Rewind: Reflection Eternal 'Train of Thought' (Part 1)

Until this year, 'Train of Thought' was the lone album by Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek's Reflection Eternal project. Over the next two posts, we'll investigate the sample sources used by DJ Hi-Tek for the beats on this album.

The album's lead single, 'Move Somethin'', Kweli rhymes over Charlie Whitehead's 'Shaft's Mama' from his 1973 album 'Charlie Whitehead and the Swamp Dogg Band'. Black Star is reunited on the cut 'This Means You' where Mos Def and Talib Kweli trade quips over 'Cloud in My Sunshine' from Redbone's 1973 rock album 'Wavoka'. For 'Too Late', which features Res along side Talib Kweli, finds Hi-Tek sampling two cuts from Tomita's 'Snowflakes are Dancing' album: 'Reverie' and 'Passepied'.

Check back for part two of our two part look at 'Train of Thought'.

The Lowdown:
Reflection Eternal 'Move Somethin'', 'This Means You', and 'Too Late'
from 'Train of Thought' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Charlie Whitehead 'Shaft's Mama'
from 'Charlie Whitehead and the Swamp Dogg Band' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Redbone 'Cloud in My Sunshine'
from 'Wavoka' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Isao Tomita 'Reverie' and 'Passepied'
from 'Snowflakes are Dancing' (1973) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Mos Def 'Black on Both Sides' (Part 1)
Rewind: Mos Def 'Black on Both Sides' (Part 2)
Rewind: Mos Def 'The Ecstatic' (Part 1)
Rewind: Mos Def 'The Ecstatic' (Part 2)

Producer Profile: RZA (Part 1, 1993-1994)

After early work with the group All in Together Now Crew (with the GZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard) and one single with Tommy Boy under the alias Prince Rakeem, Robert Diggs (aka the RZA) formed the Wu-Tang Clan with 8 other members in 1992. The most noteworthy single from their debut 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' is the classic cut 'C.R.E.A.M.' which this year was finally certified as a gold single having sold 500,000 copies on its own. The song samples 'As Long As I've Got You', a Stax single from the Charmels.

To cash in on the success of the Wu-Tang Clan, Cold Chillin' re-released the debut GZA album under the alias the Genius as well as released the RZA produced track 'Pass the Bone' as a single (RZA production is credited as Prince Rakeem). 'Pass the Bone' samples the heavily used Wu breakbeat 'Impeach the President' by the Honey Drippers and 'Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba' by the Harlem Underground Band produced by Paul Winley and famously featuring George Benson. The year also saw the release of Method Man's debut album 'Tical' which featured the single 'Release Yo' Delf' that interpolates the hook from Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive' as well as samples Herb Alpert's 'Treasure of San Miguel' and Graham Central Station's 'The Jam'.

Finally, in 1994, RZA contributed production work and rhymes to the horrorcore all-star outfit the Gravediggaz's debut album '6 Feet Deep'. Their first single, 'Diary of a Madman', produced by the RZA, RNS and Prince Paul and featuring a guest verse from the Wu's Killah Priest, samples two cuts from crooner Johnny Mathis to extremely creepy results: 'No Love (But Your Love)' and 'Warm and Tender'.

Check back for our next look at the RZA's production discography.

The Lowdown:
Wu-Tang Clan 'C.R.E.A.M.'
from 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (1993) (MP3/CD)
The Charmels 'As Long As I've Got You'
from 'As Long As I've Got You' 7" (1967) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Genius 'Pass the Bone'
from 'Pass the Bone' 12" (1994) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Honey Drippers 'Impeach the President'
from 'Impeach the President' 7" (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Harlem Underground Band 'Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba'
from 'Harlem Underground' (1976) (MP3/CD not available)
Method Man 'Release Yo' Delf'
from 'Tical' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Gloria Gaynor 'I Will Survive'
from 'Love Tracks' (1978) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass 'Treasure of San Miguel'
from 'Sounds Like' (1967) (MP3/CD)
Graham Central Station 'The Jam'
from 'Ain't No Bout-a-Doubt It' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Gravediggaz 'Diary of a Madman'
from '6 Feet Deep' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Johnny Mathis 'No Love (But Your Love)'
from 'No Love (But Your Love)' 7" (1957) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Johnny Mathis 'Warm and Tender'
from 'Warm and Tender' 7" (1957) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (Part 1)
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (Part 2)

Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Cypress Hill' (Part 3)

Welcome to our last look at Cypress Hill's 1991 debut album 'Cypress Hill' produced by DJ Muggs.

