Rewind: Rick Ross 'Deeper Than Rap'

In April 2009, Rick Ross released his Third album, 'Deeper Than Rap', which can also boast being his third straight #1 Billboard charting full length. This post will cover the sample sources of 'Deeper Than Rap''s singles and deep album cuts, produced by some of the hottest producers out at the moment.

The single 'Maybach Music 2' was produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and features the heavy hitter line up of T-Pain, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West. J.U.S.T.I.C.E. sample Dexter Wansel's 1978 cut 'Time is the Teacher' from his album 'Voyager' for the cut. On the album's lead single 'Magnificent', a top 10 R&B and Rap charting hit, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League laces Ross and John Legend with a backing featuring samples from Angela Bofill's 80s song 'Gotta Make it Up to You' from her 'Teaser' LP. J.U.S.T.I.C.E. also provide the beat for 'Yacht Club', which utilize Johnny Pate's 'El Jardia' from the 1973 blaxploitation soundtrack 'Shaft in Africa'. Rick Ross rides a sample of Willie Hutch's 'Color Her Sunshine' on 'Rich Off Cocaine'. Finally on the album cut 'Valley of Death', DJ Toomp samples Barry White's 'I'm So Blue and You Are Too' from his album 'Let the Music Play' to great effect.

Ross is already scheduled to release a new album in 2010, tentatively titled 'Teflon Don'.

The Lowdown:
Rick Ross 'Maybach Music 2', 'Magnificent', 'Yacht Club', 'Rich Off Cocaine', and 'Valley of Death'
from 'Deeper Than Rap' (2009) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Maybach Music 2', 'Magnificent', 'Yacht Club', 'Rich Off Cocaine', and 'Valley of Death'
Dexter Wansel 'Time is the Teacher'
from 'Voyager' (1978) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Angela Bofill 'Gotta Make it Up to You'
from 'Teaser' (1983) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Johnny Pate 'El Jardia'
from 'Shaft in Africa' (1973) (MP3/CD not available)
Willie Hutch 'Color Her Sunshine'
from 'Color Her Sunshine' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Barry White 'I'm So Blue and You Are Too'
from 'Let the Music Play' (1975) (MP3/Import CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Jay-Z 'American Gangster' (Part 2) (DJ Toomp appearance)
Rewind: Kanye West 'Graduation' (Part 1) (DJ Toomp appearance)
Rewind: Kanye West 'Graduation' (Part 2) (DJ Toomp appearance)

Rewind: Jay-Z 'The Blueprint' (Part 2)

Welcome to our second look at Jay-Z's 'The Blueprint', released on this date in 2001.

One of my favorite samples used for 'The Blueprint' is David Ruffin's 'Common Man' sampled by Kanye West for the track 'Never Change'. The ex-Temps vocalist is amazing on this cut from his self titled 1973 album - this may not be a club banger or something anyone could ever sample again, but it is a hell of a tune. Bobby Glenn's 'Sounds Like a Love Song' is the source for the Just Blaze produced 'Song Cry', one of Jay-Z's most poignant tracks, though it failed to break either the pop or R&B top 40 upon its release as a single. On the Bink produced 'All I Need', Jay-Z rhymes over samples from Natalie Cole's 'Unpredictable' album cut 'I Can't Break Away (From You)'. Bink also produced the album's title track 'Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)', which cuts a sample from Al Green's 'Free at Last' from the beat digger favorite 'Livin' for You'. Just Blaze digs deep for 'Got to Find My Own Place' by Stanley Clarke for Jay-Z's bonus track 'Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)'. Finally, Jay-Z rides a sample of the Persuaders' 'Trying Girls Out' for his excellent bonus track 'Girls, Girls, Girls' (Remix) produced by Kanye West.

'The Blueprint' was another career plateau for Jay-Z, though it was followed by the career nadir of 'The Blueprint²', an underwhelming double album featuring much of the same cast, with much less conviction and tons of gimmicky cameo appearances. 2009 is set to see the release of Jay-Z's 'The Blueprint 3' today, which will undoubtedly be featured in a future post on this blog.

