skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Welcome to our second look at 'The Main Ingredient', Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth's sophomore album.What is a hip-hop classic without a James Brown beat? Pete Rock samples James Brown's 'Escape-ism' (as well as Ramsey Lewis' 'Sun Goddess' from Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth's track 'Escapism'. On 'Escape''s outro, Rock samples the Pointer Sisters' killer take on 'Yes We Can Can', originally a Lee Dorsey cut written by Allen Toussaint. On 'The Main Ingredient''s title track, Pete Rock samples 'Psychadelic Shack' by Albino Gorilla, 'Submission' by Tyrone Washington, and Les McCann's 'Harlem Buck Dance Strut' from his 1973 album 'Layers'. 'All the Places' samples two more J.B. cuts: 'Mind Power' and 'Take Some - Leave Some', both from James Brown's 1974 album 'The Payback', as well as the title track from Donald Byrd's 1975 album 'Places and Spaces' produced by Fonce and Larry Mizell. On 'Tell Me', Pete Rock samples the drums from the Detroit Emeralds' breakbeat cut 'You're Getting a Little Too Smart', J.B.'s 'Funky President (People It's Bad)' and 'Don't Tell It', and Stan Getz's 'Keep Dreamin'' from 1977's 'Another World'. During the outro, Pete Rock plays a bit of 'On the Hill' by Oliver Sain. 'Take You There' features samples from Joe Farrell's 'Upon This Rock', the Black Heat cut 'Zimba Ku' from 'Keep on Runnin', and 'Risin' to the Top' from Ken Burke's 'Changes'. Pete Rock samples one of rock's major breakbeats on the outro: Mountain's live version of 'Long Red' from 1972's full length 'Mountain Live'.Check back for the final part of our look at Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth's 'The Main Ingredient'.The Lowdown:
Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth 'Escapism', 'The Main Ingredient', 'All the Places', 'Tell Me', and 'Take You There'
from 'The Main Ingredient' (1994) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'Escape-ism'
from 'Hot Pants' (1971) (MP3/CD not available)
Ramsey Lewis 'Sun Goddess'
from 'Sun Goddess' (1974) (MP3/CD)
The Pointer Sisters 'Yes We Can Can'
from 'The Pointer Sisters' (1972) (MP3/CD)
Albino Gorilla 'Psychadelic Shack'
from 'Detroit 1984' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Tyrone Washington 'Submission'
'Roots' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Les McCann 'Harlem Buck Dance Strut'
from 'Layers' (1973) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'Mind Power' (edit) and 'Take Some - Leave Some'
from 'The Payback' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Donald Byrd 'Places and Spaces'
from 'Places and Spaces' (1976) (MP3/CD)
The Detroit Emeralds 'You're Getting a Little Too Smart'
from 'Detroit Emeralds' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'Funky President (People It's Bad)'
from 'Reality' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'Don't Tell It'
from 'Bodyheat' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Stan Getz 'Keep Dreamin''
from 'Another World' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Oliver Sain 'On the Hill'
from 'The Main Man' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Joe Farrell 'Upon This Rock'
from 'Upon This Rock' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Black Heat 'Zimba Ku'
from 'Keep on Runnin'' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Keni Burke 'Risin' to the Top'
from 'Changes' (1982) (MP3/Import CD)
Mountain 'Long Red'
from 'Mountain Live' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD)
Related Posts:
Producer Profile: Pete Rock (Part 1, 1991-1993)
Producer Profile: Pete Rock (Part 2, 1994)
 |
 |
Following the success of their debut album and the eternal hip-hop classic 'They Reminisce Over You', Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth returned in 1994 with their second and final album as a duo. This three part arc will cover the many tracks and many samples used by Pete Rock for the creation of 'The Main Ingredient'.
