MTV, 1998

[many early hip hop producers were also DJs at some point in their careers]
Sampling as Artistic Practice in
Hip-Hop
What do we gain by listening critically to
sampling practices?
Tonight
7pm @Pause

Tomorrow
11:30am
Here!
Class Business:

- First Month Feedback Form

Chronology check-in
 Knowledgeable listeners understand meaning
embedded in formal musical decisions. If you get
it, you become part of a listening community.
Public Enemy - Chuck D (Carlton Ridenhour), Flavor Flav (William Drayton), Professor Griff,
Khari Wynn, DJ Lord, Sammy Sam, and the S1W (“Security of the First World”) group
1994

2003

2008

Dr. Tricia Rose

Professor of Africana Studies
Director of the Center for the Study
2024
of Race and Ethnicity in America
Brown University
The Core of Rap’s Sonic and Oral Power
Three priorities / contributions
of early hip hop / rap:

1) Using new technology to

deconstruct sounds

2) Afro-diasporic oral
tradition of versioning,
treatment of /
conversation with already
existing musical ideas
(sampling is an example)

3) Socioeconomic context:
Black US experience
Repetition is an important and telling element in culture:

● Creates sense of continuity, security, identification

How repetition is recognized or “covered up” in any particular cultural

context reveals value system.

● Black cultural tradition highlights observance of repetition and

rupture, importance for circulating musical ideas, maintaining
equilibrium

● Western classical tradition regulates repetition as a force that is

used to achieve a harmonic goal (resolution of tension)
www.whosampled.com
James Brown, “Funky Drummer” (1970)
● direct sample of drum fill
Syl Johnson, “Different Strokes”
● direct sample of hook
The Isley Brothers, “Fight the Power”
● replayed [eg. quoted] sample of vocals/lyrics
Sly and the Family Stone “Sing a Simple Song”
● direct sample of vocals/lyrics
Listen for:

- James Brown drum fill

- Syl Johnson hook

- The Isley Brothers, “fight

the power” lyrics

- Sly and the Family Stone,

“let me hear you say” lyrics
 To get something out of this song,
do you have to hear all these samples
and know where they come from?
Everything is a Remix
“Good Times” (1979)
Chic - Nile Rodgers
(guitar), Bernard Edwards
(bass), Tony Thompson
(drums), Norma Jean
Wright and Luci Martin
(vocals) - "a rock band for
the disco movement"
out of NYC
“Rapper’s Delight” (1979) "Another One Bites the "The Adventures of
Dust" (1980) Grandmaster Flash" (1981)
Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, Grandmaster Flash (Joseph
piano), Brian May (guitar), Saddler) - pioneer of hip-hop
The Sugarhill Gang - Roger Taylor (drums) and DJing, cutting, scratching and
Michael "Wonder Mike" John Deacon (bass); British mixing; Bronx via Barbados.
Wright, Henry "Big Bank rock out of London.
Hank" Jackson, and Guy
"Master Gee" O'Brien from
Englewood, New Jersey,
named after Sugar Hill
neighborhood in Harlem.