The Lowdown:
Jay-Z 'Never Change', 'Song Cry', 'All I Need', 'Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)', 'Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)', and 'Girls, Girls, Girls' (Remix)
from 'The Blueprint' (2001) (MP3/CD)
David Ruffin 'Common Man'
from 'David Ruffin' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Bobby Glenn 'Sounds Like a Love Song'
from 'Shout it Out' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Natalie Cole 'I Can't Break Away (From You)'
from 'Unpredictable' (1977) (MP3/Import CD)
Al Green 'Free at Last'
from 'Livin' for You' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Stanley Clarke 'Got to Find My Own Place'
from 'Modern Man' (1978) (MP3/CD not available)
The Persuaders 'Trying Girls Out'
from 'The Persuaders' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Jay-Z 'Vol. 3'
Rewind: Jay-Z 'American Gangster' (Part 1)
Rewind: Jay-Z 'American Gangster' (Part 2)

Rewind: Jay-Z 'The Blueprint' (Part 1)

Despite it's unfortunate release date on September 11th, 2001 - Jay-Z's 'The Blueprint' managed outstanding first week sales and has become one of the 00s most lauded hip-hop albums. Utilizing much of the same production crew as 2000's 'The Dynasty', Jay rhymes over classics from future super producers Kanye West and Just Blaze. The album yielded four single, including one top 10 smash, and a not so great sequel. Hopefully 'Blueprint 3' will be a step up. This two part post will cover the sample sources of Jay-Z's modern day classic 'The Blueprint'.

Jay-Z co-opts Slick Rick's title on the album's opening track 'The Ruler's Back', produced by Bink and featuring a sample of Jackie Moore's 'If' from her 1973 album 'Sweet Charlie Babe'. One of Kanye West's early standout beats is his production for Jay's 'Takeover'. The song famously samples the Door's bass heavy rocker 'Five to One' from 1968's 'Waiting for the Sun' and interpolates David Bowie and John Lennon's hit record 'Fame' from 1975's 'Young Americans'. The album's biggest hit is the Kanye produced 'Izzo (H.O.V.A.)' which slips a sly sample of the Jackson 5's 'I Want You Back' into the mainstream without much fanfare. Maybe it is subliminal! On 'Girls, Girls, Girls', my personal favorite beat on the album, Just Blaze deftly samples Tom Brock's 'There's Nothing in this World that Can Stop Me from Loving You' from his 1974 album 'I Love you More and More'. On the pounding 'U Don't Know', Just Blaze samples Bobby Byrd's 'I'm Not to Blame' from his 1970 live album 'I Need Help'. The Kanye West produced ''Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)' samples Bobby 'Blue' Bland's late career hit 'Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City' from his 1974 album 'Dreamer'.

Check back for our second look at Jay-Z's 'The Blueprint'.

The Lowdown:
Jay-Z 'The Ruler's Back', 'Takeover', 'Izzo (H.O.V.A.)', 'Girls, Girls, Girls', 'U Don't Know', and 'Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)'
from 'The Blueprint' (2001) (MP3/CD)
Jackie Moore 'If'
from 'Sweet Charlie Babe' (1973) (MP3/CD)
The Doors 'Five to One'
from 'Waiting for the Sun' (1968) (MP3/CD)
David Bowie 'Fame'
from 'Young Americans' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Jackson 5 'I Want You Back'
from 'Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Tom Brock 'There's Nothing in this World that Can Stop Me from Loving You'
from 'I Love you More and More' (1974) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Bobby Byrd 'I'm Not to Blame'
from 'I Need Help' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Bobby Bland 'Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City'
from 'Dreamer' (1974) (MP3/Import CD)

Related Posts:
Producer Profile: Just Blaze (Part 1, 2000-2001)
Producer Profile: Kanye west (Part 2, 2001-2002)

Rewind: Lil Wayne 'Tha Carter III'

Maybe it's me, but it does not at all feel like 'Tha Carter III' was released on this date last year - Lil Wayne has easily given the American consciousness three years worth of crazy in just the last 12 months since his album finally dropped. This post will cover the sample material used by Wayne and his production cohorts for 2008's massive album 'Tha Carter III'.

