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Welcome to our September installment of Five On It, the most essential five breaks and sample sources of the past month compiled in one easy to access section.
This month began with a classic in our look at Organized Konfusion's self titled debut album, the breakdance anthem 'The Mexican' from Babe Ruth's first album 'First Base'. In our second look at 'Organized Konfusion', we mentioned the huge drum break at the start of Herbie Hancock's famous 'Chameleon' from 1973's 'Headhunters'. Check out the link to 'Chameleon' - I don't think you'll find a cheaper download for the full album length track anywhere else! The David Axelrod produced album 'Release of an Oath' by the Electric Prunes covered here has the other-worldly 'General Confessional', which made its rounds as a digger's dream find in the 90s. From their 1968 debut album, Kool and the Gang's 'Give It Up' has been used numerous times in hip-hop sampling, sampled by Dr. Dre among others. Finally, during our producer profile of Mark the 45 King, we mentioned his use of the cut 'Soul Power 74' by Maceo and the Macks - a stirring J.B. inspired cut with a notable heavy sax solo that has seen its fair share of sampling in the past.The Lowdown:
Babe Ruth 'The Mexican'
from 'First Base' (1972) (MP3/Import CD)
Herbie Hancock 'Chameleon'
from 'Headhunters' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Electric Prunes 'General Confessional'
from 'Release of an Oath' (1968) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Give it Up'
from 'Kool and the Gang' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Maceo and the Macks 'Soul Power 74'
from 'Us!' (1974) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Bonus Cuts:
Babe Ruth's 'The Mexican' was a building block for b-boy sets in the early days of hip-hop, but it was also a building block for one of hip-hop's earliest crossover hits: 'Planet Rock' by Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force. Many people instantly think of Kraftwerk when 'Planet Rock' is mentioned, but a lengthy instrumental riff is lifted from 'The Mexican' as well. Another bonus download link: the 'Planet Rock' instrumental version!
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Released on September 29th of 1998, Jay-Z's third full length, 'Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life' dropped following the breakout hit of its lead single. This post will look at the producers and the artists sampled for Jay-Z's hit album.
'Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)' was the polarizing lead single from the album, featuring Mark the 45 King flipping the song 'It's a Hard Knock Life' from Peter Gennaro's 1977 version of the broadway musical 'Annie'. No one could have foreseen the impact of sampling such a strange song, or the terrible knockoffs it would produce (I'm looking at you 'Anything'). On the J-Runnah produced 'A Week Ago', Jigga and Too Short rhyme over the Isley Brothers deep album cut 'Ballad for the Fallen Soldier' from their own hit album 'Between the Sheets' from 1983. The Erick Sermon produced 'Reservoir Dogs' features Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel, and innexplicably the Lox on the rhythm of Isaac Hayes' 'Theme from Shaft'. The song also features a sample of '24 Carat Black (Theme)' from 24 Carat Black's lone Stax album 'Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth' from 1973, which has since been a highly coveted beat tool by producers. Jay-Z's 'It's Like That' finds Kid Capri sampling the rock song 'Beggar's Song' from Wet Willie's eponymous 1971 album. Finally, Jermaine Dupri and Jay-Z team up for the bonus track 'Money Ain't a Thing' which has Dupri sampling Steve Arrington's hit 'Weak at the Knees' and has the stuttered drum shuffle of Manu Dibango's African crossover hit 'Soul Makossa' from his 1972 album of the same title.The Lowdown:
Jay-Z 'Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)', 'A Week Ago', 'Reservoir Dogs', 'It's Like That', and 'Money Ain't a Thing'
from 'Vol. 2' (1998) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)', 'A Week Ago', 'Reservoir Dogs', 'It's Like That', and 'Money Ain't a Thing'
Peter Gennaro 'It's a Hard Knock Life'
from 'Annie' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD)
The Isley Brothers 'Ballad for the Fallen Soldier'
from 'Between the Sheets' (1983) (MP3/CD)
Isaac Hayes 'Theme from Shaft'
from 'Shaft' (1971) (MP3/CD)
24 Carat Black '24 Carat Black (Theme)'
from 'Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
Wet Willie 'Beggar's Song'
from 'Wet Willie' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Steve Arrington 'Weak at the Knees'
from 'Steve Arrington Hall of Fame I' (1983) (MP3/CD not available)
Manu Dibango 'Soul Makossa'
from 'Soul Makossa' (1972) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Welcome to our third and final look at Madlib's 2006 album of movie soundtrack beat sketches titled 'Beat Konducta Vol 1-2'.For the track 'Understanding (Comprehension)', Madlib samples Black Ivory's 1972 cut 'You and I' from their album 'Don't Turn Around'. Madlib samples another soul joint on 'Snake Charmer (Heads Up)', which uses bits of the Stylistics' 'You're as Right as Rain' from their album 'Round 2'. On 'Old Age (Youngblood)', Madlib samples the similarly titled rock cut 'Old Age' from Rhinoceros' 1970 album 'Better Times are Coming'. Always messing with material considered unsampleable, Madlib again shines by using 'Hitler was a Vegetarian' by the Residents on his track 'Fukwitus (The Eights)'. Moving back to classic soul, 'Whutkanido (Can Do It)' samples the Sam Cooke single 'You Were Made for Me'. The Residents appear again with their track 'End of Home' from 1980's bugged out (and possibly sample-laden in the right hands) 'Commercial Album' which was used for 'The Forest (Greens)'. Finally, the track 'Outerlimit (Space Ho)' cuts up 'An Afterthought' from Black widow's eponymous 1970 album.
