skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Following the success of his breakthrough album 'What's Going On' and two successful pop albums ('Let's Get It On' and 'Diana and Marvin'), Marvin Gaye released 'I Want You' in 1976. With writer/producer Leon Ware, Gaye created some of his most erotic music. Marvin has always been a favorite of hip-hop producers for sample sources, so 'I Want You' features a series of well used samples placed in hip-hop history.
The album's fantastic lead single 'I Want You' was a top 20 pop hit and is the blueprint for the 80s quiet storm sound. In 1994, 'I Want You' was used twice: once by 88 X Unit for Ice Cube's 'What Can I Do?' and once by Puff Daddy and the Hitmen for Mary J Blige's hit single 'Be Happy'. In 2001, a then new Three 6 Mafia, produced by production team DJ Paul and Juicy J, sampled 'I Want You' for 'Long Nite' from their debut album 'Mystic Stylez'. |
 |
The album's second track 'Come Live with Me Angel' was sampled in 2003 by Red Spyda for one of G-Unit's few charting hits: 'Wanna Get to Know You' with R&B singer Joe. The album's second single 'After the Dance' was again used by Ice Cube (via the Boogiemen production team) in 1991 for the single 'Steady Mobbin'' from 'Death Certificate'. Seven years later, 'After the Dance' was sampled by Salaam Remi for Canibus' 'Get Retarded' from his debut album 'Can-I-Bus'. Finally, L.A. Jay and SlimKid3 sampled Marvin's 'Since I Had You' for the Pharcyde's 'Otha Fish' from their debut album 'Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde'.The Lowdown:
Marvin Gaye 'I Want You', 'Come Live with Me Angel', 'After the Dance', and 'Since I Had You'
from 'I Want You' (1976) (MP3/CD)
Ice Cube 'What Can I Do?'
from 'Lethal Injection' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'What Can I Do?'
Mary J. Blige 'Be Happy'
from 'My Life' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Three 6 Mafia 'Long Nite'
from 'Mystic Stylez' (2001) (MP3/CD)
G-Unit and Joe 'Wanna Get to Know You'
from 'Beg for Mercy' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Wanna Get to Know You'
Ice Cube 'Steady Mobbin''
from 'Death Certificate' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Canibus 'Get Retarded'
from 'Can-I-Bus' (1998) (MP3/CD)
The Pharcyde 'Otha Fish'
from 'Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde' (1992) (MP3/CD)Bonus Cuts:
There are a series of decent covers of 'I Want You' (none as good as the original in my opinion), but I thought I'd throw this one out there: Madonna enlisted Massive Attack to produce her version of 'I Want You' to pretty good results (don't hate me for saying so!).
Related Posts:
Source Material: Marvin Gaye 'Trouble Man'
The Breaks: Marlena Shaw 'California Soul' (Marvin Gaye appearance)
 |
 |
In the period of 1971 to 1974, James Brown had 25 top 100 charting singles and released 9 full length albums, all while extensively touring the country. Among some of his career defining releases is the soundtrack to 1973's 'Black Caesar', which was a nod to the film Little Caesar and not a nod to the 16th century pirate called Black Casear. The film helped launch former-football star Fred Williamson's career and also gave hip-hop some of its best ammunition. This two part blog arc will cover the contribution of 'Black Caesar''s samples to hip-hop.
The album's excellent opening track 'Down and Out in New York City' was Black Caesar's lone single. DJ Premier used it as the backing for Rakim's 'New York (Ya Out There)' from his 1997 solo album 'The 18th Letter'. James Brown's 'Blind Man Can See It' was used in 1990 by Diamond D for Lord Finesse's hip-hop landmark 'Funky Technician'. Two years later, Das EFX used the same song for their YO MTV Raps! staple 'They Want EFX'.
One of 'Black Caesar''s highlights, both on the soundtrack and in the film, is 'The Boss' - an overlooked classic in James' catalog. The beat is not overlooked in the world of hip-hop though: Ice-T used 'The Boss' for his 1989 track 'You Played Yourself'. In 2002, Salaam Remi produced Nas' 'Get Down', a hit from Nas' album 'God's Son' due to its throwback appeal.
