Sample This Vol. II

This post is all about the origins and in some cases, the stories behind some of the most popular hip hop songs of the last few decades. You already know how this works - the original is first and the songs that used samples are underneath. To listen to the before and after (music), click on the links below the photos.

St. Elmo's Fire - Michael Franks

Fabolouso - We Get High

If you don't know who Michael Franks is then allow me to introduce you to this Soul Brother from another Mother. To dub him any less than classic and his music anything other than a panty dropper, would be your take not mine! St. Elmo's Fire is smooth and sultry and leads to many things. That just so happens to bring us to Fab's We Get High, if this version doesn't make you want to blaze the fuck up, nothing will. This is chill mode on a Saturday night in the crib. The lyrics are on some ole snake a brother shit, but the beat is tight and the melody is on one.

Ronnie Laws - Tidal Wave

Black Moon - Who Got The Props

Tidal Wave by Ronnie Laws is an instant classic and has been sampled by a ton of folks. Smooth and mellow house cleaning music, that will have your ass dancing in place as you make the rounds. Who Got The Props has been my shit from the first time I heard this joint. The lyrics are tight, pace is knocking and the beat is a st8 killa. 



HIS PERSPECTIVE: Blazing ain't my thing, but chillin' with folks that do is fine by me, they tend to listen to great music. This whole post should come with some great weed recommendations, maybe our readers can let us know. Whatever it is that you choose to do, think mellow and let the days troubles go.


HER PERSPECTIVE: After listening to St. Elmo's Fire, I feel like I just spent the last hour blazing or in my case, eating a "cookie." It's a wonderfully lazy and entrancing song. Throw in Fab's version, and all of a sudden I'm feeling a little more gangsta with my shit. Nice change of pace but it still maintains the same laid back "high" vibe. Tidal Wave by Ronnie Laws is bonkers - my type of jazz when I'm on one. Love the horns and overall vibe. Kudos to Black Moon for finding this gem and flippin' it into Who Got the Props!

Stay tuned for Sample This Vol. III

Tweet So Hard

HER PERSPECTIVE: I woke up like this...I literally woke up the other day with the strong urge to tweet some ish. And I did. And then a random rapper dude asked me to "check out all the latest from #Jayohtheartist a NYC artist on the rise!" Which I did. But then I didn't love it so I respectfully tweeted back and credited the new music that I did love. 

In hindsight, I think I did the  rapper dude a solid - he can now go back to the drawing board and maybe (and that's a big ass maybe) emerge as a worthy opponent for the likes of new kids on the rap block... @NickGrant_ and @DaveEast. 


HIS PERSPECTIVE: I woke up wondering what was for breakfast and why in the hell would I have to cook that shit for myself yet again? When I got the tweet from the girl about the requested impromptu review, I texted back "Did ole boy clap back yet?" Who in the hell gives a brutha a review by providing him with not one but two artist's that they'd prefer to listen to? 


HER PERSPECTIVE: Ole boy ain't clap back yet. Hopefully that's a sign that he took heed to my advice and started recording some new shit that's not the same. Or not. He probably doesn't give a shit and for that I commend him.

HIS PERSPECTIVE: To be fair to the girl, I listened to dude and to say that it wasn't quite my taste wouldn't capture the emotion and depth of my feelings for the track and video. I try hard not to shit on someone's art and creativity, but if asked for an opinion I feel that I'm doing a disservice if I'm not blatantly honest. That written; The production of "Ain't Been The Same" is fairly good, but the lyrics are typical and underwhelming. Jayoh manages to use the words shit, bitches, racks and even slips in the obligatory "make it rain" within the first few bars of the song. The only thing that was missing was that lean. Typical... The video??? Let's just say that the beach scene is as underwhelming as the lyrics are. I've been to plenty of beaches in Miami and I have yet to see one as lonely and depressing as this one. The one thing that I will give it is that Jayoh's shit is aptly named, Shit Ain't Been The Same since I heard this joint. 

To Watch Jayoh's video click on the following link - Ain't Been The Same