The album's undeniable cut is the throbbing smash single 'A Milli' produced by Bangladesh. The song contains a sample from Norman Cook's remix of 'I Left My Wallet in El Segundo' from A Tribe Called Quest's 1989 UK version of the single. The Kanye produced track 'Comfortable' that posts Lil Wayne up with Babyface (uh?) includes a sample from another Kanye West produced track: 'You Don't Know My Name' from Alicia Keys' 2003 album 'The Diary of Alicia Keys'. As previously covered on this blog, Swizz Beatz produces a very un-Swizz sounding beat for Lil Wayne's 'Dr. Carter' by looping fragments of David Axelrod's 'Holy Thursday' bass and drum breakdown.

Kanye West also produced the song 'Let the Beat Build' on 'Tha Carter III' using a sample from ex-Temptation Eddie Kendricks' 'Day by Day' from the 1972 album 'People... Hold On'. Probably the most well known use of another song on the album is Wayne's vocal interpolation of the Rolling Stones' 'Play with Fire' on his own track 'Playing with Fire' produced by StreetRunner. Since the interpolation was never licensed, the track has been removed from newer copies of 'Tha Carter III' and undoubtedly there is some kind of cash settlement (lesson: clear those samples). Finally, Rodnae and Moussa produce a scorcher for Lil Wayne, the nearly ten minute 'DontGetIt', by sampling Nina Simone's 1964 cover of 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' from her classic album 'Broadway - Blues - Ballads'.

In a year when record sales were few and far between, Wayne managed to do the unthinkable: go platinum in one week (I'm going to date myself, but I remember when 'Doggystyle' did the same thing, and it was a HUGE deal - and that was when people actually bought CDs). So far, the album is three times platinum and Lil Wayne is showing no signs of slowing down with more albums planned and mixtapes released.

The Lowdown:
Lil Wayne 'A Milli', 'Comfortable', 'Dr. Carter', 'Let the Beat Build', 'Playing with Fire', and 'DontGetIt'.
from 'Tha Carter III' (2008) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'A Milli', 'Comfortable', 'Dr. Carter', 'Let the Beat Build', and 'DontGetIt'.
A Tribe Called Quest 'I Left My Wallet in El Segundo' (Vampire Mix)
from 'I Left My Wallet in El Segundo' (1989) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Alicia Keys 'You Don't Know My Name'
from 'The Diary of Alicia Keys' (2003) (MP3/CD)
David Axelrod 'Holy Thursday'
from 'Songs of Innocence' (1968) (MP3/CD not available)
Eddie Kendricks 'Day By Day'
from 'People... Hold On' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Rolling Stones 'Play with Fire'
from 'Out of Our Heads' (1965) (MP3/CD)
Nina Simone 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood'
from 'Broadway - Blues - Ballads' (1964) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Producer Profile: David Axelrod (Part 2, 1968-1969)

Five On It: May 2009's Essentials

Here it is, this month's Five On It: the most necessary breaks of the past month distilled for maximum usability / listenability. This month had some burning hot cuts and also had some big tracks from our James Brown week. Check out what we've got for you.

UGK's 'Hard to Swallow' review was full of classic breaks, two of which we'll highlight this month. Bill Withers' 'Still Bill' is a classic album and no cut is more useful for slo-mo tracks than the hit 'Use Me'. Also, other 'Superfly album cuts have been previously featured as Five On It picks, but this month highlights the single 'Freddie's Dead' for its usefulness to producers. James Brown week featured a look at James Brown's 1974 album 'Hell' and featured the big cut 'My Thang', which may not be the first break one would pick from J.B.'s archive, but is a heavy one. Also featured during our look at James Brown was Myra Barnes' 'Message from the Soul Sisters' when we looked at the numerous songs that sampled that break. Finally, during our look at Ice Cube's 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted', we mentioned Funkadelic's heavy 'Standing on the Verge of Getting It On' from the album of the same title. It's no secret that P-Funk samples make up a large part of West Coast hip-hop history, and this song is no exception.