'Psycobetabuckdown' is a mouthful of a title, but it samples a track that has an even longer title: Parliament's 'Aquaboogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)' from 1977's 'Motor-Booty Affair'. The track also samples 'Foxy Lady' from Willie Hutch's excellent blaxploitation soundtrack to 'Foxy Brown'. 'Something for the Blunted' finds Cypress on samples of Curtis Mayfield's 'Future Shock' and the essential b-boy cut 'Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba' from the Harlem Underground Band's lone 1976 album 'Harlem Underground'. The single 'Latin Lingo' finds Muggs using another Sly and the Family Stone sample, 'Sing a Simple Song' from 'Stand!', in addition to samples from 'Mongoose' from the rock band Elephant's Memory, 'Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On' from Motown artist Edwin Starr, and 'A Gritty Nitty' by Pazant Brothers and the Beaufort Express. For 'The Funky Cypress Hill Shit', Muggs samples the Village Callers' 'Hector' from their 1968 'Live' album, the post-Curtis Mayfield Five Stairsteps track 'The New Dance Craze', and Mandrill's excellent 'Fencewalk'. Finally, 'Born to Get Busy' finds the crew rhyming on Booker T. and the M.G.'s early Stax single 'Bootleg' from their 1966 album 'And Now!'.

Although not big upon its release, Cypress Hill's debut album gained sales momentum as their following albums, 'Black Sunday' and 'Temples of Boom' became hits. To date, 'Cypress Hill' has sold 2 million copies in America and is seen as one of the most essential hip-hop albums of 90s.

The Lowdown:
Cypress Hill 'Psycobetabuckdown', 'Something for the Blunted', 'Latin Lingo', 'The Funky Cypress Hill Shit', and 'Born to Get Busy'
from 'Cypress Hill' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Parliament 'Aquaboogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)'
from 'Motor-Booty Affair' (1977) (MP3/CD)
Willie Hutch 'Foxy Lady'
from 'Foxy Brown' (1974) (MP3/CD not available)
Curtis Mayfield 'Future Shock'
from 'Back to the World' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Harlem Underground Band 'Smokin' Cheeba Cheeba'
from 'Harlem Underground' (1976) (MP3/CD not available)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Sing a Simple Song'
from 'Stand!' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Elephant's Memory 'Mongoose'
from 'Take it to the Streets' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Edwin Starr 'Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On'
from 'Involved' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD)
Pazant Brothers and the Beaufort Express 'A Gritty Nitty'
from 'Loose and Juicy' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Village Callers 'Hector'
from 'Live' (1968) (MP3/CD)
Five Stairsteps 'The New Dance Craze'
from 'Our Family Portrait' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Mandrill 'Fencewalk'
from 'Composite Truth' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
Booker T. and the M.G.'s 'Bootleg'
from 'And Now!' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD)

Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Cypress Hill' (Part 2)

Welcome to our second of three looks at Cypress Hill's debut album 'Cypress Hill'.

One of the album's biggest singles is 'The Phuncky Feel One', which features samples of Kool and the Gang's 'Give it Up' and 'Life is What You Make It', The Meters' classic 'Look Ka Py Py', James Brown's 'Blues and Pants', Rufus Thomas' essential heavy drums on 'The Breakdown', The J.B.'s 'More Peas' and 'La Di Da Di Day' (both from their unfortunately rare album 'Doing it to Death'), and 'Fight the Power' by the Isley Brothers. A sample clearance nightmare to say the least, but chock full of excellent source material. On Cypress Hill's 'Break it Up', DJ Muggs samples Les McCann and Eddie Harris' 'Compared to What' from their 1968 album 'Swiss Movement'. For 'Real Estate', the crew rhymes over Sly and the Family Stone's 'Underdog', the Bar-Kays' 'Humpin'', Tony Alvon and the Belairs' 'Sexy Coffee Pot', and All the People's excellent 'Cramp Your Style'. On 'Stoned is the Way of the Walk', Cypress Hill rides a sample of Grant Green's 'Down Here on the Ground' from his 1970 album 'Alive!'.