On the opening track, 'In the House', Pete Rock cropped samples from the Power of Zeus' 'The Sorcerer of Isis'. Deodato's excellent drum break track 'September 13', and the David Axelrod produced 'Capricorn' by Cannonball Adderley. On the song's outro, Rock uses Roy Ayers' 'Ain't Got Time' from the Ubiquity album 'He's Coming' from 1974. Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth's 'Carmel City' features samples from Hugo Montenegro's synth filled 'Dizzy' from his 1969 album 'Moog Power' and Milt Jackson's 'Enchanted Lady' from his 1970 album 'Memphis Jackson'. On 'I Get Physical', C.L. rhymes over George Benson's 'Face It Boy, It's Over' from his 1968 album 'Shape of Things to Come'. 'Sun Won't Come Out' features a classic octopus break beat by sampling Bob James' 'Nautilus' while the outro samples another essential Bob James cut, 'Take Me to the Mardi Gras' from 1975's 'Two' and Billy Joel's smaltzy hit 'Just the Way You Are' from 1977's 'The Stranger'. On the album's lead single, 'I Got a Love', Pete Rock samples the Ambassadors' soul single 'Ain't Got the Love (of One Girl on My Mind)' and Mel and Tim's 'Groovy Situation' from their album 'Good Guys Only Win in the Movies'.
Check back for part 2 of our look at 'The Main Ingredient'.The Lowdown:
Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth 'In the House', 'Carmel City', 'I Get Physical', 'Sun Won't Come Out', and 'I Got a Love'
from 'The Main Ingredient' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Power of Zeus 'The Sorcerer of Isis'
from 'The Gospel According to Zeus' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Deodato 'September 13'
from 'Prelude' (1972) (MP3/CD)
Cannonball Adderley 'Capricorn'
from 'Music, You All' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Roy Ayers Ubiquity 'Ain't Got Time'
from 'He's Coming' (1972) (MP3/CD)
Hugo Montenegro 'Dizzy'
from 'Moog Power' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD)
Milt Jackson 'Enchanted Lady'
from 'Memphis Jackson' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
George Benson 'Face It Boy, It's Over'
from 'Shape of Things to Come' (1968) (MP3/CD)
Bob James 'Nautilus'
from 'One' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Bob James 'Take Me to the Mardi Gras'
from 'Two' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Billy Joel 'Just the Way You Are'
from 'The Stranger' (1977) (MP3/CD)
The Ambassadors 'Ain't Got the Love (of One Girl on My Mind)'
from 'Soul Summit' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD)
Mel and Tim 'Groovy Situation'
from 'Good Guys Only Win in the Movies' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Related Posts:
Rewind: Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth 'The Creator'
Producer Profile: David Axelrod (Part 4, 1972-1977) (Cannonball Adderley)
This year, independent electronic label Warp Records will be celebrating their 20th anniversary. This may not mean a lot to hip-hop fans, but Warp has released some great downtempo hip-hop albums. One of them is 1991's debut album by Nightmares on Wax titled 'A Word of Science'. This post will cover the sample sources of some of N.O.W.'s classic cuts and may even turn a few hip-hop heads towards Warp's direction.The opening song to the album is 'Nights Interlude', a fantastic downtempo joint that pounds out live. The song samples 'Summer in the City', the highlight from Quincy Jones' 1973 album 'You Got it Bad Girl'. Look below for more on this track and the songs that have sampled it. On 'Coming Down', Nightmares on Wax samples Bob James' breakbeat extravaganza 'Take Me to the Mardi Gras' from his 1975 album 'Two'. 'A Case of Funk' samples the proto-disco track 'Sing Sing' by Gaz, which has in the last two decades come to be the defining sample in Baltimore Club's brash club beats. For 'Playtime', N.O.W. samples the popular break from Tom Scott and the L.A. Express' 'Sneakin' in the Back' from their eponymous 1974 album. Nightmares on Wax's earliest hit single is the throbbing 'Aftermath', which famously samples vocals from Cuba Gooding's 1983 single 'Happiness is Just Around the Bend'. Finally, on 'Back into Time', Steve Miller Band's 'Fly Like an Eagle' weaves its way in and out of the mix.