The Lowdown:
Bill Withers 'Use Me'
from 'Still Bill' (1972)(MP3/Import CD)
Curtis Mayfield 'Freddie's Dead'
from 'Superfly' (1972) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'My Thang'
from 'Hell' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Myra Barnes 'Message from the Soul Sisters'
from 'Message from the Soul Sisters' 7" (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Funkadelic 'Standing on the Verge of Getting It On'
from 'Standing on the Verge of Getting It On' (1974) (MP3/CD)

Bonus Cuts:
Bill Withers' 'Use Me' intro drums have always been a popular sampling source, but that shouldn't take away from the impact of the song itself, which was covered many times by great artists. Esther Phillips delivered a version of 'Use Me' as did Isaac Hayes who played a live version of 'Use Me' at the Sahara Tahoe. In 1981, Grace Jones had a spooky version of 'Use Me' as only Grace Jones could. The original was recently sampled by Kanye West for Nas' track 'Still Dreaming'.

Rewind: Kanye West 'Late Registration' (Part 2)

Welcome to the second part of our look at Kanye West's second album 'Late Registration'.

To me, one of the best sample flipped on 'Late Registration' is that of Gil Scott-Heron's forever chilling junkie dirge 'Home is Where the Hatred Is' used for Kanye and Common's 'My Way Home'. West's track leaves much of the sample intact, but the original track is still necessary for complete music collections. Nas makes an appearance on Kanye West's 'We Major' produced by West, Jon Brion, and Warryn Campbell. The song uses samples from Stevie Wonder's 'Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)' from his 1972 album 'Music of My Mind'. Kanye, Cam'ron, and Consequence rhyme over portions of Otis Redding's 'It's Too Late' on the late album track 'Gone'. Finally, the lead single 'Diamonds from Sierra Leone' produced by Kanye, Brion, and Devo Springfield flips Shirley Bassey's theme to 'Diamonds are Forever' from the James Bond film soundtrack of the same name.

'Late Registration' was more successful than its predecessor, 'College Dropout', but both were later eclipsed (in terms of sales) by Kanye West's third album 'Graduation' (which was previously reviewed on this blog).

The Lowdown:
Kanye West 'My Way Home', 'We Major', 'Gone', and 'Diamonds from Sierra Leone'
from 'Late Registration' (2005) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'My Way Home', 'We Major', 'Gone', and 'Diamonds from Sierra Leone'
Gil Scott-Heron 'Home is Where the Hatred Is'
from 'Pieces of a Man' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Stevie Wonder 'Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)'
from 'Music of My Mind' (1972) (MP3/CD)
Otis Redding 'It's Too Late'
from 'The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads' (1965) (MP3/CD)
Shirley Bassey 'Diamonds are Forever'
from 'Diamonds are Forever OST' (1972) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Kanye West 'Graduation' (Part 1)
Kanye West 'Graduation' (Part 2)

Rewind: Kanye West 'Late Registration' (Part 1)

In 2005, following the success of his debut album 'The College Dropout', Kanye West dropped his follow up album 'Late Registration'. This two part post will cover the sample sources from Kanye's sophomore effort.

