We’ve featured a couple 9th wonder related post within the last couple of days and they generated some great discussions. We did a flip with 9th versus Charles Hamilton and Kev posted a video where 9th talks about music and the art of sampling. This post seemed to bring out passion among our readers (check the post).
Someone mentioned that 9th is one of the best producers ever and how the flips are worthless because 9th will win every time (paraphrasing). So lets put those two opinions to test. We know 9th is a huge fan of Pete Rock, DJ Premier, and RZA’s production. Since we’ve already put 9th up against Pete Rock last year lets see how he’ll do against his other idols.
Jazz artist Bob James and his music has been sampled heavily throughout Hip Hop’s history and his song “Nautilus” is one of the most sampled songs ever….so lets see how the young vet does against the legends. Huge fan of all three…..this is tough.
Bob James: “Nautilus”
From the album One (1974)
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Murs and 9th Wonder: “Murray’s Revenge”
From the album Murray’s Revenge (2006)
Produced by 9th Wonder
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Jeru the Damaja: “Mind Spray”
From the album The Sun Rises in the East (1994)
Produced by DJ Premier
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Ghostface Killah feat. Raekwon & Cappadonna: “Daytona 500″
From the album Ironman (1996)
Produced by Rza
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{ 64 comments… read them below or add one }
Honestly, I think 9th had the best flip out the bunch.
i think koolade did it the best for Job Song on Dont Quit Your Day Job for Consequence, i know he dont stack up to those producers of course but I just think its the better song of those three.
I’m feelin RZA on this one but 9th’s flip is right .
*right there.
For real Rza & Primo were neck and neck on this one right here
but id have to vote for Rza … cause his beat is the coldest
- DJ Critical ype
All three are dope flips…..Rza owns that sample. His track is dark, haunting, and down right nasty. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have Ghost, Rae, and Cappadonna (at his best) tearing that track to pieces.
9th wins this battle, but you guys didn’t do Premier justice on this one. Primo flipped Nautilus way better on “Inna Citi Life” off the first Group Home album. He took one of the most obscure parts of the song and just killed it.
Ghotsface *scratches* Ghostface *scratches* ghostface killaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
haha, i love the rza track, so i vote for it.
out of these three, RZA > Premo > 9th
come on now, 9th’s is just a bunch of chops, don’t even sound right
rza wont his one hands down! 9th and preemo did their thing and held it down but daytona 500 was a straight classic and you can’t beat that.
ya i agree with Marcha …. i like 9th but that beat was weak
choppy and just like a 6/10 for me …he usually does crazy beats for murs though
Sorry meant to say I agree with Stylus …. my bad , lol
I am a big Wu-Head, and I LOVE RZA’s production. But for those who say he flipped it best (production), are you saying he picked the best sample? Cause all he did was loop the 2 second clip at 3:19 with literally nothing else but maybe a small filter. Just curious.
And I totally agree with Drew J – “Inna City Life” was MURDER.
“WHO” says:
Premier created an awesome work of art with his version. RZA, although a great producer, didn’t do much, however his version is classic to the “two turn tables and a mic concept” And finally, 9th Wonder really added really dope chops to his version.
It’s awesome how one song can be interpreted in various ways through different ears!
Over at Today’s Agenda Producer No I.D. (Jay-Z, Bow Wow, Janet Jackson, Kanye West) held a “Nautilus Challenge to see who can do what with this classic Bob James record. CHECK IT OUT HERE
Premo 4Sho… I didn’t like the way 9th chopped up the sample (credit for originally though). Rza on the other hand simply looped and scratched the entire record. Prem at least both chopped up the sample and scrated at parts (as always) during the record. My opinion….
4cents matters
I picked Rza….not a producer obliviously, but isn’t part of producing finding a part of a record and adding to it even if its a loop?
I think this was hard to call but I went with Preemo.This could be a nice little contest as well Kev.See which one of the beatmakers that pass thru the site can flip Nautilus better.
