Five On It: February 2009's Essentials

Thanks for tuning into our look back at the breaks of the month, this month we'll be covering the hottest samples mentioned during the month of February.

This months bangers starts with Cerrone's 'Rocket in the Pocket' (more on 'Rocket' is below) from this blog's review of 'Special Herbs vol. 1 and 2' by Metal Fingers'. On the first post of our review of 'College Dropout' by Kanye West, we mentioned the dreamy soul single 'Distant Lover' from Marvin Gaye's classic album 'Let's Get it On'. The Larry Mizell produced 'Think Twice' by Donald Byrd was one of the samples used by Dilla on our fifth look of J Dilla's producer profile. Primo, on our look at Premier's production discography used the godfather of soul James Brown's 'Get on the Good Foot'. Finally, one of the samples used on Mos Def's 'Black on Both Sides' is Roy Ayers' solid break 'We Live in Brooklyn, Baby' with Ubiquity.

Keep it locked here, there are tons of great breaks this coming month.

The Lowdown:
Cerrone 'Rocket in the Pocket'
from 'Cerrone IV - The Golden Touch' (1978) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Marvin Gaye 'Distant Lover'
from 'Let's Get It On' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Donald Byrd 'Think Twice'
from 'Stepping Into Tomorrow' (1974) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'Get on the Good Foot'
from 'Get on the Good Foot' (1972) (MP3/CD not available)
Roy Ayers Ubiquity 'We Live in Brooklyn, Baby'
from 'He's Coming' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Bonus Cuts:
'Rocket in the Pocket' is a classic break used by old school DJs and breakers and was an essential sample used by hip-hop's pioneers. Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin are credited as the producers of 'Raising Hell' and 'Hit It Run' by Run DMC. Dr. Dre and DJ Yella used the break for Eazy-E's 'Radio'. Finally, the King of Chill used the break for MC Lyte's 'Cha Cha Cha'.

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: Freeway 'Philadelphia Freeway' (Part 1)

Philly stand up! One of the best albums released during Just Blaze and Kanye West's time as Roc-a-fella's in house production wizards is 2003's 'Philadelphia Freeway', the debut album by Freeway. This two part post will cover the sample sources of this album.

The album's biggest hit, which is still a vital mid 00s hip-hop banger, is Just Blaze's awesomely produced 'What We Do' with Beanie Sigel and Jay-Z. Blaze uses a deep crate sample from 'I Just Can't See Myself Without You' by Creative Source from the album 'Migration'. The beat to this one sounds as fresh today as it did five years ago and has become an East Coast classic. Ruggedness produced the beat for Freeway's 'Life' utilizing the most bizarre sample on the album: Eddie Money's 'Life for the Taking' from his 1977 rock album of the same name. Free's 'Victim of the Ghetto' with Roc vocalist Rell, produced by Bink, uses a sample from 'We Belong Together' by the Spinners and Dionne Warwick.

Check back for part 2 of our look at 'Philadelphia Freeway'.

The Lowdown:
Freeway 'What We Do', 'Life', and 'Victim of the Ghetto'
from 'Philadelphia Freeway' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit:'What We Do', 'Life', and 'Victim of the Ghetto'
Creative Source 'I Just Can't See Myself Without You'
from 'Migration' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Eddie Money 'Life for the Taking'
from 'Life for the Taking' (1977) (MP3/CD)
The Spinners and Dionne Warwick 'We Belong Together'
from 'The Spinners' (1971) (MP3/CD)

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

Rewind: Mos Def 'Black on Both Sides' (Part 2)

Welcome to our second look at Mos Def's 'Black on Both Sides'.

Ayatollah produced the beat for the Talib Kweli and Mos Def team up 'Know That'. The track samples 'Anyone Who Had a Heart' from Dionne Warwick's Burt Bacharach and Hal David produced 1963 album of the same name. Mos Def's excellent track 'Brooklyn' uses a sample from Roy Ayers' Ubiquity project's 'We Live in Brooklyn, Baby' in addition to David Porter's 'I'm Afraid the Masquerade is Over'. Marley Marl's 'The Symphony' posse cut is the source for DJ Etch-A-Sketch's beat for Mos Def's 'Habitat'. Finally, Mos' track with Q-Tip 'Mr. N----', produced by D-Prosper and Mos Def, samples Ramsey Lewis' 'Sun Goddess' and Gil Scott-Heron's 'A Legend in His Own Mind'.

The album received high reviews, respect from the underground, and modest chart success. Mos Def would not record another solo effort until 2004's 'The New Danger', which signaled a dramatic change in his music. Check back for more coverage of Mos Def as well as Black Star in future posts on this blog.