The single 'Heard 'Em Say' (with a hook by Maroon 5's Adam Levine for whatever reason - they're famous?) produced by West and Jon Brion contains a sample of Natalie Cole's 'Someone That I Used to Love'. Just Blaze produced the much higher charting single 'Touch the Sky' with Lupe Fiasco, which utilizes as excellent (and very much slowed down) sample of Curtis Mayfield's 'Move On Up' from his essential 1970 album 'Curtis'. The album's biggest hit and an inescapable single for 2005 and 2006 is Kanye's 'Gold Digger' with Jamie Foxx. The song famously samples Ray Charles' 50s hit 'I Got a Woman' from his 'Rock and Roll Forever' LP. The slow motion track 'Drive Slow' with Paul Wall and GLC finds Kanye West using the track 'Wildflower' from Hank Crawford's album of the same title.

Check back for the second part of our look at 'Late Registration'.

The Lowdown:
Kanye West 'Heard 'Em Say', 'Touch the Sky', 'Gold Digger', and 'Drive Slow'
from 'Late Registration' (2005) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Heard 'Em Say', 'Touch the Sky', 'Gold Digger', and 'Drive Slow'
Natalie Cole 'Someone that I Used to Love'
from 'I've Got Love on My Mind' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Curtis Mayfield 'Move on Up'
from 'Curtis' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Ray Charles and His Band 'I Got a Woman'
from 'Rock and Roll Forever' (1956) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Hank Crawford 'Wildflower'
from 'Wildflower' (1973) (MP3/Import CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Kanye West 'College Dropout' (Part 1)
Rewind: Kanye West 'College Dropout' (Part 2)

Rewind: Freeway 'Philadelphia Freeway' (Part 2)

Welcome to our second look at Freeway's debut album 'Philadelphia Freeway' released on this date in 2003.

Free's 'You Don't Know (In the Ghetto)', produced by Black Key, uses a sample from Minnie Riperton's remarkably descriptive, make-out anthem 'Inside My Love' from her post Rotary Connection 1975 album 'Adventures in Paradise'. Just Blaze samples 'Mystic Brew' by Ronnie Foster for Freeway's album cut 'Alright'. Finally, 'Hear the Song', produced by Kanye West, samples the Nile Rodgers / Bernard Edwards Chic cut 'Will You Cry (When You Hear This Song)' from their 1979 hit album 'Risqué'.

Check back for our review of Freeway's second album 'Free at Last' and continuing reviews of Just Blaze and Kanye West.

The Lowdown:
Freeway 'You Don't Know (In the Ghetto)', 'Alright', and 'Hear the Song'
from 'Philadelphia Freeway' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit:'You Don't Know (In the Ghetto)', 'Alright', and 'Hear the Song'
Minnie Riperton 'Inside My Love'
from 'Adventures in Paradise' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD)
Ronnie Foster 'Mystic Brew'
from 'The Two Headed Freap' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD)
Chic 'Will You Cry (When You Hear This Song)'
from 'Risqué' (1979) (MP3/CD)

Rewind: Kanye West 'College Dropout' (Part 2)

Welcome to our second look at Kanye West's 'The College Dropout'.

One of 'College Dropout''s standout album tracks is Kanye's 'School Spirit' sampling Aretha Franklin's 'Spirit in the Dark' from her 1970 album of the same name. Knowledge jewel: 'School Spirit' is edited for language because one of Aretha Franklin's stipulation for using the sample is there was no cursing over it. The Kanye, Freeway, and Mos Def posse cut 'Two Words' features a sample from Mandrill's 'Peace and Love (Amani Na Mapenzi) - Movement IV' from their self-titled 1970 album. Look for future posts about both Free and Mos this month on this blog.

The album's lead single is the outstanding 'Through the Wire', which put Kanye on the map as a rapper in addition to a producer. The track samples and interpolates Chaka Khan's 'Through the Fire' from her hit album 'I Feel for You' from 1984. West's 'Family Business' cuts a sample from 'Fonky Thang' by the Dells from 1972's 'Sweet as Funk Can Be'. The album ends with the track 'Last Call', co-produced by Porse. West's story of joining the Roc thematically uses a loop from Bette Midler's 'Mr. Rockefeller' from her album 'Songs for the New Depression'.

