Two editorials in a row with titles inspired by lines from the Jay-Z [click to read]/Nas beef, that one just never stops giving. Hundreds and hundreds or Hip Hop songs have utilized the same songs for sampling or just the same sample. Sometimes it is obvious, other times you’ve gotta keep your ear to the speaker to catch. There are a handful of songs out there that get a pass here for the simple fact that they’ve been sampled way, way too many times (see James Brown‘s “Funky Drummer,” Isaac Hayes‘ “Walk On By,” Bob James‘ “Nautilus,” Kool & the Gang‘s “NT” or Joe Tex‘s “Papa Was Too”). Here are a handful of samples and who used them. It is just about what producer flipped it better, but also what emcee(s) did the production more justice. Listen and vote.
Eric B. & Rakim [click to read] vs.Too $hort [click to read] vs. X-Clan vs. AMG vs. South Central Cartel (Sample: Average White Band “School Boy Crush”)
All of the above sampled the riff of Average White Band‘s “School Boy Crush.” Eric B. & Rakim and X-Clan easily took the most liberties with it, and are nearly identical. I love them all, but I’ve gotta roll with the Ra on this one, hands down.
Eric B. & Rakim “Microphone Fiend,” 1988 (produced by Eric B. & Rakim)
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Too $hort “Life Is…Too Short” 1988 (produced by Too Short)
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X-Clan “Grand Verbalizer, What Time Is It?,” 1990 (produced by X-Clan)
AMG “Once A Dawg,” 1992 (produced by AMG)
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South Central Cartel “Bring It On,” 1994 (produced by Prodeje)
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Jay-Z vs. Black Moon [click to bread] vs. (Sample: Little Boy Blues‘ “Seed of Love”)
Jay-Z haters got all over this one, accusing him of biting beats after “P.S.A.” used the same sample as Black Moon‘s “Stay Real” that dropped five weeks earlier. Considering Jay was putting the finishing touches on his apparent swan song, I doubt he was knee deep in a Black Moon record to get sampling ideas for Just Blaze. Though it’s worth mentioning that Buckwild used the sample for the first 20 seconds or so of O.C.‘s [click to read] “Poiint O Viewz” back in ’94. But I digress, Jay and Just by a country mile here.
Jay-Z “P.S.A.,” 2003 (produced by Just Blaze)
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About a year after No I.D. [click to read] laced Ghostface‘s “Metal Lungies” using a sample from Operation Breadbasket Orchestra & Choir‘s “Nobody Knows,” Buckwild used the very sample with nearly identical results for 50 Cent‘s “I Don’t Need’Em.” I prefer Buck‘s beat, it’s much more menacing, but overall Tony wins ’cause him and Sheek [click to read] rocked it hard.
Ghostface Killah “Metal Lungies,” 2004 (produced by No I.D.)
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None of the producers got particularly creative here, Ice-T‘s stands out the most as they sped the sample up a few notches. Finesse gets my vote here, ’cause the hook kicks ass and he was rhyming on the monkey bars when he was 12.
Ice-T “You Played Yourself,” 1989 (produced by Afrika Islam)
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Lord Finesse “Bad Mutha,” 1990 (produced by Diamond D [click to read])
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MF DOOM [click to read] (as King Geedorah) vs. Nas vs. RZA [click to read] (Sample: The Whatnauts “Message From A Black Man”)
DOOM gets some major credit for rocking this one first, especially considering Nas and RZA released theirs just months apart with nearly identical titles. On the production tip Nas‘ stands out the most as its much more acoustic than the others. Surprisingly enough, he sounds the worst of the bunch as RZA kicks one of the best verses of his career and DOOM and Mr. Fantastik flat-out killing it. Tie between DOOM and RZA; I can’t call it.
King Geedorah “Anti-Matter,” 2003 (produced by MF DOOM)
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EPMD [click to read] vs. Dru Down vs. Jay-Z vs. NYGz [click to read] (Sample: Tyrone Thomas & The Whole Damn Family “7 Minutes Of Funk”)
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This is a great one. One of EPMD‘s classics and the song that broke Jay from the underground once and for all. Everybody knows these two (or should, lest your pass gets provoked), but fewer will know Dru Down‘s “Pimp of the Year” or the NYGz “Giantz To Thiz.” Ant Banks sampled much more of the song than the others for Dru Down, but Premo got to choppin’ as only he does. Obviously Jay and EPMD hold the edge here with the status of those songs, but Dru Down had an outlandish perm and Premier is tough to vote against. Gotta got Erick and Parrish for sentimentality.
EPMD “It’s My Thing,” 1987 (produced by Epee MD)
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Diamond D vs. Busta Rhymes [click to read] vs. Nas (Sample: SSO “Faded Lady”)
Nas‘ joint is obviously the least known here as it was never officially released and was just leaked on a mixtape last year. Nevertheless it heavily utilizes the same SSO sample that DJ Scratch used two years prior for Busta Rhymes. Of course, Diamond D and Jazzy Jay had unearthed that one over a decade before on D‘s classic debut Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop. Nasir gets the nod from me here, he did damage on this one.
Diamond D “I Went For Mine,” 1992 (produced by Jazzy Jay & Diamond D)
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Nas “Something Foul” 2008
Nas vs. Nas (Sample: Iron Butterfly “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”)
This one still baffles the skull. Lead singles on back to back album using the same sample, an incredibly recognizable one at that. Who does that? Nevertheless, both tracks are absolutely top notch. It is hard to go against Salaam‘s “Thief’s Theme” as it is so rugged, which is how I like my production. But will.i.am‘s [click to read] version is just so dynamic, the breakdowns, the chanting, and whatnot.
Nas “Thief’s Theme” 2004 (produced by Salaam Remi)
