Comments on: Top 10 Most Sampled Songs in Hip Hop

By: RomaPgh21

RomaPgh21 — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:05:08 +0000

no Quincy Jones songs on here? Through all his music I know he’s been heavily sampled, although I not as heavily as James Brown. Quincy’s ‘Summer in the City’ is one of the most recognizable beats. sick.

By: charlie brown

charlie brown — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:50:00 +0000

im curious to know how many times more bounce to the ounce by zapp has been sampled, do you know?

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:39:07 +0000

I think “Ashley’s Roachclip” by The Soul Searchers should at least get some sort of mention.

By: native9

native9 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:18:49 +0000

of course james brown is the king of being sampled.also his band lent a lot to hip hop.the grunt,blind man can see and givin up food for funk had heads noddin.

By: razorSHARPE

razorSHARPE — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:25:24 +0000

you know what song you guys are missing out?????

“I’m Afraid the Masquerade is Over” by David Porter

Although only a few songs were sampled from it (Duel of The Iron Mic- GZA, Ill Bomb- LL Cool J, It’s Over- Ghostface, and the most famous song sampled from it WHO SHOT YA- BIGGIE), i think it deserves at least honorable mention….
P.S.- another person who sample the Amen Break was Lupe Fiasco for “Streets On Fire”….

By: Chipo

Chipo — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:07:48 +0000

I hate how good sampling is used to cover weak lyrics in some hip hop songs.

Eh, yall should check out randy18.mybrute.com Sick game if ya bored.

By: zak

zak — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 08:02:39 +0000

whos even heard of florida t-pain!!!
it is the best
song….!!!

By: JMC

JMC — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 02:00:07 +0000

Wow nobody mentioned “Get Out of My Life Woman”

That’s been beat to deaf

By: x

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:12:53 +0000

well i really love your essential hip hop blog
keep up the great job
(always hoping for a madvillainy sample set repost)
greetings from athens greece

By: Boy1da

Boy1da — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:51:27 +0000

This is an excellent list. The sample compilations are quite extensive. The research time has CLEARLY put in work to see that note a stone lay unturned. The only problem that I have is that: some of the songs listed as samples of the songs on this list are not hip-hop. Just thought the the list would stick to hip-hop. Anyways, good work fellas.

By: Sean Deez

Sean Deez — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:05:15 +0000

ah, now the links seem busted?
Allllllllll the more reason why zipped folders rock

I know I know, I’m being greedy

By: RBi

RBi — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:10:30 +0000

yeah, i was admitting to the sample being there, i was wrong (ie: ‘a lil faulty’) about that part.

but there are 2 different versions of Boomin System. that’s what i was getting at ultimately. one where LL straight jacks Envogue (12″ remix) and one where he incorporates more of James Brown’s Payback sample (LP version).

if i had worded things better and been onpoint ’bout the JB sample (in ‘Hold On’) from the giddy up, my point would be clearer (ironic since i called myself pulling your card). but i’ll post a zip myself when i get a chance to.

By: Sean Deez

Sean Deez — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:52:40 +0000

Kev, it ain’t hard to please me hahaha

this is like the first sample set I’ve ever asked you to up.
maybe the 2nd.

ain’t too proud to beg though kev

By: Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:40:19 +0000

RBi, I’m really interested to hear what you hear. I have the Mama Said Knock You Out album and the En Vogue album and both “Boomin System” and “Hold On” sample “Payback” clear as day. It may as well be the same beat. I’ll post examples up tonight when I get home, but I’d love to hear the version of “Boomin System” that your talking about and the version of “Never Gonna Get It”.

Sean, I’ll see what I can do about getting a zip up. So hard to please around here….

By: Sean Deez

Sean Deez — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 07:09:10 +0000

*acts like a one time visitor who wants a set*

Kev/Thomas…

what are the chances that a regular non-sample set downloader like myself ( I don’t have room on my comp for all this stuff, either wise I would) would be able to get all of these zipped in a folder

I’ll make you a deal. My friendship for a zipped folder

By: RBi

RBi — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 06:57:15 +0000

lol, i realize i totally fumbled my wording here. but what i meant was ‘Hold On’ doesnt sample Payback, but now that i remember fully, it does have that lil guitar lick in there. So i was lil faulty in my total recollection here.

But to clarify my point …

There’s a 12″ version of Boomin System with a straight jack of ‘Hold On’ that doesnt appear on the LP. If you check out the LP version of LL’s song, you’ll hear a different version of the beat with more of the sample of Payback than the one with the Envogue jack from the 12″.

When Envogue dropped ‘Never Gonna Get It’, they went back and sampled Payback, but with way more usage of the sample. This version sounded much more like the LP version of LL’s Boomin System vs. the 12″ remix.

Whew! all that to make that simple point, lol. i will now back away and refrain from confusing you anymore Mr. Nottingam …… great work sir ……. imma work on that list ….

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:05:40 +0000

Wow, I don’t even know where to begin answering this one. You sound like you know your stuff. I’m confused by what you’re saying about LL and En Vogue, but I went back and listened and yes I did make a mistake. It is En Vogue’s “Hold On” that I meant to say. Both “Hold On” and “Boomin System” sample James Brown’s “Payback”. As far as the different version of “Boomin System” you’re talking about… I’m lost there. I listened to the album version on Mama Said Knock You Out and that’s the one that samples “Payback”. Or you say it samples “Hold On”… I guess you could be right there, it is essentially the same beat.

As far as the popular usages, that’s just an opinion and we all got em. Same with the order of the top ten. You sound knowledgeable though… I’d love to see a better list. Thanks for sharing!

By: RBi

RBi — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:38:24 +0000

i meant that LL’s song was the one that sampled James, but his remix samples Envogue. Yet Envogue didnt sample James on Hold On

By: RBi

RBi — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:36:38 +0000

Yo, i like what u got here but there are definitely a few errors. 1) Envogue didnt sample James Brown’s ‘Payback’ on “Hold On’, LL sampled Envogue for a different version of his ‘Boomin System’ song — which was the one that sampled James’ ‘Payback’. Envogue sampled ‘Payback’ on ‘Never Gonna Get It (My Lovin)’. 2) There’s no way in hell that ‘Payback’ is sampled more than Skull Snaps. 3) Impeach The President has been touched a lil more than Sing A Simple song 4) Nautilus should be listed higher than 10, virtually every bar of that song has been sampled.

Also, some of the most popular usages are bizarre. ‘Funky President’ on Tribe’s ‘Oh My God’? Where, what part? ‘Funky Drummer’ on ‘Let Me Ride’ ain’t even prominent, how about a PE song like ‘Rebel Without A Pause’ or ‘Lyrics of Fury’ by Eric B & Rakim? Couldn’t Ice Cube’s ‘Nigga You Love To Hate’ be recognized as popular and have acknowledgement of a more noticeable, prominent, and ACTUAL usage of ‘Atomic Dog’ (i think Dre and them didn’t even sample it, they interpolated it)?

I’m nitpicking a bit, but being a DJ and all that, I have become a stickler for these types of details/ content. Regardless, good article.

By: Cenzo

Cenzo — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:18:40 +0000

zip them up…PLEASE