The Lowdown:
Mos Def 'Know That', 'Brooklyn', 'Habitat', and 'Mr. N----'
from 'Black on Both Sides' (1999) (MP3/CD)
Dionne Warwick 'Anyone Who Had a Heart'
from 'Anyone Who Had a Heart' (1963) (MP3/CD)
Roy Ayers Ubiquity' 'We Live in Brooklyn, Baby'
from 'He's Coming' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
David Porter 'I'm Afraid the Masquerade is Over'
from 'Victim of the Joke?' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD)
Marley Marl 'The Symphony'
from 'In Control, Vol. 1' (1987) (MP3/CD not available)
Ramsey Lewis 'Sun Goddess'
from 'Sun Goddess' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Gil Scott-Heron 'A Legend in His Own Mind'
from 'Real Eyes' (1980) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Rewind: Mos Def 'Black on Both Sides' (Part 1)

Following the success of Talib Kweli and Mos Def's Black Star collaboration, Mos Def released his debut album 'Black on Both Sides' in 1998. This two part post will cover Both Sides' tracks and samples.

The album intro 'Fear Not of Man' samples legendary Nigerian multi-instrumentalist Fela Kuti's 'Fear Not for Man' from the 1977 album of the same title. Diamond D and Mos Def produced the beat for 'Hip Hop' using a sample from David Axelrod's 'The Warnings (Part 2)' from the 1970 album 'Earth Rot'.

The biggest hit from 'Black on Both Sides', still a party starter, is the Ayatollah produced single 'Ms. Fat Booty'. The fantastic beat incorporates loops from Aretha Franklin's early career single 'One Step Ahead'. 88-Keys sampled the Big Brother and the Holding Company song 'Promise Her Anything but Give Her Arpeggio' for the track 'Speed Law'.

Check back for part 2 of our look at 'Black on Both Sides'.

The Lowdown:
Mos Def 'Fear Not of Man', 'Hip Hop', 'Ms. Fat Booty', and 'Speed Law'
from 'Black on Both Sides' (1999) (MP3/CD)
Fela Kuti 'Fear Not for Man'
from 'Fear Not for Man' (1977) (MP3/CD)
David Axelrod 'The Warnings (Part 2)'
from 'Earth Rot' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Aretha Franklin 'One Step Ahead'
from 'One Step Ahead' 7" (1965) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Big Brother and the Holding Company 'Promise Her Anything but Give Her Arpeggio'
from 'How Hard It Is' (1971) (MP3/CD)

Bonus Cuts:
Fela Kuti is often referred to as the James Brown of Africa. He's the father of afrobeat and has recorded an amazing amount of music throughout the 70s and 80s. It's amazing that his music hasn't been sampled in hip-hop as much of his music is prime for funky beats. One of the few songs sampled by hip-hop producers is the track 'Colonial Mentality' from 'Sorrow Tears and Blood' which was sampled by Chief Xcel for Blackalicious' 'Smithzonian Institute of Rhymes' and by Timbaland for Missy Elliott's 'Watcha Gonna Do'.

Related Posts:
Producer Profile: David Axelrod (Part 3, 1970-1972)

Producer Profile: DJ Premier (Part 3, 1994)

Following his success with Gang Starr and production work for Lord Finesse, Heavy D, and KRS-One; DJ Premier produced some classic cuts in 1994.

After Gang Starr's collaboration with Branford Marsalis for the 'Mo' Betta Blues' soundtrack, Primo and Marsalis collaborated on the debut album 'Buckshot LeFonque' by Marsalis' Buckshot LeFonque side project. The track 'Breakfast @ Denny's' samples James Brown's 'Get on the Good Foot' from his 1972 album of the same title. In 1994, Premier produced one of the outstanding tracks for Notorious B.I.G.'s debut 'Ready to Die'. The track 'Unbelievable' samples Patrice Rushen's 'Remind Me' and R. Kelly's 'Your Body's Callin''.

Finally, in 1994, Primo laced Group Home with a beat for the single 'Supa Star'. The song has a series of samples, including James Brown's 'Funky President (People It's Bad)', the Fifth Dimension's 'He's a Runner', Cameo's 'Downtown', and Isaac Hayes' fantastic 'One Woman' from 1968's essential 'Hot Buttered Soul'.

Check back for more Premier tracks and samples.

