2df341/

  • http://myspace.com/flamesyall FlamesYall

    Sima, really nice. Well worth the wait. Smooth as hell. Had my head nodding.

  • http:/www.myspace.com/simamussic Sima

    thanks man;)

  • Agor
  • http://www.myspace.com/skidflow Skidmatik

    Sima your flip is dope too yo real recognise…

  • EHil

    what up what up what up its a lot of hot joints on here but check out my flip let me know how yall and good luck to everybody PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    http://www.zshare.net/audio/5371740255cd3922/

  • EHill

    and the names ehill not ehil my bad!

  • One Mic

    Damn, Sima. Damn! I don’t even know what to say! Killa Flip!

  • PocketChange

    Sima got that bounce. Dope flip!

  • PocketChange

    FlamesYall, nice flip. Sick voice sample. Never would have thought of that.

  • http:/www.myspace.com/simamussic Sima

    thanks the good words people!
    it’s a great contest on a great site!
    chillin!

  • http://myspace.com/flamesyall FlamesYall

    Thanks PocketChange… It was the first thought I had when this week came up. Glad someone likes it!!

  • http://www.myspace.com/jfizzthenomads J Fizz

    http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6LH2SDSQ

    flames yall:dope drums man, gotta love al green
    Tokyo Cigar: im diggin this,realll nice i just noticed we used a similar voice part but not dont worry they sound different

    peace

  • DJ Cause

    Haven’t checked any entry out, so I couldnt be influenced, here’s what I made of it…
    http://www.zshare.net/audio/537259746acecd6c/

    Peace

  • http://rap1masse.blogspot.com Isbjerg

    Flamesyall : Im digging Aesop, so nice one.. A lot of stuff is happening and messes the nice details up.. Maybe if you had laid the things across the track one at the time…
    Tokyo : A lot of mess and your level are a bit messy.. But I like the energy..
    Cory Hall : Nice positive track.. I like the silk smooth vibe in this…
    DJ Cause : The delay is a nice touch…
    J Fizz : Very nice drums.. Im down with that version, but please – Megaupload ?
    Skitmatik : Very good… A brilliant use of the sample..
    Sima : Smooth soul all the way..
    Agor : Very similar to Sima’s – nice..
    Ehill : Nice loop, but I could use some variation

  • http://www.soulsoundproduction.blogspot.com Rouh

    Sima is my fav. good looking out isbjerg for the flute man. Was it your father playing ? (Hiphop nerd question, lol)

  • http://www.myspace.com/skidflow Skidmatik

    Isbjerg, Sima & Flamesyall…good looks on the feed my dudes. Good luck this week everybody.

  • http://www.garciastudios.com/music/ Garcia’s Grooves

    Sima,
    Ewwww-weeee! Love the sample chop and the overall music production sound is very full! Nice work!

  • http://www.myspace.comflamesyall FlamesYall

    IsbJerg, thanks for the honest feedback… You have aligned with my fears about it being too ‘busy’. I thought that at the time, but I’d spent so long chopping, I couldn’t take anything out. Thanks man…

  • http://myspace.com/bodywhineshot ”BLINKY”

    What’s up everybody, here’s my entry for week 3:

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53736458ab7af00f/

    Hope ya’ll enjoy

    Peace !

  • http://www.myspace.com/cenzobeatz08 Cenzo

    i think i wont post mine for this week…did 2 beats with the sample but im not feelin them. maybe thats because im not feelin the sample. lol…nah, ima try something new tomorrow…maybe ill post it. 1

  • Peabody

    Hey everybody. I’ve been watching this site for a good lil minute while I worked on my craft. I’ve been also watching this contest waiting on a nice sample to try and found this week suitable. Anyway here is my beat for the contest.

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/537454877887ee20/

    Peabody

    P.S If ya’ll would critique it for me, that would be greatly appreciated. I don’t work with many samples so I would like to read over the notes for later submissions.

