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: Ice Cube 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (Part 1)

After splitting with N.W.A., one of hip-hop's hottest properties of the late 80s linked up with Public Enemy's production unit the Bomb Squad for one of rap's most commanding and controversial debut albums, Ice Cube's 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'. This three part arc will cover the sample sources of Ice Cube's dense first album.

The Bomb Squad, Cube, and Sir Jinx all lend a hand in production to 'The N---- Ya Love to Hate'h which draws a sample from a familiar source in West Coast rap going forward George Clinton's 'Atomic Dog'. The track also samples 'Weak at the Knees' by ex-Slave member Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame from the 1983 boastfully titled album 'Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame Vol. 1' (note the absence of a volume 2). The title track to 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' uses a slew of breaks: Sly and the Family Stone's 'Advice', the early Kool and the Gang joint 'Let the Music Take Your Mind', Bar-Kays' 'Humpin'', and the title track to James Brown's 1972 burner 'There it is'. The short 'What They Hittin' Foe?' manages to incorporate 'Sister Sanctified' from Stanley Turrentine's 1972 album 'Cherry' and 'The Jugglers' from the Average White Band's 1973 album 'Show Your Hands'. 'You Can't Fade Me' knicks another early Kool and the Gang track: 'Pneumonia' as well as Parliament's 'Rumpofsteelskin' from 1977's 'Motor-Booty Affair'.

Check back for part 2 of our look at 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted'.

The Lowdown:
Ice Cube 'The N---- Ya Love to Hate', 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted', 'What They Hittin' Foe?', and 'You Can't Fade Me'
from 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' (1990) (MP3/CD)
George Clinton 'Atomic Dog'
from 'Computer Games' (1982) (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)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Advice'
from 'A Whole New Thing' (1967) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Let the Music Take Your Mind'
from 'Kool and the Gang' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Bar-Kays 'Humpin''
from 'Gotta Groove' (1969) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'There it is'
from 'There it is' (1972) (MP3/CD not available)
Stanley Turrentine 'Sister Sanctified'
from 'Cherry' (1972) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Average White Band 'The Jugglers'
from 'Show Your Hands' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Pneumonia'
from 'Pneumonia' 7" (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Parliament 'Rumpofsteelskin'
from 'Motor-Booty' Affair' (1977) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Ice Cube 'Jackin' For Beats'
Rewind: Del 'I Wish My Brother George Was Here' (Part 1)
Rewind: Del 'I Wish My Brother George Was Here' (Part 2)
Rewind: Del 'I Wish My Brother George Was Here' (Part 3)

The Breaks: Sly and the Family Stone 'Dance to the Music'

As is easily seen on this blog, Sly and the Family Stone are known for their endearing breaks in addition to their endearing run of fantastic albums through the late 60s and early 70s. One of the breaks that has become a staple for hip-hop and dance producers is the pounding intro to their hit single 'Dance to the Music' from their 1968 album of the same title. This post will explore the artists who've used 'Dance to the Music' through the years.

Upon its release, the single was a psych funk hit and become an instant classic. Sly and the Family Stone themselves expanded on 'Dance to the Music' with the excellent 12 minute 'Dance to the Medley', also on the album 'Dance to the Music', which utilizes the same drum pattern with some very samplable fills throughout. One year after the release of 'Dance to the Music', Stax staple the Bar-Kays covered 'Dance to the Music' for their album 'Gotta Groove'.

Twenty years later, as hip-hop gained the use of samplers, 'Dance to the Music' was revived as a prime drum source for producers. Notably, Dr. Dre and Yella uses the break for N.W.A.'s L.A. dance club homage 'Something 2 Dance 2' from 1988's 'Straight Outta Compton'. In 1992, Beastie Boys and Mario Caldato Jr. sampled the break for the Beasties track 'Finger Lickin' Good' on their third album 'Check Your Head'.

In 1994, two indie bands sampled the break for their projects. Japanese band Pizzicato Five sampled Sly on 'Sweet Soul Revue' for their 'Made in USA' compilation for Matador Records and England's Primal Scream sampled Sly on their hit single 'Rocks' from fourth their album 'Give Out But Don't Give Up'.

The Lowdown:
Sly and the Family Stone 'Dance to the Music' and 'Dance to the Medley'
from 'Dance to the Music' (1968) (MP3/CD)
Bar-Kays 'Dance to the Music'
from 'Gotta Groove' (1969) (MP3/CD)
N.W.A. 'Something 2 Dance 2'
from 'Straight Outta Compton' (1988) (MP3/CD)
Beastie Boys 'Finger Lickin' Good'
from 'Check Your Head' (1992) (MP3/CD)
Pizzicato Five 'Sweet Soul Revue'
from 'Made in USA' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Primal Scream 'Rocks'
from 'Give Out But Don't Give Up' (1994) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Source Material: Sly and the Family Stone 'There's a Riot Goin' On'

Rewind: GZA/Genius 'Liquid Swords' (Part 1)

After gaining underground cred with the rap group All in Together Now with his cousins and later Wu-Tang collaborators RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard, Gary Grice signed a record deal with Cold Chillin' Records and debuted with 1990's 'Words from the Genius' as the Genius. Three years later, the Genius broke out as the GZA on the debut album by the Wu-Tang Clan, 1993's triumphant 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)'. GZA's second album would follow in 1995 and would become a hip-hop classic. This two part post will uncover the sample sources of GZA's album 'Liquid Swords'.

The album's lead track and highest charting single (breaking only halfway up the Billboard 100) is 'Liquid Swords'. The RZA produced monster heavily samples Willie Mitchell's 'Groovin'' (as well as 'Mercy Mercy Mercy') and also nicks Al Green's 'That's the Way it Is' from his 1976 album 'Full of Fire'. 'Duel of the Iron Mic' samples 'I'm Afraid the Masquerade is Over' from David Porter's concept album 'Victim of the Joke?' released in 1971 on Stax. 'Living in the World Today' samples an early Bar-Kays track called 'In the Hole' from their album 'Gotta Groove'.

Check back for the second part of our look at 'Liquid Swords'.

The Lowdown:
GZA/Genius 'Liquid Swords', 'Duel of the Iron Mic', and 'Living in the World Today'
from 'Liquid Swords' (1995) (MP3/CD)
Willie Mitchell 'Groovin'' and 'Mercy Mercy Mercy'
from 'Solid Soul' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Al Green 'That's the Way it is'
from 'Full of Fire' (1976) (MP3/CD)
David Porter 'I'm Afraid the Masquerade is Over'
from 'Victim of the Joke?' (1971) (MP3 not available/ CD)
Bar-Kays 'In the Hole'
from 'Gotta Groove' (1969) (MP3/CD)

BONUS CUT:
It's a new day in America this morning. Good looking Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida. Lee Dorsey 'Yes We Can'.