The Lowdown:
Buckshot LeFonque 'Breakfast @ Denny's'
from 'Buckshot LeFonque' (1994) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'Get on the Good Foot'
from 'Get on the Good Foot' (1972) (MP3/CD not available)
The Notorious B.I.G. 'Unbelievable'
from 'Ready to Die' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Unbelievable'
Patrice Rushen 'Remind Me'
from 'Straight from the Heart' (1981) (MP3/CD)
R. Kelly 'Your Body's Callin''
from '12 play' (1993) (MP3/CD)
Group Home 'Supa Star'
from 'Supa Star' (1994) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'Funky President (People It's Bad)'
from 'Reality' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Fifth Dimension 'He's a Runner'
from 'Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Cameo 'Downtown'
from 'She's Strange' (1984) (MP3 not available/CD)
Isaac Hayes 'One Woman'
from 'Hot Buttered Soul' (1968) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Producer Profile: DJ Premier (Part 1, 1989-1990)
Producer Profile: DJ Premier (Part 2, 1991-1993)
Rewind: The Notorious B.I.G. 'Ready to Die' (Part 1)
Rewind: The Notorious B.I.G. 'Ready to Die' (Part 2)
Rewind: The Notorious B.I.G. 'Ready to Die' (Part 3)

Pull Up: Drum Song Riddim

It's been over a month since our last Pull Up installment (it's hard to think irie with the weather as cold as it is, this doesn't apply to Jamaica of course) so let's dig some more reggae and dancehall. I'm still feeling the Darker Shade of Black riddim, as can be easily noted by looking at the tracklist of my latest mix (blatant plug), so I am going to cover another riddim based on a Jackie Mittoo tune: the Drum Song riddim.

'Drum Song' was originally released on the 1968 album 'Evening Time' by Jackie Mittoo and the Soul Vendors (early copies of the single list the artist as just the Soul Vendors). An early version of the song appeared in 1969 with Derrick Morgan's 'Seven Letters'.

By the late 70s and early 80s, dub was in fashion and the Drum Song riddim was among the many that were getting notice from dub producers. The riddim is the basis for Joe Gibbs and the Professionals' track 'Power Pack' from their 1978 dub album 'African Dub - All Mighty Chapter Four' and it was also used three years later by Scientist for 'Drum Song Dub' on his absolutely essential dub album 'Scientific Dub', one of a string of excellent recordings from Scientist. In the 90s, Drum Song was used by Gregory Isaacs on his track 'Kill them with Music' and it appeared on Dawn Penn's 1994 comeback (cash-in?) album 'No, No, No' on the track 'Samfi Boy'.

The Lowdown:
Jackie Mittoo and the Soul Vendors 'Drum Song'
from 'Evening Time' (1968) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Derrick Morgan 'Seven Letters'
from 'Seven Letters' 7" (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Joe Gibbs and the Professionals 'Power Pack'
from 'African Dub - All Mighty Chapter Four' (1978) (MP3/CD)
Scientist 'Drum Song Dub'
from 'Scientific Dub' (1981) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Gregory Isaacs 'Kill them with Music'
from 'Pardon Me' (1991) (MP3/CD not available)
Dawn Penn 'Samfi Boy'
from 'No, No, No' (1994) (MP3/CD not available)

Related Post:
Pull Up: Darker Shade of Black Riddim

Producer Profile: J Dilla (Part 5, 2001-2003)

Welcome to our fifth look at the production career of the legendary, late J Dilla. It has only been three years since his untimely death, but his influence is felt more than perhaps any other time in history. Before I start with the post, I wanted to link up Stones Throw's Rase It Up for Ma Dukes! crossover campaign with Parra with proceeds going to Dilla's mother Maureen Yancey.

2001 saw the release of Dilla's first solo album, 'Welcome to Detroit' as Jay Dee on the excellent UK label BBE. The album's single 'Pause' with vocals by Frank-N-Dank uses a sample from Donald Byrd's 1974 album 'Stepping into Tomorrow' (produced by Larry Mizell) with the track 'Think Twice'. In 2002, Dilla and the other members of the Soulquarians appeared on the ambitious, yet ultimately critically ignored, album 'Electric Cricus' by Common. Two noteworthy non-singles from the album are the Dilla, James Poyser, and ?usetlove produced cuts 'New Wave' and 'Star 69 (PS with Love). 'New Wave' features guest vocals from Stereolab singer Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab was mentioned in Part 4 of our look at Dilla's production output) while 'Star 69' features vocals from fellow Soulquarian Bilal and Prince (yes, that Prince).

In 2003, Dilla's 'Ruff Draft' EP was released by the German label Groove Attack (the EP was later expanded and reissued by Stones Throw). One of the album's standout tracks is 'Wild', which samples 'Cum On Feel the Noize' by classic rock act Slade. Also in 2003, J Dilla and Madlib's project Jaylib saw the light of day with the supergroup's lone album 'Champion Sound'. 'Champion Sound''s single 'The Red' touts beats by Dilla and lyrics by Madlib and utilizes a sample of 'Shine On Straight Arrow' from Cris Williamson's self titled album from 1970.