  • http://www.myspace.com/ohsomanycolors Cory Hall

    O_O Peabody, the only thing I would say is maybe add more layers of instrumentation

  • http://myspace.com/tokyocigarstyle Tokyo Cigar

    Peace for the Love and the feedback yall. One L

  • Peabody

    Yeah? Could you explain more in-depth what you mean?

  • http://www.myspace.com/ohsomanycolors Cory Hall

    i guess utilizing more of the sound spectrum. there’s not much in the high end except for when the beat breaks, like a high hat, or a high melody to complement the middle rhythm. the bass could stand to be a little stronger, but other than that, it is a really dope flip of the sample.

  • One Mic

    Alright Fellas, here we go again! Here is my version of one of my fav tracks of all time, however, I should warn you! This version is more of an ’09 facelift (and I use that term very loosely) of a classic, rather than a flip! Again, damn you Sima!:)As I was making this beat i was thinking of so many of us who would like to tell the boss to stick it and make paper of this music. Just wait for the chorus – you’ll understand! Sit back, relax and enjoy!

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53758161e03c4676/

  • http:/www.myspace.com/simamussic Sima

    i like your beat One Mic, it is my topical fav, but i think your snare is not perfect. it would be a little more hard. the sample cutting is fine and creative!

  • http://www.garciastudios.com/music/ Garcia’s Grooves

    Nice job One Mic…I like the sound and flow of your track! It’s got my head bobbin’ here at work!

  • http://myspace.com/flamesyall FlamesYall

    Blinky, great beat, yo . I love your drums.

    One Mic… I think I have a winner!! Amazing flip and great energy.

  • http://myspace.com/bodywhineshot ”BLINKY”

    Thanks FlamesYall,glad you like it,i had fun in the making.It’s only tuesday and there’s a lot of great beats, i knew this contest was going to be crazy.

  • http://www.myspace.com/thoughtsforfood TFF

    here’s my entry…

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53774437ebc31157/

    glad to see nobody used this part yet, should defnitely add some freshness to the competition!

    TFF

  • http://www.dynamicproducer.com Fatrakonopolus

    Ya’ll done forced my pimp hand on this one. I’m supposed to be doing something else very important rightnow but ya’ll makin me… Plus I haven’t samplin in a while too….. Yall makin me hungry. I’mma upload in a min.

  • http://www.zshare.net/audio/53778364a212794b/ Fatrakonopolus

    Man, I haven’t been inspired by a sample in a bit. Might have over produced it but I needed the traxerise.

  • http://www.zshare.net/audio/53778364a212794b/ Fatrakonopolus
  • JLH

    This is my first time entering any of these contest. I really only been making beats for about a year, still alot to learn but im trying.
    Here is my entry:
    http://www.zshare.net/audio/537793514acfa49b/

  • Young K

    mines comin together give me a day or 2…

  • http://www.myspace.com/quotestashy The Rookie Stash

    Goddamn! This sample is hard to make a phat unique sounding beat… I’m stuck in a kinda “never ending intro” groove at the moment… But I’ll bounce back… any tips on transitioning into a verse with a fairly repetitive sounding loop….?

  • http://www.myspace.com/esejota esejota

    Last week i finished an hour or 2 too late, this week it aint happenin! haha, here’s mine for this week,

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53781955eb4061aa/

    ill be listening to the ones posted after this.

  • http://www.myspace.com/esejota esejota

    Isbjerg, nice one man, rockin the bass.

    Flames Yall, hehe, diggin the Aesop vocal. nice.

    Cory, i was seeing palmtrees in that shit, hehe, tropical but nice.

    Tokyo, dont know but i feel like you made it take a very soulful mood, at first i didnt know, but started feeling it when it finally started.

    Skidmatic, I liked it, even though it was having more of an R&B track, but thats just me, Im still liking it.

    Sima, TFF, fuck man, you destroyed it!

    One Mic, sick stuff, for real.

    After listening to them all, I feel like i shouldnt have lowered the volume on mine, now I feel like you can barely hear mine. shit.

    anyways, best of luck to all.

  • http:/www.myspace.com/simamussic Sima

    The new posts are very great! TFF,Fatrakonopolus you made bangers! Fine!

