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: The Roots 'Game Theory'

The Roots' seventh studio album, 'Game Theory', was released on August 29th three years ago. This post will look at the sample sources used by the Roots for this album.

On the album's intro track, 'Dilltastic Vol Won(derful)', the Roots pay tribute to J Dilla by sampling his production for Slum Village's 'Fantastic', which itself samples Herbie Hancock's 'You'll Know When You Get There' from his 1977 album 'V.S.O.P.'. The album's lead single, 'Don't Feel Right', has the Roots sampling Kool and the Gang's 'Jungle Boogie' and the Ohio Players' 'Ecstasy'. 'Atonement' has the Roots sampling alt rock band Radiohead's 'You and Whose Army?' from 2001's 'Amnesiac'. As a bookend to 'Game Theory', the Roots end the album with another tribute to J Dilla with 'Can't Stop This'. On 'Can't Stop This', the Roots sample Dilla's 'Time: The Donut of the Heart' from his 'Donuts' album which samples 'All I Do is Think of You' from the 1975 Jackson 5 album 'Moving Violation'.

'Game Theory' peaked in the Billboard top 10, but was not a high selling album. The album has been followed by 'Rising Down' in 2008 and 2009's soon to be released album 'How I Got Over'.

The Lowdown:
The Roots 'Dilltastic Vol Won(derful)', 'Don't Feel Right', 'Atonement', and 'Can't Stop This'
from 'Game Theory' (2006) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Dilltastic Vol Won(derful)', 'Don't Feel Right', 'Atonement', and 'Can't Stop This'
Slum Village 'Fantastic'
from 'Fan-tas-tic Vol. 1' (1997) (MP3/CD not available)
Herbie Hancock 'You'll Know When You Get There'
from 'V.S.O.P.' (1977) (MP3/Import CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Jungle Boogie'
from 'Wild and Peaceful' (1973) (MP3/CD)
The Ohio Players 'Ecstasy'
from 'Ecstasy' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Radiohead 'You and Whose Army?'
from 'Amnesiac' (2001) (MP3/CD)
J Dilla 'Time: The Donut of the Heart'
from 'Donuts' (2006) (MP3 not available/CD)
The Jackson 5 'All I Do is Think of You'
from 'Moving Violation' (1975) (MP3/CD not available)

Related Posts:
Producer Profile: J Dilla (Part 7, 2006)