Check back for our final look at 'Cypress Hill'.

The Lowdown:
Cypress Hill 'The Phuncky Feel One', 'Break it Up', 'Real Estate', and 'Stoned is the Way of the Walk'
from 'Cypress Hill' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Give it Up'
from 'Kool and the Gang' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Kool and the Gang 'Life is What You Make It'
from 'Wild and Peaceful' (1973) (MP3/CD)
The Meters 'Look Ka Py Py'
from 'Look-Ka Py Py' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD)
James Brown 'Blues and Pants'
from 'Hot Pants' (1971) (MP3/CD not available)
Rufus Thomas 'The Breakdown'
from 'Did You Heard Me?' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The J.B.'s 'More Peas' and 'La Di Da Di Day'
from 'Doing it to Death' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Isley Brothers 'Fight the Power'
from 'The Heat is On' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Les McCann and Eddie Harris 'Compared to What'
from 'Swiss Movement' (1968) (MP3 not available/CD)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Underdog'
from 'A Whole New Thing' (1967) (MP3/CD)
Bar-Kays 'Humpin''
from 'Gotta Groove' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Tony Alvon and the Belairs 'Sexy Coffee Pot'
'Sexy Coffee Pot' 7" (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
All the People 'Cramp Your Style'
from 'Cramp Your Style' 7" (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Grant Green 'Down Here on the Ground'
from 'Alive!' (1970) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Five On It: March 2009's Essentials ('Sexy Coffee Pot' Appearance)

Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Cypress Hill' (Part 1)

Last month we looked at Cypress Hill's second album, 'Black Sunday', their commercial breakthrough produced mostly by DJ Muggs. Over the next three posts, we'll look at Cypress Hill's debut album from 1991 titled 'Cypress Hill' produced entirely by DJ Muggs.

'How I Could Just Kill a Man' was originally a B-side, but has become one of Cypress Hill's most notable cuts. The song includes samples from several different genres smelted in the Cypress Hill cauldron. Among them is Jimi Hendrix's 'Are You Experienced' from his 1967 album of the same title, Lowell Fulsom's tremendous breakbeat track 'Tramp', James Brown's 'Escape-ism' from 1972 and J.B.'s 'I Got Ants in My Pants (and I Want to Dance)', as well as Manzel's popular break 'Midnight Theme'. Cypress Hill's single 'Hand on the Pump' famously samples Gene Chandler's doo-wop hit 'Duke of Earl' from his 1962 album of the same title and Junior Walker and the All Stars' Motown hit 'Shotgun'. 'Hole in the Head' finds Cypress Hill rhyming over Jimmy McGriff's 'The Bird' from his highly sought after 1971 album 'Groove Grease'. On 'Ultraviolet Dreams', DJ Muggs samples Muddy Waters' electrified blues cut 'Tom Cat' from his album 'Electric Mud'. On 'Light Another', the crew samples an early Kool and the Gang cut, 'Good Times', from their 1972 album 'Good Times'.

Check back for part two of our look at Cypress Hill's debut album 'Cypress Hill'.

The Lowdown:
Cypress Hill 'How I Could Just Kill a Man', 'Hand on the Pump', 'Hole in the Head', 'Ultraviolet Dreams', and 'Light Another'
from 'Cypress Hill' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Jimi Hendrix 'Are You Experienced'
from 'Are You Experienced' (1967) (MP3/CD)
Lowell Fulsom 'Tramp'
from 'Tramp' (1967) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
James Brown 'Escape-ism'
from 'Hot Pants' (1971) (MP3/CD not available)
James Brown 'I Got Ants in My Pants (and I Want to Dance)'
from 'Get on the Good Foot' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Manzel 'Midnight Theme'
from 'Midnight Theme' 7" (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Gene Chandler 'Duke of Earl'
from 'Duke of Earl' (1962) (MP3/CD not available)
Junior Walker and the All Stars 'Shotgun'
from 'Shotgun' 7" (1965) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Jimmy McGriff 'The Bird'
from 'Groove Grease' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Muddy Waters 'Tom Cat'
from 'Electric Mud' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Good Times'
from 'Good Times' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Black Sunday' (Part 1)
Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Black Sunday' (Part 2)
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (Part 2) (Lowell Fulsom appearance)

The Breaks: Lee Dorsey 'Get Out of My Life Woman' (Part 2)

Welcome to our second look at the songs that sampled Lee Dorsey's 60s hit single 'Get Out of My Life Woman'.