  • Dr. MaD

    Wow! Hard competition right here! Good luck juges :p
    Here’s my flip:

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53790092f39ce997/

  • http://myspace.com/abstraktsoundz Abstrakt Soundz

    Damn… 40 flips last week!?!?!? well kev.. in the great words of biggie… “You Blowin Up Like I Thought U Would!!!” haha… but let me get into this this week so i can at least say i tried lol…

    YOU THA MAN KEV!!!!

  • http://myspace.com/thoughtsforfood TFF

    thx for the good words people, very appreciated..

    damn u Fatrakonopolus!! lol

    but very nice flip, same for ehill

  • EHill

    yo tff that track is hot to my nigg u used a part that wasnt n the original beat when most people used the same part from the album and most of there beats sound the same, and u made it hot i used almost similar parts but nice track homie keep it up.

  • http://www.myspace.comflamesyall FlamesYall

    esejota, thanks for the comment!

  • http://www.myspace.comflamesyall FlamesYall

    DR. MAD – That is smooth as a mother!! Niiiiiiice flip.
    Esejota – I’m liking this very much, really smooth – Like classic 90′s west coast!
    JLH – Nice sounding flip… Keep practicing, you got a lotta potential.
    Fatrakonopolus – Outstanding! I’m really, really liking this. Amazing bass and stunning vocal!

  • http://ketchup-plz.blogspot.com Sleaze

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53821087d94dd2ef/

    I also added a sample from the Olu Dara song “HarlemCountryGirl” b/c I didn’t think it would be fair to omit him from the new track.

    Didn’t peep the other entries yet…but I will. Good luck to ya’ll

  • Pee Duble

    I would just like to say I hate this sample, but props to anybody that can flip it into something that can be a heater… Ima sit this week out but props to allyaa’lll!!!!

  • http://myspace.com/abstraktsoundz Abstrakt Soundz

    (sigh) alright… here goes… please excuse the messy mix n all that… but heres what i came up with.. i hope it works… thanks again KEV… peace

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53832643d746b5cd/

    peace n best wishes hermanos..

  • the-grimystar

    this is gona be freaking hard

  • http://www.myspace.com/g1tkodmusic g1tkod

    Yo, what’s good? Nice flips on this sample. Here’s mine.

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/538591394b15c670/

    Peace

  • Young K

    I have completed week 3, feed back me. I think it’s pretty hot check it for yourself, peace love.

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53867396877bc629/

  • http://rap1masse.blogspot.com Isbjerg

    Young K : Again, I dig it… I like the way you flip the drums and threw in a little double kick and I really like the transformation into the verse…

  • http://www.myspace.com/arileymusic A. Riley

    Takin a shot on some remixes to switch things up a bit.
    Just found this contest and site…..HOT! Lots a great beats so far…..Here’s mine.

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53874024e02b7a11/

    ~A.Riley

  • http://www.pmpworldwide.com/John-Vereen Fatrakonopolus

    A. Riley it feels good to be inspired by a sample again. don’t it? Nice Flip.

  • http://myspace.com/sttress1 S.T.T.R.E.S.S.

    What up.Eveybody is still bringing the heat! Well,here’s my track and I hope feel me

    One!

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/5388255193c146f3/

  • http://myspace.com/bodywhineshot ”BLINKY”

    Nicely done S.T.T.R.E.S.S., smooth, plain simple and efficient.

  • http://myspace.com/sttress1 S.T.T.R.E.S.S.

    Damn Blinky,are u talking about my beat or a compact car.Thanks homie(I guess?)LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • http://myspace.com/bodywhineshot ”BLINKY”

    Well, since i didn’t get the chance (i guess ?) to see your car, i was talking about the beat :D

  • http://www.myspace.com/gates808 AdamBomb

    Here’s my submission:
    http://www.zshare.net/audio/5392613624d44ee1/

    Gotta say that was a tough sample to flip! If I was just digging through my records, that song wouldn’t have jumped out at me to sample at all. I think it really shows some skill to turn this into something nice. Real impressed with most of the beats I’ve heard so far…

    Good luck, guys!

