Rewind: N.W.A. 'Straight Outta Compton' (Part 2)

Welcome to our second look at N.W.A.'s monumental 1988 debut album 'Straight Outta Compton'.

On 'Parental Discretion iz Advised', the D.O.C. share vocal duties with N.W.A. on the mic making for an outstanding early Westside posse cut. The song, produced by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella, samples 'I Turned You On' from the 1969 Isley Brothers album 'The Brothers: Isley'. On the N.W.A. remix of Eazy-E's solo cut '8 Ball', Eazy raps over the Pointer Sister's 'Yes We Can Can' (an Allen Toussaint cover), Kool and the Gang's hit 'Hollywood Swinging', and Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On' (the last by way of Eazy-E's car radio). On 'Something Like That', Dre and MC Ren trade verses over Fat Larry's Band's 'Down on the Avenue' with additional samples of 'Take the Money and Run' by the Steve Miller Band. One of the album's biggest hits is the single 'Express Yourself' where Ice Cube rhymes about the downside of selling out and Dr. Dre rhymes about the downside of marijuana. Things changed. The basis for the song is Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band's classic single 'Express Yourself' from their 1969 album also titled 'Express Yourself'.

Check back at our third and final look at N.W.A.'s album 'Straight Outta Compton'.

The Lowdown:
N.W.A. 'Parental Discretion iz Advised', '8 Ball' (Remix), 'Something Like That', and 'Express Yourself'
from 'Straight Outta Compton' (1988) (MP3/CD)
The Isley Brothers 'I Turned You On'
from 'The Brothers: Isley' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Pointer Sisters 'Yes We Can Can'
from 'The Pointer Sisters' (1972) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Hollywood Swinging'
from 'Wild and Peaceful' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Marvin Gaye 'Let's Get It On'
from 'Let's Get It On' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Fat Larry's Band 'Down on the Avenue'
from 'Feel It' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD)
Steve Miller Band 'Take the Money and Run'
from 'Fly Like an Eagle' (1976) (MP3/CD)
Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band 'Express Yourself'
from 'Express Yourself' (1969) (MP3/CD)

Rewind: Scarface 'Mr. Scarface is Back' (Part 1)

Following success with Houston's Geto Boys in the late 80s, Scarface recorded his debut solo album in 1991. This two arc post will cover the samples sources for Scarface's album 'Mr. Scarface is Back'.

The album's opening track and first single is 'Mr. Scarface' which samples the b-side of Tony Alvon and the Belairs single titled 'Sexy Coffee Pot' which has since become a notable hip-hop break. On 'The Pimp', Scarface samples James Brown's 'The Sporting Life' from the 'Black Caesar' soundtrack. The album cut 'Born Killer' samples 'Buck and the Preacher' by the Nite-Liters from their 1972 album 'Different Strokes' as well as James Brown's often sampled breakbeat 'Funky Drummer' and the Commodores' 'Assembly Line'. Finally, 'Your A-- Got Took' samples Sly and the Family Stone's 'Sing a Simple Song', War's 'Four Corner Room', and 'Down on the Avenue' by Fat Larry's Band.

Check back for the second half of our look at 'Mr. Scarface is Back'.

The Lowdown:
Scarface 'Mr. Scarface', 'The Pimp', 'Born Killer', and 'Your A-- Got Took'
from 'Mr. Scarface is Back' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Tony Alvon and the Belairs 'Sexy Coffee Pot'
from 'Boom-Boom-Boom' 7" (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'The Sporting Place'
from 'Black Caesar' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Nite-Liters 'Buck and the Preacher'
from 'Different Strokes' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'Funky Drummer'
from 'Funky Drummer' 7" (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Commodores 'Assembly Line'
from 'Machine Gun' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Sing a Simple Song'
from 'Stand!' (1969) (MP3/CD)
War 'Four Corner Room'
from 'The World is a Ghetto' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD)
Fat Larry's Band 'Down on the Avenue'
from 'Feel It' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD)

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Rewind: Geto Boys 'We Can't Be Stopped'