In 1994, two of the year's biggest releases sampled Dorsey's classic break: DJ Premier laced Nas with the beat for 'Memory Lane (Sittin' in the Park)' from his debut album 'Illmatic' and Run DMC's Jam Master Jay and Jeff Harris produced the beat for Onyx's album cut 'Stik'n'Muve' from 'Bacdafucup'. On Grand Puba's sophomore solo album '2000' (confusingly released in 1995), the ex-Brand Nubian emcee rapped over Dorsey on 'Playin' the Game' produced by Alamo. One of the many songs sampled by Beck and the Dust Brothers for his album 'Odelay' is 'Get Out of My Life Woman' on the hit single 'Where It's At'. A year later, the RZA used the break on the Wu-Tang Clan's double disc album 'Wu-Tang Forever's deep album cut 'Maria'. In 1999, Q-Unique sampled Dorsey on the Arsonists' 'Pyromaniax' and in 2000, Chief Xcel sampled Dorsey on the Blackalicious track 'Lyric Fathom' from the compilation 'Solesides Greatest Bumps' (quite hard to find in the past few years, but available again on MP3 now!).

Next month we'll be revisiting 'Get Out of My Life Woman' by checking out the many covers of Dorsey's song and the songs that have sampled them.

The Lowdown:
Lee Dorsey 'Get Out of MY Life Woman'
from 'The New Lee Dorsey' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Nas 'Memory Lane (Sittin' in the Park)'
from 'Illmatic' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Onyx 'Stik'n'Muve'
from 'Bacdafucup' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Grand Puba 'Playin' the Game'
from '2000' (1995) (MP3/CD)
Beck 'Where It's At'
from 'Odelay' (1996) (MP3/CD)
Wu-Tang Clan 'Maria'
from 'Wu-Tang Forever' (1997) (MP3/CD)
The Arsonists 'Pyromaniax'
from 'As the World Burns' (1999) (MP3/CD)
Blackalicious 'Lyric Fathom'
from 'Solesides Greatest Bumps' (2000) (MP3/CD not available)

Related Posts:
Producer Profile: DJ Premier (Part 3, 1994)
Rewind: Beck 'Odelay'
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (Part 1)
Rewind: Wu-Tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (Part 2)

The Breaks: Lee Dorsey 'Get Out of My Life Woman' (Part 1)

Last month, Lee Dorsey's essential open drum intro for 'Get Out of My Life Woman' was inducted to our Five On It collection of necessary breaks for hip-hop producers and DJs. I would've liked to expand on why this drum break is so necessary, but it could not have been done in just one part of one post. In total, I have four posts slated to explain 'Get Out of My Life Woman' - the first two dropping this month will look at songs who sampled the Lee Dorsey version and two posts next month will explore the songs that sampled covers of Lee Dorsey's original. Beat scientists will know there are a lot of excellent covers to talk about. Let's get into it!

'Get Out of My Life Woman' may be most famously sampled in 1989 by Biz Markie for his gigantic crossover hit and enduring single 'Just a Friend' from his album 'The Biz Never Sleeps'. Produced by the Biz and Cool V, 'Just a Friend' is a multi-generational party standard. A year later, DJ Slip and the Unknown DJ sampled the 'Get Out of My Life Woman' break for Compton's Most Wanted's 'This is Compton' from 'It's a Compton Thang!' which predates Dr. Dre's Compton-centric 'The Chronic' by one year. In 1991, Prince Paul and De La Soul sampled the drums on 'Fanatic of the B Word' from their sophomore album 'De La Soul is Dead'. In 1992, Common's debut album 'Can I Borrow a Dollar?' contained the Immenslope produced single 'Breaker 1/9' while the title track to Lord Finesse's 'Return of the Funky Man' had Showbiz (of Show and AG fame), both sampling Lee Dorsey. In 1993, both 'Hits from the Bong' by Cypress Hill, produced by DJ Muggs, and the short interlude 'Zearocks' from the Leaders of the New School's 'T.I.M.E.' album also used samples of 'Get Out of My Life Woman'.