Since 1991, Nightmares on Wax has gone onto release five more albums, each with lazy day hip-hop speed instrumentals that are perfect for backyard barbecue soundtracks. Don't sleep on N.O.W. and don't sleep on these samples!The Lowdown:
Nightmares on Wax 'Nights Interlude', 'Coming Down', 'A Case of Funk', 'Playtime', 'Aftermath', and 'Back into Time'
from 'A Word of Science' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Quincy Jones 'Summer in the City'
from 'You Got it Bad Girl' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Bob James 'Take Me to the Mardi Gras'
from 'Two' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Gaz 'Sing Sing'
from 'Gaz' (1979) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Tom Scott and the L.A. Express 'Sneakin' in the Back'
from 'Tom Scott and the L.A. Express' (1974) (MP3/CD not available)
Cuba Gooding 'Happiness is Just Around the Bend'
from 'Happiness is Just Around the Bend' (1983) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Steve Miller Band 'Fly Like and Eagle'
from 'Fly Like an Eagle' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Bonus Cuts:
Quincy Jones' haunting rendition of 'Summer in the City' is the choice for most funk and hip-hop fans, but classic rock people are more familiar with the original 'Summer in the City' by the Lovin' Spoonful (although, it too was sampled by J Dilla for De La Soul's 'Thru Ya City'). Quincy Jones' track was sampled by Nightmares on Wax in 1991, but has been sampled many more times since: most famously on the J-Swift produced 'Passin' Me By' by the Pharycde, in 1996 on the Roots' 'Clones', and on the 2000 Allstar produced remix of Joe's 'Stutter' with Mystikal.
 |
 |
Welcome to our latest installment of Five On It, the five essential beats covered in the last month that you need to add to your library of samples. Five On it has been running strong, every month I worry about picking five new breaks that haven't been given Five On It status before, but we always easily come up with five more, June being no exception.
This track is the second early hip-hop joint given Five On It status, but it's huge: Kurtis Blow's 'The Breaks'. Whether it's the opening handclap shout outs or its many breakdowns, 'The Breaks' is full of samples and still rocks the party hard. This track was sampled by DJ Premier for KRS-One. Next is another big 80s tune that still resonates with kids who were born after the 80s: Mtume's 'Juicy Fruit', famously sampled by the Notorious B.I.G. and Warren G. Lil Wayne's 'Tha Carter III' is responsible for breathing a little more life into Nina Simone's already amazing read of 'Don't Let Me Be Understood'. Look below for more on this classic song. Dilla sampled the hitting song 'I Got Some' by Billy Garner, one of my favorite funk cuts which has a solid intro break and a memorable sample. Finally, we had a post dedicated to Edwin Starr's 'Easin' In'. More blaxploitation bangers are sure to follow, we've covered a few, but there are plenty more to talk about.The Lowdown:
Kurtis Blow 'The Breaks'
from 'Kurtis Blow' (1980) (MP3 not available/CD)
Mtume 'Juicy Fruit'
from 'Juicy Fruit' (1983) (MP3/CD)
Nina Simone 'Don't Let Me Be Understood'
from 'Broadway - Blues - Ballads' (1964) (MP3/CD)
Billy Garner 'I Got Some'
from 'I Got Some' 7" (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Edwin Starr 'Easin' In'
from 'Hell Up In Harlem' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Bonus Cuts:
Even though Nina Simone was the first person to record the song 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood', the recording is probably best known for its versions by the Animals (1965) or Joe Cocker (1969). I'm usually not into disco songs and especially disco covers, but Santa Esmeralda delivered a quality version of 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' in 1977. Bonus, a new re-release of the single features instrumental and acapella versions of Santa Esmeralda's cut.