(just a thought)
Okay, I didn’t see Echo’s comment earlier about the contest on another site.But it would be an interesting contest.Nautilus can be flipped soooo many ways.I myself have done a couple of different ways.9th Wonder even said that every beatmaker should at least try to flip it once,like a right of passage…..lol
RZA takes this for sure. Sample is so hot I think it would be impossible to make a bad song out of it.
I agree with the vote for Consequence’s Job Song. But out of the three I voted for 9th being out of his league. It’s somethings evidently that fruitty loops can not do, and that is eff wit the Gods.
9th doesn’t use fruity loops anymore. He’s on the MPC 2500
9th flipped it, it may be a chop up, but it was executed the right way!!
I think the opinions depend on the mood/envorinment…they’re all good in my opinion, just because im very instrumental
Although not included…”Clap Your Hands” by Tribe is the Best…
the original song is sooo dope omg. u could make so many beats outta that
RZA (flows and beat just blended so damn well together)
RZA’s version is my personal favorite but every bring=s there own flavor too it and they all killed it,i love that sample though…
plus i love how rza just threw in some filterd bass ans scratching, sometimes certain samples just ride out…
RZA all day. The loop was murder. The filtering was crazy. Hell i got an issue of Blaze magazine where they played the jeru track and Daytona 500 for bob james himeself and he said that Rza put a very interesting spin on it.
“inna city life” was that HEAT ROCK though.
so no one notices how RZA basically made the same beat that DJ Jazzy Jeff made for Will Smith on their album “And In This Corner”?
yeah…
DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince – Jazzy’s Groove is the song
I know I’m gonna catch a lot of heat on this one, because everyone is on 9th’s jock…
I like a lot of his work, but 9th is the most OVERRATED producer in the game. Period. Just because you chop a sample up a bunch doesn’t make it a good beat necessarily. He was on point when he was with LB though, I just think he let the game get to his head. He has fallin off a little bit.
@EOM – I think Jazzy interpolated the bassline with a synth, whereas RZA just took the straight loop (3:19-3-21). Jazzy even added the other parts including the chimes and the chorus melody. Great find though!
Primo.
This has generated a lot of discussions…..these normally only get a few comments…!
Preem takes it for me because RZA just looped it, and 9th’s chops seem sloppy to me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Dilla/Madlib unquantized shit, but the 9th flip is more of a flop
K-Def’s flip of Nautilus on “Iceberg Slick” on the Real Live album will blow any of these out of the water anyday and I agree with dude from earlier. Premier flipped it way better on that Group Home album. Hell you could have even put Large Pro up here. You can’t tell me that any of these joints are iller than “Live at the Barbecue”. He flipped it crazy on that joint.
i’m not a producer but i know that Nautilus is that song all producers seem to go back and flip! hell, i even own the original!! growing up, RZA and Primo were my favorite producers, but after hearing 9th destroy this sample, no question he’s up there wit em! 9th all the way baby!
Dunno Man, Love the 9th and Rza Joints, but preemos vibe man…just cant help but love it! 3 great peices of work though.
I’ve GOTTA go with RZA on this. Primo’s joint is CRAZY, 9th suprised me with the slightly new twist on Nautilus, but Daytona is just TOO HARD! They’re all EXPERTLY done in my opinion, but I go with RZA. Greatest producer ever in my eyes…
In this order RZA>Premo>9th Wonder
I never thought I’d say it but I actually like the 9th Wonder version of this beat the best. Premo is still tops overall in my book but I’m definitely diggin’ how 9th Wonder chopped this up.
He did use a similar portion of the loop that was used on Consequences album cut called, “Job Song” from the Don’t Quit Your Day Job Album. produced by Kool Aid of The Blackout Coalition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8VVnn2nPKY
9th hands down…Rza and Premo just looped it!!!
9th put more work into his version therefore I like his approach better. Now as far as who’s song I like more I’m going with the ghostface version. It brings back too many memories and his delivery is more appealing than murs. Primo’s is just a loop with scratching (basic but still dope) Same for rza actually but still dope. I love sampling and looping is fine if the sample is just to dope to mess with, but I’m one for chopping and rearranging or at least adding more to the loop without drowning the loop. Who’s wit me?