In addition to 'The College Dropout', Kanye produced a grip of great single in 2004 and returned in 2005 with his sophomore album 'Late Registration' (look for a multi-post arc about 'Late Registration' in the future).

The Lowdown:
Kanye West 'School Spirit', 'Two Words', 'Through the Wire', 'Family Business', and 'Last Call'
from 'College Dropout' (2004) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'School Spirit', 'Two Words', 'Through the Wire', 'Family Business', and 'Last Call'
Aretha Franklin 'Spirit in the Dark'
from 'Spirit in the Dark' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Mandrill 'Peace and Love (Amani Na Mapenzi) - Movement IV'
from 'Mandrill' (1970) (MP3 not avialable/CD)
Chaka Khan 'Through the Fire'
from 'I Feel for You' (1984) (MP3/CD)
The Dells 'Fonky Thang'
from 'Sweet as Funk Can Be' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Bette Midler 'Mr. Rockefeller'
from 'Songs for the New Depression' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Rewind: Kanye West 'College Dropout' (Part 1)

After a year full of production credits for other artists, many covered in previous posts on this blog, Kanye West released his own album in 2004. The album, with little initial fanfare, became a critically acclaimed debut which would launch West's celebrity into the stratosphere. This two part post will cover the samples used on his album 'The College Dropout' from 2004.

The opening track 'We Don't Care' is indicative of West's early sped-up soul sample sound with a sample from the Jimmy Castor Bunch's 'I Just Wanna Stop'. The track also features early appearances from future pop stars John Legend and Keyshia Cole. The original beat for the future single 'All Falls Down' featured a sample of Lauryn Hill's 'Mystery of Iniquity' from her album 'MTV Unplugged No. 2.0'; but after Hill decided she didn't want to permit the use of the sample, the hook was resung by Syleena Johnson for the album cut (the early version can be heard on the mixtapes predating the release of the album and don't sound quite as good as the final album version).

One of my favorite beats on 'The College Dropout' is the beat for 'Spaceship' that uses an excellent loop from Marvin Gaye's 'Distant Lover' from his album 'Let's Get It On'. What a fantastic flip of the track! Kanye and Jay-Z 's 'Never Let Me Down' rides over a sample of Blackjack's 'Maybe It's the Power of Love' featuring vocals from Michael Bolton (yes, that Michael Bolton... THAT Michael Bolton) from the 1980 album 'Worlds Apart'. One of the album's biggest singles was 'Slow Jamz', a track for Twista that also appears on his album. The track loops up Luther Vandross' 'A House is Not a Home' from his album 'Never Too Much'.

Check back for our second look at 'The College Dropout'.

The Lowdown:
Kanye West 'We Don't Care', 'All Falls Down', 'Spaceship', 'Never Let Me Down', and 'Slow Jamz'
from 'The College Dropout' (2004) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'We Don't Care', 'All Falls Down', 'Spaceship', 'Never Let Me Down', and 'Slow Jamz'
The Jimmy Castor Bunch 'I Just Wanna Stop'
from 'The Jimmy Castor Bunch' (1979) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Lauryn Hill 'Mystery of Iniquity'
from 'MTV Unplugged No. 2.0' (2002) (MP3/CD)
Marvin Gaye 'Distant Lover'
from 'Let's Get It On' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Blackjack 'Maybe It's the Power of Love'
from 'Worlds Apart' (1980) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Luther Vandross 'A House is Not a Home'
from 'Never Too Much' (1980) (MP3/CD)

Bonus Cut:
Sorry, no download for the Jimmy Castor Bunch's cover of 'I Just Wanna Stop', but you can nab the original Gino Vannelli of 'I Just Wanna Stop'. More Castor Bunch in the future, without a doubt.

Related Posts:
Producer Profile: Kanye West (Part 3, 2003)
Producer Profile: Kanye West (Part 4, 2003)
Producer Profile: Kanye West (Part 5, 2003)

Producer Profile: Kanye West (Part 5, 2003)

Welcome to our final look at Kanye West's production output from 2003 (and man, was the dude busy - for 2003 alone, there are previous posts here and here).