  • http://www.myspace.com/joewalters1988 mofuwalters

    damn adambomb that one almost sounded like the one i just finished, i got scared for a second, it happened to me once last compitition and i had to redo the beat.

  • http://www.myspace.com/joewalters1988 mofuwalters

    yours is new school funkilisioso by the way

  • http://www.myspace.com/joewalters1988 mofuwalters

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/539334874d23d6a8/
    got preoccupied, started playin mario kart.

  • http://www.myspace.com/cenzobeatz08 Cenzo

    damn, aint got time to finish mine :(
    gotta work…well, see ya next week. holla!

  • Pee Duble

    Just in case ya’ll don’t know, I got a project out that I’d love for you guys to check out. With production from 20 Keys and Keenan(The Trickle Down) as well as myself. This was my second release. Gimme some feedback!! Act Like You Know Me!

    http://www.zshare.net/download/53958987ae527df3/

  • http://www.pmpworldwide.com/Frost-Gamble Frost Gamble
  • http://www.thewhatness.com SShorey

    Aight, here’s my submission for the week playas. All feedback is appreciated

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53968028c505efd0/

  • http://www.thewhatness.com SShorey

    And Young K, cot damn! Im feelin your beat quite a bit.

  • http://www.myspace.com/instrumenstrals Fatrakonopolus

    Frost Gamble

    Thats an original flip right there. Definitely different from all the others. I likes

  • http://www.myspace.com/instrumenstrals Fatrakonopolus

    Adambomb did his thing too! that sub-bass line… dope

  • http://www.myspace.com/s2ita S.2

    This one took me a while to work out but I finally got there. Some smooth soulful shit. I layered the sample a little with my own EP and strings aswell.

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53974788ad15ab62/

  • http://www.getbeats4free.com snd
  • dj2hot4u

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53984790d806d13f/

    here it is …..
    wow first entry in a contest like this !
    hope you will like it !! excuse the mix of the track but i think it will give you and very good idea of what i want to do with this sample :-D

    i heard most of the entry and i will say this :
    - sima maaaaaaannnnn give me some homework for mixing my flip like this please master i’m your padawan lol :)
    - Fatrakonopolus : the ooooooww at the begining of the verse is wonderful and do you use camelspace ?
    - adambomb i love the flip man
    - TTF maaaannn it’s a so classic shit :) need perhaps more variations !

    PS : excuse my english !!! i’m from paris

  • http://www.myspace.com/thewabitz wabitz

    My Life’s a Bitch beat!

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53990876907e073a/

    enjoy !!

  • Garcia’s Grooves

    Nas – Illmatic – “Life’s A Bitch [Garcia Groove Interpolation]
    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53993015dc1f0e7d/

    Any and all feedback welcome!
    Looking forward to week 4 and the Ahmad Jamal sample!

  • http://rap1masse.blogspot.com Isbjerg

    Garcia : Nice one… I really like the drums – Nice touch…

    Am I the only one, who’s been a busy bee and did a little ahead and does anyone wanna exchange ideas ? Maybe collab ?

  • http://www.myspace.comflamesyall FlamesYall

    What do you mean collab, dude? I’ll try some ish with you.

  • http://myspace.com/ologistmusic ologist

    Some solid tracks up here. Much respect.

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/539964470b26587c/

  • http://www.myspace.comflamesyall FlamesYall

    Garcia, That beat is hot!

  • Keyz Fargo

    I had no time to do this weeks and I wasn’t feeling the sample, so I just took a snippet which still counts,but it probably sounds nothing like any other entries lol

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/53996606744bae2d/

  • Illdependent

    Man, some HEAT out here…

    Tough competition but here’s my add to the mix, right at the buzzer:

    http://www.zshare.net/audio/539969572bdc859b/

    Peace.

  • http://kevinnottingham.com Kevin

    TIMES UP!

  • http://rap1masse.blogspot.com Isbjerg

    Flame : Imma mail you on myspace…

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