Premo… RZA… Ab
… Then 9th hahaa… but i like em all man.. theyre all dope.. each producer brought their own energy to em….
PREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMO! Classic 90’s shit and it fitted Jeru to a T.I’m a old Wu head, but this was one of the least interesting tracks that Rza did.IMO, it was a no frills beat and the chorus didnt help either.
you forget epmd flipped that before all of them, check business as usual.
dope topic
Pick who you want, but 9th is taking this L… I’ve never liked this song, might have more with how Murs ripped it, but it just didn’t flow right for it to be sampled from Nautilus.
For the record, I’m fuckin’ wit Wu for my personal, but 9th needed to take a cue from the bible of “Less Is More.” The legends killed him, climb off his nuts.
that’s not even fair…Daytona 500 is one of the best hip-hop songs ever
i actually made a beat from that sample…it came out dope but in my opinion, ALCHEMIST flipped it the best.. MY CONSCIENCE by fat joe
9th chopped it into so many pieces and put it back together so beautifully. Sure Preemo is better, and technically rza too (although rza just got too much doodoo, even tho he done so many absolute classics) But 9th takes it here. Winston Salem in the houuuuse
even tho daytona 500 is the best song on here. best beat goes to 9th. anybody else spittin on daytona wouldve been a damn shame
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agc-LdNRtIM…as far as chopping the samples, alchemist had the best beat hands down. he took the sample re arranged it so good, i didnt even know it came from the same song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agc-LdNRtIM
i think all tha beats sicks… 9th doin it when it been done 2 death he could only cut and re arrange and it came out good… but dis song is hard as an original and he did keep it as hard as my man primo and rza tha god… their traxx were golden era worthy… so not takin ne thing away from 9th cuz he is 1 of my favs but in dis contest tha better use of this sample is rza den primo(“Inna Citi Life” would of been a better track to use in dis battle i agree.) in all fairness might need a re match…
9th’s is much better!!!!
I say 9th cause he Chopped that shit DOwn Good..
all are dope tracks tho
premier will always be my favorite hands down forever and 9th wonder shit was extra dope too cant even front but we all know RZA shit is classic he wins…………..this round
. . .rza period point blank . . when you hear a loop like that what more can you do to it ?? . . other than some scratches and dropps ? . .ninth and premier are always gonna be some of my favorites. . but as far as this one goes. . Light your blunts and down your beers! . .
Of these 3 tracks I’ll say that 9th had the Best chop of the sample. He Killed that one. But this wasn’t really Fair to Preemo or RZA cause They both have done better sampling of this song on other tracks.
Word is bond…, it’s a tie betwen Premo and 9th. Rza simply added a scratch piece and a consistant layer of drums that compliment the vocals of Ghost and Chef. 9th and Premier eleveted that joint and brought the boom – bap out of it and to me the chops and breaks added that modern day shit we love to hear in Hip Hop today. All of them are Classic joints that play
alot around my lab for inspiration.
That was a great challenge. Makes you think about the future of the culture as whole.
Thanks!
mannnn premo n jeru = oldschool and so much better than both the other versions. 9th wonder doesn’t stand a chance in a producer battle like this because he can’t catch that dirty soudn that wu tang and jeru can.
Pete Rock sampled this shit too….
http://www.zshare.net/audio/17751788a3b8e128/
this is dope too….
It depends – If the idea is to ‘flip’ the track so you really have a hard time knowing what was used, it’s DJ Premier hands down. I like all of these producers and I have to tell you, I like all these tracks…but if I had to pick one that was the ‘illest’, I have to give 9th Wonder his props on this one….he chopped the mess out of it. When the Daytona 500 joint came out, I was like whoa! This is how the DJ’s used the ‘breaks’ of a record back in the day…so I like that one too. Good article!!!