To date, Madlib has 6 installments in his Beat Konducta series with further installments in the works. Look for more information on Madlib's production work in upcoming posts on this blog.The Lowdown:
Madlib 'Understanding (Comprehension)', 'Snake Charmer (Heads Up)', 'Old Age (Youngblood)', 'Fukwitus (The Eights)', 'Whutkanido (Can Do It)', 'The Forest (Greens)', and 'Outerlimit (Space Ho)'
from 'Beat Konducta Vol 1-2' (2006) (MP3/CD)
Black Ivory 'You and I'
'Don't Turn Around' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Stylistics 'You're as Right as Rain'
from 'Round 2' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Rhinoceros 'Old Age'
from 'Better Times are Coming' (1970) (MP3/CD)
The Residents 'Hitler was a Vegetarian'
from 'The Third Reich n' Roll' (1977) (MP3/CD)
Sam Cooke 'You Were Made for Me'
from 'You Were Made for Me' 7" (1958) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Residents 'End of Home'
from 'Commercial Album' (1980) (MP3/CD)
Black Widow 'An Afterthought'
from 'Black Widow' (1970) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Welcome to our second look at the sample sources of Madlib's expansive beat tape 'Beat Konducta Vol 1-2'.For the heavy diggers, Madlib doesn't disappoint by sampling Lotti Golden's 'Motor-Cycle Michael' on 'Gold Jungle (Tribe)'. By contrast, the source for 'Pyramids (Change)' is the hit single 'Risin' to the Top' from Keni Burke's post-Five Stairsteps 1982 album 'Changes'. Madlib samples Raymond Scott again, this time using the bizarre 'IBM MT/ST: The Paperwork Explosion' for 'West Coast (Coastin')'. For 'Box Top (Cardboard Dues)', Madlib samples 'Trapped' from Elmer Bernstein's soundtrack to the 1974 film 'Gold'. The early solo Diana Ross cut 'Keep an Eye' from her self titled album is the source for Madlib's 'Friends (Foes)'. 'Too Fat (Ghettozone)' uses a sample of Garland Green's 'I Can't Believe You Quit Me' from his 1969 album 'Jealous Kind of Fella'. Finally, the rock band Vanilla Fudge is sampled on 'Money Hugger (Gold Diggin')', which takes part of the 'Rock and Roll' album cut 'Street Walkin' Woman'.