A relatively unknown production credit from Kanye is 'Dogs Out' from DMX's widely forgotten 2003 album 'Grand Champ'. I'm not so sure about X's delivery, but the beat is among Kanye's best from the period - it samples the Phil Spector produced 1958 hit 'Dedicated to the One I Love' by the Shirelles. Another West produced non-single from 2003 is Fabolous' 'My Life' from 'Street Dreams', which samples 'Pride and Vanity' from the early Ohio Players album 'Pleasure'. Lil Kim's 'La Bella Mafia' album cut 'Came Back for You' produced by West samples Irene Reid's 'Didn't We' from her 1971 album 'The World Needs What I Need'.

Finally, Royce Da 5'9"'s 'Heartbeat' has caused a lot of controversy from both the Royce camp and the Kanye camp. West contends that Royce never paid for his beat to 'Heartbeat' (which samples Junior Walker's 'Darling Come Back Home' from 1978), but recorded on it and released it in 2003 on his mixtape 'Build and Destroy: The Lost Sessions Part 1'.

Check back for our look at Kanye West's production credits from 2004 as well as a look at his album 'The College Dropout' coming soon.

The Lowdown:
DMX 'Dogs Out'
from 'Grand Champ' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Dogs Out'
The Shirelles 'Dedicated to the One I Love'
from 'Dedicated to the One I Love' 7" (1958) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Fabolous 'My Life'
from 'Street Dreams' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'My Life'
The Ohio Players 'Pride and Vanity'
from 'Pleasure' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD)
Lil Kim 'Came Back for You'
from 'La Bella Mafia' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Came Back for You'
Irene Reid 'Didn't We'
from 'The World Needs What I Need' (1971) (MP3 Not Available/CD Not Available)
Royce Da 5'9" 'Heartbeat'
from 'Build and Destroy: The Lost Sessions Part 1' (2003) (MP3 not available/CD)
Jr. Walker 'Darling Come Back Home'
from '...Smooth' (1978) (MP3 Not Available/CD Not Available)

Producer Profile: Kanye West (Part 4, 2003)

Welcome to part 4 of our look at Kanye west's production discography, covering some of his production credits from 2003.

On fellow Roc-a-fella artist Memphis Bleek's album 'M.A.D.E.', Kanye contributes the beats to 'I Wanna Love U' which samples Michael Jackson's hit 'P.Y.T.' (those taking notes may remember that West also used 'P.Y.T.' on his album 'Graduation', reviewed in depth here). West produced the track 'Knock Knock' for Monica using an excellent sample: 'It's a Terrible Thing to Waste Your Love' by the Masqueraders from their 1977 album 'Love Anonymous'.

Kanye produced two tracks for T.I.'s sophomore album 'Trap Musik' released in 2003. The amazing album track 'Doin' My Job' utilizes a sample of Bloodstone's 'I'm Just Doin My Job' to great effect. T.I.'s 'Let Me Tell You Something' gets is robotic bounce from a sample of Roger's 'I Want to Be Your Man' from his album 'Unlimited!'.

Keep an eye on this blog for one more post about Kanye West's 2003 productions.

The Lowdown:
Memphis Bleek 'I Wanna Love U'
from 'M.A.D.E.' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Michael Jackson 'P.Y.T.'
from 'Thriller' (1981) (MP3/CD)
Monica 'Knock Knock'
from 'After the Storm' (2003) (MP3/CD)
The Masqueraders 'It's a Terrible Thing to Waste Your Love'
'Love Anonymous' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
T.I. 'Doin' My Job' and 'Let Me Tell You Something'
from 'Trap Muzik' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Doin' My Job' and 'Let Me Tell You Something'
Bloodstone 'I'm Just Doin My Job'
'Don't Stop' (1979) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Roger 'I Want to Be Your Man'
from 'Unlimited!' (1987) (MP3/CD)