Welcome to our third and final look at Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics' 1992 album 'Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop'.Diamond D samples a couple hits for 'Confused', cutting up King Floyd's excellent single 'Groove Me' and the 80s joint 'Intimate Connection' by Kleeer (which sounds a lot like "internet connection" - you'll hear it). On the posse cut 'Pass Dat S---', which includes some early raps by Fat Joe, Diamond samples the Ohio Players song 'Pride and Vanity' from 1973's 'Pleasure' and Rare Earth's Motown rock joint 'Keep Me Out of the Storm'. Q-Tip joins Diamond D on 'K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple Stupid)', which samples fusion rock group Weather Report (who yield a lot of samplable cuts, take note)'s 'American Tango' from their 1974 album 'Mysterious Traveller'. On the title track for 'Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop', Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics use a sample of Billy Cobham and George Duke Band's 'Almustafa the Beloved' from the 1976 album 'Live on tour in Europe'. Finally, on 'Feel the Vibe', Showbiz and Diamond D sample Lee Dorsey's huge break 'Get Out My Life Woman', Brother Jack McDuff's 'Hold it for a Minute', and Earth, Wind and Fire's 1970 song 'Bad Tune' from their self titled debut album.'Stunts, Blunts and Hip-Hop' yielded three singles and peaked just outside of the Billboard R&B / Hip Hop top 40. Big L and Fat Joe, who both contributed to the album, would achieve greater acclaim due to the album's underground success. Though Diamond D would produce for a slew of acts following this album, including Fat Joe, he would not record a follow up solo outing until 1997's 'Hatred, Passions and Infidelity'.The Lowdown:
Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics 'Confused', 'Pass Dat S---', 'K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple Stupid)', 'Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop', and 'Feel the Vibe'
from 'Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop' (1992) (MP3/CD)
King Floyd 'Groove Me'
from 'King Floyd' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
Kleeer 'Intimate Connection'
from 'Intimate Connection' (1984) (MP3/CD not available)
The Ohio Players 'Pride and Vanity'
from 'Pleasure' (1972) (MP3/CD)
Rare Earth 'Keep Me Out of the Storm'
from 'Back to Earth' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Weather Report 'American Tango'
from 'Mysterious Traveller' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Billy Cobham and George Duke Band 'Almustafa the Beloved'
from 'Live on tour in Europe' (1976) (MP3/CD)
Lee Dorsey 'Get Out My Life Woman'
from 'The New Dorsey' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Brother Jack McDuff 'Hold it for a Minute'
from 'Getting Our Thing Together' (1968) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Earth, Wind and Fire 'Bad Tune'
from 'Earth, Wind and Fire' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Welcome to the second part of our 3 part look at Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics' 1992 album 'Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop'.'I'm Outta Here', produced by Diamond D and Showbiz samples the funk rock album cut 'Gotta Get Away' by the Flaming Embers. On 'Red Light, Green Light', Diamond rhymes over Baby Huey's 1971 song 'Hard Times' famously produced and written by Curtis Mayfield and 'Down by the River' by Band of Gypsys drummer Buddy Miles from his 1972 album 'Them Changes'. Jazzy Jay joins Diamond D on the mix for 'I Went for Mine' by using a sample from S.S.O. Orchestra's 'Faded Lady'. Diamond brings out some classic breaks on 'What You Seek' by sampling Sly and the Family Stones' single 'You Can Make it if You Try' and Kool and the Gang's 'Who's Gonna Take the Weight?'. For 'Lunchroom Chatter', the Psychotic Neurotics rhyme over Mel Brown's 'Indian Giver' and Jeff Beck's drum laden 'Come Dancing' from his 1976 album 'Wired'.
Check back for our final look at Diamond D's Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop' original sample sources.The Lowdown:
Diamond and the Pyschotic Neurotics 'I'm Outta Here', 'Red Light, Green Light', 'I Went for Mine', 'What You Seek', and 'Lunchroom Chatter'
from 'Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop' (1992) (MP3/CD)
Flaming Embers 'Gotta Get Away'
from 'Sunshine' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Baby Huey 'Hard Times'
from 'The Baby Huey Story' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Buddy Miles 'Down by the River'
'Them Changes' (1972) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
S.S.O. Orchestra 'Faded Lady'
from 'Shine Your Light' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Sly and the Family Stone 'You Can Make it if You Try'
from 'Stand' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Who's Gonna Take the Weight?'