Check back for our third and final look at Madlib's 'Beat Konducta Vol 1-2'.The Lowdown:
Madlib 'Gold Jungle (Tribe)', 'Pyramids (Change)', 'West Coast (Coastin')', 'Box Top (Cardboard Dues)', 'Friends (Foes)', 'Too Fat (Ghettozone)', and 'Money Hugger (Gold Diggin')'
from 'Beat Konducta Vol 1-2' (2006) (MP3/CD)
Lotti Golden 'Motor-Cycle Michael'
from 'Motor-Cycle' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Keni Burke 'Risin' to the Top'
from 'Changes' (1982) (MP3/Import CD)
Raymond Scott 'IBM MT/ST: The Paperwork Explosion'
from 'Manhattan Research Inc.' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Elmer Bernstein 'Trapped'
from 'Gold' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Diana Ross 'Keep an Eye'
from 'Diana Ross' (1970) (MP3/CD not available)
Garland Green 'I Can't Believe You Quit Me'
from 'Jealous Kind of Fella' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Vanilla Fudge 'Street Walkin' Woman'
from 'Rock and Roll' (1969) (MP3/CD)
'Beat Konducta Vol 1-2' released in 2006 is the first two releases in a series of beat tapes produced by Madlib, containing a series of short instrumentals. This installment of the series is based around 'movie themes' and features some excellent sampling. This blog's three part look at 'Beat Konducta Vol 1-2' will decode Madlib's sample sources.The album begins with Madlib's 'The Comeback (Madlib)' which features a sample of Dee Dee Sharp's 1965 single 'I Really Love You'. It's been sampled to death, but James Brown's 'The Payback' gets an inventive flip on Madlib's 'The Payback (Gotta)', turning the intro's background vocals into a soul banger. 'Face the Sun (Africa)' finds Madlib sampling 'Time to Face the Sun' from BLO's 1973 album 'Chapter One'. On 'Open (Space)', Madlib interpolates the melody to Kraftwerk's famous b-boy cut (by way of Afrika Bambaataa) 'Trans-Europe Express' from the 1977 album of the same name. As could be easily decoded from it's name, 'Stax (Strings)' has a sample of a Stax artist: Carla Thomas on her 'Memphis Queen' album track 'I've Fallen in Love with You'. A year after J Dilla sampled Raymond Scott on 'Donuts', Madlib also sampled Scott on 'Electric Company (Voltage-Watts)' by cutting up 'Wheels That Go' and 'Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.' (Take 1), both from Raymond Scott's fantastic retrospective 'Manhattan Research, Inc.'. Madlib digs deep for 'Left on Silverlake (Ride)''s sample source: 'The All Golden' from Van Dyke Parks' 1968 LP 'Song Cycle'.
Check back for part 2 of our look at 'Beat Konducta Vol 1-2'.The Lowdown:
Madlib 'The Comeback (Madlib)', 'The Payback (Gotta)', 'Face the Sun (Africa)', 'Open (Space)', 'Stax (Strings)', 'Electric Company (Voltage-Watts)', and 'Left on Silverlake (Ride)'
from 'Beat Konducta Vol 1-2' (2006) (MP3/CD)
Dee Dee Sharp 'I Really Love You'
from 'I Really Love You' 7" (1965) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'The Payback'
from 'The Payback' (1973) (MP3/CD)
BLO 'Time to Face the Sun'
from 'Chapter One' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Kraftwerk 'Trans-Europe Express'
from 'Trans-Europe Express' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD)
Carla Thomas 'I've Fallen in Love with You'
from 'Memphis Queen' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Raymond Scott 'Wheels That Go' and 'Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.' (Take 1)
from 'Manhattan Research, Inc.' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Van Dyke Parks 'The All Golden'
from 'Song Cycle' (1968) (MP3/CD)
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Mark the 45 King was riding high in the late 80s with production credits for Flavor Unit member Queen Latifah and Gang Starr and continued into the 90s with a series of high profile beats for hip-hop's most forward thinking labels at the time.
In 1990, Flavor Unit emcee Chill Rob G released his album 'Ride the Rhythm', produced almost entirely by the 45 King. On 'Court is Now in Session' samples the fantastic cut 'Soul Power 74' from Maceo and the Macks' 1974 album 'Us!' and the hit single 'The Jam' from Graham Central Station's 'Ain't No Doubt About It' from the same year. For the album's title track, the 45 King samples Baby Huey's 'Hard Times' from the famous posthumous Curtis Mayfield produced album 'The Baby Huey Story'. In the same year, the Flavor Unit released the album 'The 45 King Presents the Flavor Unit' which featured the song 'Flavor Unit Assassination Squad', which cut up James Brown's 'Let a Man Come In and Do The Popcorn' from James' 1970 album 'It's a New Day So Let a Man Come in and Do the Popcorn'.In 1991, Mark the 45 King produced a number of tracks for Delicious Vinyl artist Def Jef's second album 'Soul Food'. On 'A Poet's Prelude', the 45 King deftly samples Sly and the Family Stone's 'Poet' while on 'Fa Sho Shot', the 45 King samples 'Everytime I Turn Around (Back in Love Again)' by L.T.D. - two sample sources that may as well be light years away.