Check back for part two of our look at 'Black Caesar'.The Lowdown:
James Brown 'Down and Out in New York City', 'Blind Man Can See It', and 'The Boss'
from 'Black Caesar' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Rakim 'New York (Ya Out There)'
from 'The 18th Letter' (1997) (MP3/CD)
Lord Finesse and DJ Mike Smooth 'Funky Technician'
from 'Funky Technician' (1990) (MP3/CD)
Das EFX 'They Want EFX'
from 'Dead Serious' (1992) (MP3 not available/CD)
Ice-T 'You Played Yourself'
from 'The Iceberg' (1989) (MP3/CD)
Nas 'Get Down'
from 'God's Son' (2002) (MP3/CD)
Welcome to the second of our two part look at the Incredible Bongo Band's 'Apache'.
By the early 90s, 'Apache' was adapted into the genre of drum n' bass. Two landmark uses of the 'Apache' break in drum n' bass tracks is the 20-minute title track of Goldie's 1995 debut album 'Timeless' and the Metalheadz single 'Your Sound' by J Majik. 'Apache' became a widely used sample in the late 90s big beat style that became popular on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1997, Mantronix producer Kurtis Mantronik remixed Future Sound of London's single 'We Have Explosive' using the 'Apache' with devastating results.In 2002, Salaam Remi flipped 'Apache' for Nas' single 'Made You Look', making the beat sound radically different than previous hip-hop tracks. Three years later, Missy Elliott used the sample on her single 'We Run This' from 'The Cookbook'.
Despite its potential for oversaturation, 'Apache' still sounds as fresh today as it did over three decades ago. The sample will no doubt be the basis for many outstanding hip-hop and dance songs to come.The Lowdown:
Incredible Bongo Band 'Apache'
from 'Bongo Rock' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Goldie 'Timeless'
from 'Timeless' (1995) (MP3/CD)
J Majik 'Your Sound'
from 'Your Sound 12"' (1995) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Future Sound of London 'We Have Explosive' (Mantronik Remix #1)
from 'We Have Explosive' (1997) (MP3/CD not available)
Nas 'Made You Look'
from 'God's Son' (2002) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Made You Look'
Missy Elliott 'We Run This'
from 'The Cookbook' (2005) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'We Run This'
One of 1996's most widely acclaimed and commercially successful albums is also one of the most densely produced albums of the year. Fugees' sophomore album, 'The Score', led with three charting smash hits, repainted the landscape of pop and hip-hop with dark atmospheric beats that feel like a humid, murky swamp.
'Ready or Not' was the third single from the album, and though not as big of a hit at the time, the track is now one of the album's classic cuts. The chorus is an interpolation of the Delfonics classic 'Ready of Not, Here I Come (Can't Hide from Love)', an essential slice of Philly soul. 'Ready or Not' also includes samples from 'Django' by the Modern Jazz Quartet, 'God Made Me Funky' by the Headhunters, and most strangely 'Boadicea' from Enya's new age feel good album 'The Celts'. Like whoa. |
 |
The tense deep album track 'Zealots' has a quick vocal interpolation of 'I Only Have Eyes for You' by the Flamingos. The album's first single, the Salaam Remi produced 'Fu-Gee-La' features an interpolation (anyone see a pattern?) of Teena Marie's 1988 single 'Ooo La La La' from her album 'Naked to the World'. The song additionally samples Ramsey Lewis' hit '(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right'.
Check back for part 2 of 'The Score'.The Lowdown:
Fugees 'Ready or Not', 'Zealots', and 'Fu-Gee-La'
from 'The Score' (1996) (MP3/CD)
The Delfonics 'Ready or Not, Here I Come (Can't Hide from Love)'
from 'The Sound of Sexy Soul' (1968) (MP3/CD)
Modern Jazz Quartet 'Django'
from 'Pyramid' (1959) (MP3/CD)
Headhunters 'God Made Me Funky'
from 'Survival of the Fittest' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Enya 'Boadecia'
from 'The Celts' (1986) (MP3/CD)
The Flamingos 'I Only Have Eyes for You'
from 'Flamingo Serenade' (1959) (MP3 not available/CD)
Teena Marie 'Ooo La La La'
from 'Naked to the World' (1988) (MP3/CD not available)
Ramsey Lewis '(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right'
from 'Funky Serenity' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
BONUS CUTS:
Here are two cuts to diversify your Fugees medley at the clubs: Sly and Robbie's remix of 'Fu-Gee-La' (which is the only reason to own the lamely packaged Fugees 'Greatest Hits' album, trust me) and the 12" mix of 'Ooo La La La' by Teena Marie. Have fun.
