Rewind: Massive Attack 'Protection'

Any band would be hard-pressed to follow up an acclaimed debut album, much less one that started a new genre in England, but Massive Attack did just that in style in 1994 when they released their sophomore album 'Protection'. This blog post will look at the sample sources of Massive Attack's second album.

The sped up guitar pangs that lead the album's single 'Protection' along are sampled from one of the coldest 7 minutes in funk history: James Brown's 'Payback' from his 1973 album of the same title. On 'Weather Storm', Massive Attack sample the jazz-fusion group Peices of a Dream's 'It's Time for Love' from their 1983 album 'Imagine This'. Horace Andy accompanies Massive Attack on 'Spying Glass' which utilizes a sample from Joe Gibbs and the Professional's famous dub cut 'Chapter 3'. JB gets sampled again on the album, this time Massive Attack use his 1972 cut 'Never Can Say Goodbye' from 'There It Is' on the track 'Better Things'. The title of the single 'Sly' alludes to its sample source: Sly Stone of course with 'Africa Talks to You (The Asphalt Jungle)' from Sly and the Family Stone's 1971 album 'There's a Riot Goin' On'. Finally, on the hidden live track 'Light My Fire', a cover of the Doors, Massive Attack sample another cover of the same song: Young-Holt Unlimited's cover of 'Light My Fire' from thier album 'Just a Melody'.

The Lowdown:
Massive Attack 'Protection', 'Weather Storm', 'Spying Glass', 'Better Things', 'Sly', and 'Light My Fire'
from 'Protection' (1994) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'Payback'
from 'Payback' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Pieces of a Dream 'It's Time for Love'
from 'Imagine This' (1983) (MP3/CD)
Joe Gibbs and the Professionals 'Chapter 3'
from 'African Dub All-Mighty Chapter 3' (1978) (MP3 not available/CD)
James Brown 'Never Can Say Goodbye'
from 'There it Is' (1972) (MP3/CD not available)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Africa Talks to You (The Asphalt Jungle)'
from 'There's a Riot Goin' On' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Young-Holt Unlimited 'Light My Fire'
from 'Just a Melody' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Rewind: Madlib 'Beat Konducta Vol 1-2' (Part 1)

'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)

Producer Profile: Mark the 45 King (Part 2, 1990-1991)

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'

Producer Profile: Dr. Dre (Part 2, 1990)

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

Rewind: Organized Konfusion 'Organized Konfusion' (Part 2)

Welcome to our second look at Organized Konfusion's 1991 debut album titled 'Organized Konfusion' produced and emceed by Prince Po and Pharoahe Monch.

The album's title track 'Organized Konfusion' by Organized Konfusion features a sample from the James Brown hit single 'Think (About It)' by Lyn Collins, which has been notably sampled frequently throughout hip-hop's history. The track 'Open Your Eyes' samples a pair of tracks from Herbie Hancock's foundational album 'Headhunters': the huge breakbeat cut 'Chameleon' and 'Watermelon Man'. On 'Roosevelt Franklin', Organized Konfusion flow over another sample from Weather Report's 1973 album 'Sweetnighter', this time it's the cut '125th Street Congress'. 'Intro' samples the early Kool and the Gang burner 'Give it Up' as well as George Benson's 'California Dreamin' from his 1971 album 'White Rabbit'. Finally, on 'Who Stole My Last Piece of Chicken?', the duo use a melange of samples including the Ohio Players' 'Pain', Skull Snaps' classic 'It's a New Day', and the J.B.'s 'Rice N Ribs'.

Following the end of Organized Konfusion in 1997 after only three albums, Pharoahe Monch went on to score a hit on Rawkus Records while Prince Po released solo material on Lex. In the 2000's, the group has briefly reunited at times, though not for long.

The Lowdown:
Organized Konufsion 'Organized Konufsion', 'Open Your Eyes', 'Roosevelt Franklin', 'Intro', and 'Who Stole My Last Piece of Chicken?'
from 'Organized Konufsion' (1991) (MP3 not available/CD)
Lyn Collins 'Think (About It)'
from 'Think (About It)' (1972) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Herbie Hancock 'Chameleon' and 'Watermelon Man'
from 'Headhunters' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Weather Report '125th Street Congress'
from 'Sweetnighter' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Give it Up'
from 'Kool and the Gang' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
George Benson 'California Dreamin''
from 'White Rabbit' (1971) (MP3/CD)
The Ohio Players 'Pain'
from 'Pain' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Skull Snaps 'It's a New Day'
from 'Skull Snaps' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The J.B.'s 'Rice N Ribs'
from 'Breakin' Bread' (1974) (MP3 not available/Import CD)

Related Posts:
Five On It: July 2008's Essentials (Lyn Collins appearance)
Five On It: November 2008's Essentials (Skull Snaps Appearance)

Rewind: Organized Konfusion 'Organized Konfusion' (Part 1)

After a false start as Simply II Positive MCs and a early tracks produced by Paul C, Prince Po and Pharoahe Monch was signed and released their self titled debut album 'Organized Konfusion' in 1991. This two part post will investigate the sample sources of Organized Konfusion's first album.

Organized Konfusion appear alongside O.C. on an early performance on the future classic track 'Fudge Pudge', which samples the James Brown produced 'More Peas' by the J.B.'s and the Skull Snaps deep album cut 'Tresspassin'' from their lone album 'Skull Snaps'. The single 'Walk Into the Sun' features samples from Steely Dan's 'Royal Scam'-era track 'Green Earring', Earth, Wind and Fire's single 'Runnin' from their hit album 'All N All', and the 1978 Crusaders cut 'Merry-Go-Round'. 'Releasing Hypnotical Gases' samples a pair of tracks from S.O.U.L.'s classic album 'What It Is' from 1971: 'Burning Spear' and 'Soul'. The track also samples Weather Report's 'Non-Stop Home' from 'Sweetnighter'. Organized Konfusion's 'Audience Pleasers' samples the live cut 'Lowdown Popcorn' from James Brown's essential 'Sex Machine' album. Finally, the track 'Prisoner of War' features two high-octane samples: Earth, Wind and Fire's 'Power' from their third LP 'Last Days and Time' and Babe Ruth's absolutely essential b-boy break 'The Mexican' from their 1972 album 'First Base'.

Check back for our second look at the sample sources of Organized Konfusion's self titled debut album.

The Lowdown:
Organized Konufsion 'Fudge Pudge', 'Walk Into the Sun', 'Releasing Hypnotical Gases', 'Audience Pleasers', and 'Prisoner of War'
from 'Organized Konufsion' (1991) (MP3 not available/CD)
The J.B.'s 'More Peas'
from 'Doing it to Death' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Skull Snaps 'Tresspassin''
from 'Skull Snaps' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Steely Dan 'Green Earring'
from 'Royal Scam' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Earth, Wind and Fire 'Runnin''
from 'All N All' (1977) (MP3/CD)
The Crusaders 'Merry-Go-Round'
from 'Images' (1978) (MP3/CD)
S.O.U.L. 'Burning Spear' and 'Soul'
from 'What Is It' (1971) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Weather Report 'Non-Stop Home'
from 'Sweetnighter' (1973) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'Lowdown Popcorn'
from 'Sex Machine' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Earth, Wind and Fire 'Power'
from 'Last Days and Time' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Babe Ruth 'The Mexican'
from 'First Base' (1972) (MP3/Import CD)

Related Post:
Five On It: November 2008's Essentials (Skull Snaps appearance)
Producer Profile: DJ Premier (Part 5, 1997) (O.C. appearance)
Rewind: Kanye West 'Graduation' (Part 1) (Steely Dan appearance)

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)

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.