Hip Hop Sampling Other Hip Hop: A Lost Art Or Theft?

By JR on 2:27 PM

No Biting, imatating or taking from another artists recording has always been an unwritten law of hip hop, but there are some times when a producer sampling another respected classic has equaled out to memorable songs.

As a listener I never agreed with the thought of sampling elements of other songs unless it's a vocal part or a quote the producer/DJ is adding to their own creation, like the many DJ scratched vocal samples used over the years. I believe if a hip hop producer is ever going to sample from another hip hop song, it should be something that's a staple of the culture that everyone knows.

If it's sampling drums from another hip hop song I think it's cool depending how it's done, I think it sounds good if it's from a bonafied classic record from the very early days. The problem is many songs coming out now are hear today-gone tomorrow radio fillers, not as classic as those of pre-late 80's, so it is less likely they would mean as much if people were to sample them. Hear are some moments of classic hip hop sampled to create another hip hop classic.

A Nigga Witta Gun by Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre did the classic drum pattern of Whodini's "Friends" justice on "A Nigga Wit A Gun", adding it to his own production to create a sinister sound, a totally opposite feel of the original song. Pete Rock & Premier used drums from EPMD's 1st album on In The Flesh & Mass Appeal. Nas used Whodini again on "If I Ruled The World" and T-La Rock's "It's Yours" for his backwards storytelling song "Rewind" on "Stillmatic". Premier took from another old school classic on "You Know My Steez" by using the drums of "Flash is on the Beatbox" by Grandmaster Flash.

The thought of "hip hop sampling hip hop" brings up interesting points and comparison between the different generations of hip hop releases. Is there enough originality in today's hip hop songs overall and are they classic enough compared to those of the Golden Era that it would even mean as much if someone else sampled from them? I think many songs of today lack that special type of classic quality, even though the ideas and techniques have advanced.

When producers sampled from hip hop it was from songs that mean alot to the culture, not just any old song so it was like a statement and paying homage more than a necessity of sampling sounds.