Check back for more on Mark James, the 45 King.The Lowdown:
Chill Rob G 'Court is Now in Session' and 'Ride the Rhythm'
from 'Ride the Rhythm' (1990) (MP3/CD)
Maceo and the Macks 'Soul Power 74'
from 'Us!' (1974) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Graham Central Station 'The Jam'
from 'Ain't No Doubt About It' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Baby Huey 'Hard Times'
from 'The Baby Huey Story' (1970) (MP3/CD)
The Flavor Unit 'Flavor Unit Assassination Squad'
from 'The 45 King Presents the Flavor Unit' (1990) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'Let a Man Come In and Do The Popcorn'
from 'It's a New Day So Let a Man Come in and Do the Popcorn' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Def Jef 'A Poet's Prelude' and 'Fa Sho Shot'
from 'Soul Food' (1991) (MP3/Import CD)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Poet'
from 'There's a Riot Goin' On' (1971) (MP3/CD)
L.T.D. 'Everytime I Turn Around (Back in Love Again)'
from 'Something to Love' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD)
Related Posts:
Five On It: January 2009's Essentials (Baby Huey Appearance)
Producer Profile: Mark the 45 King (Part 1, 1988-1989)
Source Material: Sly and the Family Stone 'There's a Riot Goin' On'
Following the breakthrough success of N.W.A.'s 'Straight Outta Compton' album and production work for Eazy-E and Michel'le, Dr. Dre was hot property in 1990. This post will look at Dr. Dre's production credits from 1990 and the songs he sampled for those works.
'Livin' Like Hustlers' by Above the Law was previously covered here and here, but it bears mentioning again due to the density of Dr. Dre's sample work of the period. On 'Murder Rap', Dre samples a number of notable breaks like Eddie Bo's fantastic NoLa single 'Hook and Sling', James Brown's 'Funky Drummer', the squonky 'Ironside' by Quincy Jones, and Stanley Turrentine's famous 'Sister Sanctified'.Following N.W.A.'s bombastic debut, Dre produced the stop gap EP '100 Miles and Runnin'', which featured some of N.W.A.'s beat cuts. On '100 Miles and Runnin'', Dre samples Funkadelic's 'Get Off Your Ass and Jam', Herbie Hancock's 'Hang Up Your Hang Ups', and James Brown's 'Give it Up or Turnit Loose' in addition to choice samples from 'Nowhere to Run' by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, 'Run N-----' by the Last Poets, and Vincent Price's contribution to 'Thriller' by Michael Jackson. On the EP's cut 'Real N----z', Dre samples Kool and the Gang's 'Give it Up' and Cheryl Lynn's proto-disco smash single 'Got to Be Real'.
Check back for more information on Dr. Dre's career, which tends to appear on this blog regularly.The Lowdown:
Above the Law 'Murder Rap'
from 'Livin' Like Hustlers' (1990) (MP3/CD)
Eddie Bo 'Hook and Sling'
from 'Hook and Sling' 7" (1968) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'Funky Drummer'
from 'Funky Drummer' 7" (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Quincy Jones 'Ironside'
from 'Smackwater Jack' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Stanley Turrentine 'Sister Sanctified'
from 'Cherry' (1972) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
N.W.A. '100 Miles and Runnin'' and 'Real N----z'
from '100 Miles and Runnin'' (1990) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Funkadelic 'Get Off Your Ass and Jam'
from 'Let's Take it to the Stage' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Herbie Hancock 'Hang Up Your Hang Ups'
from 'Man-Child' (1975) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'Give it Up or Turnit Loose'
from 'In the Jungle Groove' (1986) (MP3/CD)
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas 'Nowhere to Run'
from 'Dance Party' (1965) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
The Last Poets 'Run, N-----'
from 'The Last Poets' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD)
Michael Jackson 'Thriller'
from 'Thriller' (1983) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Give it Up'
from 'Kool and the Gang' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Cheryl Lynn 'Got to Be Real'