Check back for the second part of our look at songs sampling one of Lee Dorsey's finest moments.

The Lowdown:
Lee Dorsey 'Get Out of My Life Woman'
from 'The New Lee Dorsey' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Biz Markie 'Just a Friend'
from 'The Biz Never Sleeps' (1989) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Compton's Most Wanted 'This is Compton'
from 'It's a Compton Thang!' (1990) (MP3/CD not available)
De La Soul 'Fanatic of the B Word'
from 'De La Soul is Dead' (1991) (MP3 not available/CD)
Common 'Breaker 1/9'
from 'Can I Borrow a Dollar?' (1992) (MP3/CD)
Lord Finesse 'Return of the Funky Man'
from 'Return of the Funky Man' (1992) (MP3/CD not available)
Cypress Hill 'Hits from the Bong'
from 'Black Sunday' (1993) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Hits from the Bong'
Leaders of the New School 'Zearocks'
from 'T.I.M.E.' (1993) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Five On It: July 2009's Essentials ('Get Out My Life Woman' on Five On It)
Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Black Sunday' (Part 1)
Rewind: Cypress Hill 'Black Sunday' (Part 2)

Rewind: N.W.A. 'Straight Outta Compton' (Part 3)

It's fitting that our final look at N.W.A.'s debut album 'Straight Outta Compton' is post #187. Not only did the album murder the competition in 1988 (released on August 8th, 21 years ago tomorrow), it murdered Los Angeles' electro leanings and ushered in the age of G-Funk.

Ice Cube flies solo on N.W.A.'s track 'I Ain't the 1', produced by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella. The quirky song samples Brass Construction's 'The Message (Inspiration)' from their 1976 album 'Brass Construction II'. On the 'Dopeman' (Remix), N.W.A. rhyme over Herman Kelly and Life's essential B-boy cut 'Dance to the Drummer's Beat' from the 1978 album 'Percussion Explosion', but heavily re-released on the grey market later through the Ultimate Breakbeats series. N.W.A.'s b-side cut 'Quiet on tha Set' samples George McCrae's 'I Get Lifted' and former Five on It breakbeat of the month 'Rock Creek Park' by the Blackbyrds, produced by the inimitable Donald Byrd. On the album's final track, 'Something 2 Dance 2', N.W.A. join with L.A. legend Arabian Prince for a throwback electro dance number that samples the beat from Sly and the Family Stone's 'Dance to the Music' as well as 'You're the One for Me' by D-Train.

Following 'Straight Outta Compton', Ice Cube left the group over money disputes. In 1990, Ice Cube released his solo debut album 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' while N.W.A. followed with the '100 Miles and Runnin'' EP and 1991's 'Efil4zaggin' before dissolving entirely. In 1992, Dr. Dre found success on his own with his breakthrough debut album 'The Chronic'. Eazy-E would only release 2 EPs before his untimely death in 1995.

The Lowdown:
N.W.A. 'I Ain't the 1', 'Dopeman' (Remix), 'Quiet on tha Set', and 'Something 2 Dance 2'
from 'Straight Outta Compton' (1988) (MP3/CD)
Brass Construction 'The Message (Inspiration)'
from 'Brass Construction II' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Herman Kelly and Life 'Dance to the Drummer's Beat'
from 'Percussion Explosion' (1978) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
George McCrae 'I Get Lifted'
from 'Rock Your Baby' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Blackbyrds 'Rock Creek Park'
from 'City Life' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Dance to the Music'
from 'Dance to the Music' (1968) (MP3/CD)
D-Train 'You're the One for Me'
from 'You're the One for Me' (1982) (MP3 not available/Import CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Ice Cube 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (Part 1)
Rewind: Ice Cube 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (Part 2)
Rewind: Ice Cube 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (Part 3)
Rewind: Dr. Dre 'The Chronic' (Part 1)
Rewind: Dr. Dre 'The Chronic' (Part 2)
The Breaks: Sly and the Family Stone 'Dance to the Music'
Five On It: April 2009's Essentials (Blackbyrds appearance)

