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Home::Music
Sampling vs. Not Sampling: Originality in Hip-Hop
Author : Victor Garmiles
Hip-Hop, despite its short lifetime in comparison to other music
genres, has gone through many changes since its conception. The
songs that we hear all over mainstream radio today sound
completely different from what was being played ten, twenty
years ago. One of the most noticeable differences is the lack of
sampled material. More and more hip-hop producers are taking the
route of expensive synthesizers and 808 drums rather than record
players vinyl, and samplers. This process has resulted in
creating a divide between those who support sampling and those
who do not.
Kanye West is one producer who still samples, and samples hard.
Almost every beat he has created has contained elements from
other songs, and some claim that this takes away from his
musical integrity. Those who are against the concept of sampling
claim that Hip-Hop cannot be taken seriously as long as we are
blatantly stealing and copying other musical styles. Some have
even gone as far as saying that Hip-Hop cannot stand on its own
as a musical genre, as it is simply borrowed music.
However, few remember that sampling lies within the very roots
of Hip-Hop. The first hip-hop records were derived from sampling
and remixing funk, soul, disco, and jazz. To disregard the core
element of hip-hop for the sake of originality is absurd. Even
though our culture is forever evolving, we cannot forget how we
got where we are.
To limit one's self from sampling another's work is to limit
one's ability. A musician can only work for so long without
drawing upon outside inspiration. Even the big time producers
who aren't really known for sampling, such as The Neptunes, have
a large collection of vinyl stashed somewhere. Watch the bonus
DVD that came with the album "The Neptunes Presents... Clones".
Records can be seen scattered around their work area as they
walk the audience through the production process.
Still not convinced?
Remember the huge hit single "Drop it like its Hot"? Well, that
had a sample. Get a hold of Laid Back's "White Horse".
Listen to that Neptunes produced Snoop Dogg single from a few
years back, "From the Chuuuch to the Palace". Hard synths, clean
drums, and no sample in sight. However, check out Dennis
Coffey's "Scorpio", and one may have to reconsider how
"original" and "innovative" the Neptunes really are.
The point of the following was not to discredit the Neptunes. In
fact, I revere them for being two of the best producers in the
game. My goal was to highlight the fact that the Neptunes, one
of the most original production teams to date, sample.
Sure, there are some producers out there who blatantly abuse the
art of sampling. They lay new drums over tired loops, mix it
down and release it as the next hot track. The sampled track
ends up getting butchered by the beat maker, and it is a slap in
the face to the original artist. However, the problem does not
lie within sampling itself, but in the producers who abuse it.
Those who first started sampling used it as a tool to engineer
their own ideas, rather than as a method to steal others. As
Hip-Hop artists we should always be looking forward, rather than
relying on what has already been done.
Good music is good music regardless of its process of creation.
It does not matter whether there was a sample or not, if that
lead has been overused, or if the loop is ripped directly from
the original track. People judge music based on its quality. We
are all in pursuit of great music, and to disregard sampled or
non-sampled music due to technicalities and personal bias is to
take away from our musical growth. Elitism is unnecessary in the
world of music. Just let the audio speak for itself.
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