Check back to this blog for our sixth look at Dilla's career, covering the years 2004 and 2005.

The Lowdown:
Jay Dee 'Pause'
from 'Welcome to Detroit' (2001) (MP3/CD)
Donald Byrd 'Think Twice'
from 'Stepping Into Tomorrow' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Common 'New Wave' and 'Star 69 (PS With Love)'
from 'Electric Circus' (2002) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit:'New Wave' and 'Star 69 (PS With Love)'
J Dilla 'Wild'
from 'Ruff Draft' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Slade 'Cum on Feel the Noize'
from 'Sladest' (1972) (MP3/CD not available)
Jaylib 'The Red'
from 'Champion Sound' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Cris Williamson 'Shine On Straight Arrow'
from 'Cris Williamson' (1970) (MP3/CD)

Bonus Cuts:
Reissue instrumental fever: 'Wild' (Instrumental) and 'The Red' (Instrumental)

Releated Posts:
Producer Profile: J Dilla (Part 4, 2000)

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)

Rewind: Metal Fingers 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' (Part 2)

Welcome to our second look at Metal Fingers' 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2'.

'Nettle Leaves' contains a sample of the ever-present 'It's a New Day' break by Skull Snaps in addition to a sample of 'Eastern Market' by Yusef Lateef from his 1969 album 'Yusef Lateef's Detroit'. Dumile peppers 'Mugwort' with a sample from Coke Escovedo's 'Hangin' On'. Doom's 'Lovage' takes a sample from Faze-O's late 70s album 'Riding High' and the track 'True Love'. Finally, 'Myrrh' contains bits of Ronnie Laws' 'Friends and Strangers' from the 1977 album of the same name.

'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' are followed by eight more volumes of instrumentals from MF Doom as Metal Fingers. Future posts on this blog will cover more Doom and more Special Herbs collections.

The Lowdown:
Metal Fingers 'Nettle Leaves', 'Mugwort', 'Lovage', and 'Myrrh'
from 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' (2002) (MP3/CD)
Skull Snaps 'It's a New Day'
from 'Skull Snaps' (1973) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Yusef Lateef 'Eastern Market'
from 'Yusef Lateef's Detroit' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Coke Escovedo 'Hangin' On'
from 'Comin at Ya'' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Faze-O 'True Love'
from 'Riding High' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Ronnie Laws 'Friends and Strangers'
from 'Friends and Strangers' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Related Posts:
Five On It: November 2008's Essentials (More on Skull Snaps)

Rewind: Metal Fingers 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' (Part 1)

After KMD and Daniel Dumile's return to music as MF Doom in 1998, Doom started the Special Herbs project as Metal Fingers. 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' was released in two parts in 2001 and 2002, part 1 released on Female Fun records and parts 1 and 2 released on one disc on High Times Records. This post will cover the tracks and sample sources of 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2'.

Dumile's track 'Saffron' samples 'Hogin' Machine' from Les Baxter's 1969 motorcycle exploitation soundtrack 'Hell's Belles'. 'Hell's Belles' is a highly sought after soundtrack that has been sampled numerous times and has been repressed by a handful of shady companies, be on the lookout for legit copies. 'Zatar' samples Anita Baker's 'Been So Long' from her 1986 album 'Rapture' to some pleasant results. This may cause some comment ruckus, but I'm not a fan of Quincy Jones' 1979 album 'The Dude', but Doom used 'One Hundred Ways' on 'Monosodium Glutamate' very well. Finally, one of the essential early breaks, 'Rocket in the Pocket' by Cerrone is used on Metal Fingers' 'Red #40'.

Check back for our second look at Metal Fingers' 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' produced by MF Doom.

The Lowdown:
Metal Fingers 'Saffron', 'Zatar', 'Monosodium Glutamate', and 'Red #40'
from 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' (2002) (MP3/CD)
Les Baxter 'Hogin' Machine'
from 'Hell's Belles' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Anita Baker 'Been So Long'
from 'Rapture' (1986) (MP3/CD)
Quincy Jones 'One Hundred Ways'
from 'The Dude' (1979) (MP3/CD)
Cerrone 'Rocket in the Pocket'
from 'Cerrone IV - The Golden Touch' (1978) (MP3 not available/Import CD)

Bonus Cut:
Both Doom and Dilla were tapped for beats by Ghostface Killah for his album 'Fishscale' (full review soon). Ghost used some older beats by both producers, including a few from Doom's 'Special Herbs' series. One of those beats is 'Monosodium Glutamate' which was used as the backing for Ghostface Killah's 'Clipse of Doom'.