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: N.W.A. 'Straight Outta Compton' (Part 1)

There are few albums that are both timeless and forever change the trajectory of the music following it; both of these things can be said of the 1988 debut LP from N.W.A.: 'Straight Outta Compton'. This three part post arc will take a look at the sample basis for the songs making up this controversial and legendary album that launched the careers of Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre.

Most of America was introduced to the bombast of gangsta rap by way of the album's polarizing open track and single 'Straight Outta Compton'. For the song, Dr. Dre and DJ Yella sampled most notably the break from the Winstons' 'Amen Brother'. Additionally, the song contains samples of 'Get Me Back on Time, Engine No. 9' by Wilson Pickett, Funkadelic's sampler's delight 'You'll Like it Too' from 1981, Ronnie Hudson and the Street People's 'West Coast Poplock', and Davy DMX's electro pulse 'One for the Treble'. The controversial 'F--- tha Police' contains samples of Marva Whitney's 'It's My Thing' produced by James Brown as well as two more James cuts: 'Funky Drummer' and 'Funky President (People It's Bad)'. Additionally, it samples to slices of funk from 1974: Roy Ayers Ubiquity's 'The Boogie Back' and Fancy's 'Feel Good' from the album 'Wild Thing'. The single 'Gangsta Gangsta' finds Ice Cube and Eazy-E rapping over a combination of the Ohio Players' 'Funky Worm', Kool and the Gang's 'N.T.', The Honey Drippers' 'Impeach the President', William Devaughn's classic 'Be Thankful for What You Got', and Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame's 'Weak at the Knees' from the 1983 album 'Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame Vol. 1'. MC Ren takes a solo shot on the cut 'It Ain't Ruff' which samples the Average White Band's 'A Star in the Ghetto' from their 1977 album 'Benny and Us'.

Check back for two more looks at N.W.A.'s 'Straight Outta Compton'.

The Lowdown:
N.W.A. 'Straight Outta Compton', 'F--- tha Police', 'Gangsta Gangsta', and 'It Ain't Ruff'
from 'Straight Outta Compton' (1988) (MP3/CD)
The Winstons 'Amen Brother'
from 'Color Him Father' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Wilson Pickett 'Get Me Back on Time, Engine No. 9'
from 'Wilson Pickett in Philadelphia' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Funkadelic 'You'll Like it Too'
'Connections and Disconnections' (1981) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Ronnie Hudson and the Street People 'West Coast Poplock'
from 'West Coast Poplock' 12" (1982) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Davy DMX 'One for the Treble'
from 'One for the Treble' 12" (1984) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Marva Whitney 'It's My Thing'
from 'It's My Thing' (1969) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
James Brown 'Funky Drummer'
from 'Funky Drummer' 7" (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'Funky President (People It's Bad)'
from 'Reality' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Roy Ayers Ubiquity 'The Boogie Back'
from 'Change Up the Groove' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Fancy 'Feel Good'
from 'Wild Thing' (1974) (MP3/Import CD)
Ohio Players 'Funky Worm'
from 'Pleasure' (1972) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'N.T.'
from 'Live at PJ's' (1972) (MP3/CD)
The Honey Drippers 'Impeach the President'
from 'Impeach the President' 7" (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
William DeVaughn 'Be Thankful for What You Got'
from 'Be Thankful for What You Got' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD)
Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame 'Weak at the Knees'
from 'Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame Vol. 1' (1983) (MP3/CD not available)
Average White Band 'A Star in the Ghetto'
from 'Benny and Us' (1977) (MP3/CD)

Bonus Cut:
'West Coast Poplock' was sampled for a cut by N.W.A. for 'Straight Outta Compton', but Dr. Dre would later sample the same song for his gigantic hit single 'California Love' with 2Pac and Roger Troutman of Zapp.