from 'Cheryl Lynn' (1978) (MP3/CD not available)
Related Posts:
Producer Profile: Dr. Dre (Part 1, 1988-1989)
Rewind: Above the Law 'Livin' Like Hustlers (Part 1)
Rewind: Above the Law 'Livin' Like Hustlers (Part 2)
Rewind: N.W.A. 'Straight Outta Compton (Part 1)
Rewind: N.W.A. 'Straight Outta Compton (Part 2)
Rewind: N.W.A. 'Straight Outta Compton (Part 3)
Street Sounds: Dr. Dre
In April 2009, Rick Ross released his Third album, 'Deeper Than Rap', which can also boast being his third straight #1 Billboard charting full length. This post will cover the sample sources of 'Deeper Than Rap''s singles and deep album cuts, produced by some of the hottest producers out at the moment.The single 'Maybach Music 2' was produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and features the heavy hitter line up of T-Pain, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West. J.U.S.T.I.C.E. sample Dexter Wansel's 1978 cut 'Time is the Teacher' from his album 'Voyager' for the cut. On the album's lead single 'Magnificent', a top 10 R&B and Rap charting hit, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League laces Ross and John Legend with a backing featuring samples from Angela Bofill's 80s song 'Gotta Make it Up to You' from her 'Teaser' LP. J.U.S.T.I.C.E. also provide the beat for 'Yacht Club', which utilize Johnny Pate's 'El Jardia' from the 1973 blaxploitation soundtrack 'Shaft in Africa'. Rick Ross rides a sample of Willie Hutch's 'Color Her Sunshine' on 'Rich Off Cocaine'. Finally on the album cut 'Valley of Death', DJ Toomp samples Barry White's 'I'm So Blue and You Are Too' from his album 'Let the Music Play' to great effect.
Ross is already scheduled to release a new album in 2010, tentatively titled 'Teflon Don'.The Lowdown:
Rick Ross 'Maybach Music 2', 'Magnificent', 'Yacht Club', 'Rich Off Cocaine', and 'Valley of Death'
from 'Deeper Than Rap' (2009) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Maybach Music 2', 'Magnificent', 'Yacht Club', 'Rich Off Cocaine', and 'Valley of Death'
Dexter Wansel 'Time is the Teacher'
from 'Voyager' (1978) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Angela Bofill 'Gotta Make it Up to You'
from 'Teaser' (1983) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Johnny Pate 'El Jardia'
from 'Shaft in Africa' (1973) (MP3/CD not available)
Willie Hutch 'Color Her Sunshine'
from 'Color Her Sunshine' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Barry White 'I'm So Blue and You Are Too'
from 'Let the Music Play' (1975) (MP3/Import CD)
Related Posts:
Rewind: Jay-Z 'American Gangster' (Part 2) (DJ Toomp appearance)
Rewind: Kanye West 'Graduation' (Part 1) (DJ Toomp appearance)
Rewind: Kanye West 'Graduation' (Part 2) (DJ Toomp appearance)
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Welcome to our second look at Jay-Z's 'The Blueprint', released on this date in 2001.
One of my favorite samples used for 'The Blueprint' is David Ruffin's 'Common Man' sampled by Kanye West for the track 'Never Change'. The ex-Temps vocalist is amazing on this cut from his self titled 1973 album - this may not be a club banger or something anyone could ever sample again, but it is a hell of a tune. Bobby Glenn's 'Sounds Like a Love Song' is the source for the Just Blaze produced 'Song Cry', one of Jay-Z's most poignant tracks, though it failed to break either the pop or R&B top 40 upon its release as a single. On the Bink produced 'All I Need', Jay-Z rhymes over samples from Natalie Cole's 'Unpredictable' album cut 'I Can't Break Away (From You)'. Bink also produced the album's title track 'Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)', which cuts a sample from Al Green's 'Free at Last' from the beat digger favorite 'Livin' for You'. Just Blaze digs deep for 'Got to Find My Own Place' by Stanley Clarke for Jay-Z's bonus track 'Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)'. Finally, Jay-Z rides a sample of the Persuaders' 'Trying Girls Out' for his excellent bonus track 'Girls, Girls, Girls' (Remix) produced by Kanye West.