from 'Live at the Sex Machine' (1971) (MP3/CD not available)
Mel Brown 'Indian Giver'
from 'Blues for We' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Jeff Beck 'Come Dancing'
from 'Wired' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD)
After the dissolution of his early group called Ultimate Force, Diamond D and the D.I.T.C. crew debuted in 1992 as Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics with one of underground hip-hop's classic LPs: 'Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop'. This three part blog post will cover the sample sources (and man, are there a lot of them) for Diamond D's epic.On the 'Intro' track to 'Stunts, Blunts', Diamond samples folk rocker James Taylor's 1967 album 'James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine''s album cut 'Knockin 'Round the Zoo'. Diamond also produces the cut 'Best Kept Secret', the oldest track on the album, by sampling Booker T. and the M.G.'s 'Green Onions', Three Dog Night's rock cut 'I Can Hear You Calling', Kool and the Gang's breakbeat cut 'N.T.', and Johnny Pate's title track to the 1973 soundtrack of the movie 'Shaft in Africa'. On 'Sally Got a One Track Mind', Diamond D samples 'Sparkling in the Sand' by the Tower of Power and the classic Skull Snaps break 'It's a New Day'. Showbiz (of Show and A.G. fame) and Diamond D produced the cut 'Step to Me' by sampling the Delfonics' soul classic 'Ready or Not (Here I Come)' and 'Fight Back' from Solomon Burkes' cut from the 1972 soundtrack of 'Cool Breeze'. Lakim Shabazz and Diamond produced the Psychotic Neurotics classic 'F--- What You Heard' with samples from 1970's Donny Hathaway self titled album cut 'Magnificent Sanctuary Band' and John Handy's 1977 song 'Alvina' from his album 'Carnival'.
Check back for part 2 of our look at 'Stunts, Blunts and Hip-Hop'.The Lowdown:
Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics 'Intro', 'Best Kept Secret', 'Sally Got a One Track Mind', 'Step to Me', and 'F--- What You Heard'
from 'Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop' (1992) (MP3/CD)
James Taylor 'Knockin 'Round the Zoo'
from 'James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine' (1967) (MP3 not available/CD)
Booker T. and the M.G.'s 'Green Onions'
from 'Green Onions' (1962) (MP3/CD)
Three Dog Night 'I Can Hear You Calling'
from 'Naturally' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'N.T.'
from 'Live at P.J.'s' (1972) (MP3/CD)
Johnny Pate 'Shaft in Africa (Addis)'
from 'Shaft in Africa' (1973) (MP3/CD not available)
Tower of Power 'Sparkling in the Sand'
from 'East Bay Grease' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Skull Snaps 'It's a New Day'
from 'Skull Snaps' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Delfonics 'Ready or Not (Here I Come)'
from 'The Sound of Sexy Soul' (1968) (MP3/Import CD)
Solomon Burke 'Fight Back'
from 'Cool Breeze' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Donny Hathaway 'Magnificent Sanctuary Band'
from 'Donny Hathaway' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD)
John Handy 'Alvina'
from 'Carnival' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
This edition of Street Sounds will round out our look at the Belleville Three. We previously had posts looking at the work of Juan Atkins and Derrick May, this third and final post looking at the first wave of Detroit Techno will cover Kevin Saunderson who achieved the most acclaim in the mainstream of the three forefathers of techno with his work with Inner City.
Following Atkins' early acclaim with Cybotron, Saunderson and Atkins worked on a project titled Kreem for Atkins' label Metroplex. The results are one of Detroit Techno's early essential singles: 'Triangle of Love' by Kreem rank with the seminal work of Model 500 and Rhythim is Rhythim.While looking for a vocalist, Kevin Saunderson hooked up with Paris Grey in 1987 and Inner City was unofficially born. The duo scored major hits with 'Big Fun' and 'Good Life' (the latter is still a surefire party starter) and successfully released their full length album 'Paradise' in 1989 (the album was titled, confusingly, 'Big Fun' in North America). In the following years, Saunderson continued to produce under his own name and other pseudonyms like E-Dancer (which scored a club hit with 'Heavenly' in 1998).The Lowdown:
Kreem 'Triangle of Love'
from 'Triangle of Love' 12" (1984) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Inner City 'Big Fun' and 'Good Life'
from 'Paradise' (1989) (MP3/CD)
E-Dancer 'Heavenly'
from 'Heavenly' (1998) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Bonus Cuts:
Recently, some of Saunderson's peers and some of the biggest names in dance contributed remixes to his past work. Some key cuts include Carl Craig's remix of Inner City's 'Till We Meet Again' and Simian Mobile Disco's remix of Inner City's hit single 'Big Fun'.
Related Posts:
Street Sounds: Juan Atkins
Street Sounds: Derrick May
