What is one song that you would like to deem untouchable to be sampled? Mine would’ve been New Edition ‘Can You Stand The Rain ‘. Unfortunately, K. Michelle recently sampled it. It could’ve been pulled off with more sustenance within the lyrics but that’s another whole ’nother conversation about our state of lyrical content. I am here to chat about our classics being tampered with without the utmost respect.
I believe that sampling tastefully is a skill that has been perfected by producers. We have seen Drake and Tory Lanez skillfully slip in a sample to build and recreate a whole new vibe. Drake and OVO have handcrafted samples so subtle that I have to seek Rap Genius or WhoSampledThis.com to pinpoint the original track. These days, every other single dropped seems to be such a heavy sample that it could be considered a ’cover’. It is becoming an over-saturated lazy way to have a hit single. Eerily, identical to the current TV/ Movie reboot SZN that we are in. Less and less curation of original art. Every summer, we let DJ Khaled hit us with a smooth Copy and Paste album. Don’t get me wrong, I jam to it. That is my exact concern. Do we allow these tracks to hit number one because we love to wade in nostalgia?
My current Apple R&B Now playlist is literally a Costco trip. Samples everywhere. Its tracklist is heavy with samples like Wale ft Jerimiah ’On Chill’ samples Toni Tony, Mahalia and Ella Mai take on Cam’ron ’Oh Boy’, Summerella and Usher ’Come Through’ taking on his own ’U Make Wanna’ even Teyana Taylor and King Combs are reliving Total and Diddy classics.
I adore a qualified, intelligent sample. Especially when it is ever so slightly presented. For example, Chingy featuring Tyrese’s 2006 “Pulling Me Back “ samples SWV “ Rain” ( which is also a sample). The sample is subtle but the fresh beat and melody Tyreese brings to the chorus carries its own weight outside the sample. H.E.R just nipped a lyrical sample of ’Pulling Me Back’ on her latest project.
Behold how generations are being sewn together musically. It is impressive to see youngsters following the yellow brick road to unearthing classics jams. Troy Lanez commemorated that patchwork with his latest mixtape as he featured the original artist on the recreation of the sampled track. While simulating a whole new bop and storyline, Tory helped us relive our middle school glory days while giving the artists an opportunity to buzz into new ears.
Do these tracks escalate because they tickle our ears with a dose of nostalgia? I’m down for the reminiscent vibes but let’s not let it block creativity. Has Saweetie truly hasn’t had a hit WITHOUT a sample? It makes me wonder if we have passed the prime decades of music and now we can only go back. We really let Chris Brown put a Saxophone over The Clipps ’Gridin’! You will catch me listening to 90s/2000 ANY day. I feel like our whole generation would rather be back in ‘07 watching 106&Park
What do you think? Are we past prime real estate of the music scene and can only tap the past for a hit? Our genres aren’t built like they used to be. R&B definitely doesn’t vibe like it used to. Do you think producers are getting lazy or just paying intense homage?