'The Blueprint' was another career plateau for Jay-Z, though it was followed by the career nadir of 'The Blueprint²', an underwhelming double album featuring much of the same cast, with much less conviction and tons of gimmicky cameo appearances. 2009 is set to see the release of Jay-Z's 'The Blueprint 3' today, which will undoubtedly be featured in a future post on this blog.The Lowdown:
Jay-Z 'Never Change', 'Song Cry', 'All I Need', 'Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)', 'Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)', and 'Girls, Girls, Girls' (Remix)
from 'The Blueprint' (2001) (MP3/CD)
David Ruffin 'Common Man'
from 'David Ruffin' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Bobby Glenn 'Sounds Like a Love Song'
from 'Shout it Out' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Natalie Cole 'I Can't Break Away (From You)'
from 'Unpredictable' (1977) (MP3/Import CD)
Al Green 'Free at Last'
from 'Livin' for You' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Stanley Clarke 'Got to Find My Own Place'
from 'Modern Man' (1978) (MP3/CD not available)
The Persuaders 'Trying Girls Out'
from 'The Persuaders' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
Related Posts:
Rewind: Jay-Z 'Vol. 3'
Rewind: Jay-Z 'American Gangster' (Part 1)
Rewind: Jay-Z 'American Gangster' (Part 2)
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)
Following the Electric Prunes' third album, 'Mass in F Minor', which featured mostly studio musicians filling in for the band members, the band released 'Release of an Oath' in 1968, again recorded by studio musicians with the Prunes only submitting vocals. This album may only have been a footnote in history, a cash-in recording for a band that had all but broken up, if it weren't for the songwriting and production prowess of one David Axelrod. 'Release of an Oath' is less of an Electric Prunes album than it is a David Axelrod album. With it's open drums, jazz influence, and funky basslines; the album became a sought after treasure for beat diggers the world over. Thankfully, within the last decade, the album has been easier to find due to re-releases (and now, MP3s). This post will cover the producers and artists who have sampled the Axelrod produced fourth album by the Electric Prunes.One of the album's stand out tracks is 'Holy are You', which is a favorite of beat heads and psych rock listeners alike. The track was sampled by Joe Fatal for Fat Joe and Raekwon's team up 'Respect Mine' on his 1995 album 'Jealous One's Envy'. Five years later, the same track was sampled by Madlib on his Quasimoto album 'The Unseen' for the cut 'Return of the Loop Digga'. The album's funkiest cut is the bouncy bass-heavy 'General Confessional', which has become the most sampled cut on this release. In 1997, the Beatnuts sampled 'General Confessional' for 'N----z Know' on 'Stone Crazy' while DJ Scratch sampled the cut for Rampage and Busta Rhymes' single 'Flipmode iz da Squad'. In 2000, Madlib sampled this track as well for his song 'B.S.' from the Quasimoto single 'Basic Instinct' while the RZA sampled the song for 'The Monument' which finds Busta Rhymes cameoing again on the beat alongside the Wu-Tang Clan. 'The Adoration' from 'Release of an Oath' was also plundered by the Beatnuts for the song 'World's Famous' from their 1993 release 'The Intoxicated Demons'.
At the end of 'Release of an Oath', the Electric Prunes were almost done. The band, by name only and featuring none of the original members, released a fifth album that made no waves. Axelrod, however, was just at the beginning of his solo career. 1968 saw the release of his debut solo album, 'Song of Innocence', which led to a decade of beat digger coveted albums.The Lowdown:
The Electric Prunes 'Holy Are You', 'General Confessional', and 'The Adoration'
from 'Release of an Oath' (1968) (MP3/CD)
Fat Joe 'Respect Mine'
from 'Jealous One's Envy' (1995) (MP3 not available/CD)
Quasimoto 'Return of the Loop Digga'
from 'The Unseen' (2000) (MP3/CD)
The Beatnuts 'N----z Know'
from 'Stone Crazy' (1997) (MP3 not available/CD)
Rampage 'Flipmode iz da Squad'
from 'Scouts Honor By Way of Blood' (1997) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Quasimoto 'B.S.'
from 'Basic Instinct' (2000) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Wu-Tang Clan 'The Monument'
from 'The W' (2000) (MP3 not available/CD)
The Beatnuts 'World's Famous'
from 'The Intoxicated Demons' (1993) (MP3 not available/CD)
Bonus Cut:
The Verve's Richard Ashcroft, a fan of Axelrod's work with the Electric Prunes, recorded an excellent live version of 'Holy Are You' with Axelrod conducting a symphony.
Related Posts:
Producer Profile: David Axelrod (Part 2, 1968-1969)
Rewind: Quasimoto 'The Unseen' (Part 1)
Rewind: Quasimoto 'The Unseen' (Part 2)
Rewind: Quasimoto 'The Unseen' (Part 3)
