Source Material: Marvin Gaye 'I Want You'

Following the success of his breakthrough album 'What's Going On' and two successful pop albums ('Let's Get It On' and 'Diana and Marvin'), Marvin Gaye released 'I Want You' in 1976. With writer/producer Leon Ware, Gaye created some of his most erotic music. Marvin has always been a favorite of hip-hop producers for sample sources, so 'I Want You' features a series of well used samples placed in hip-hop history.

The album's fantastic lead single 'I Want You' was a top 20 pop hit and is the blueprint for the 80s quiet storm sound. In 1994, 'I Want You' was used twice: once by 88 X Unit for Ice Cube's 'What Can I Do?' and once by Puff Daddy and the Hitmen for Mary J Blige's hit single 'Be Happy'. In 2001, a then new Three 6 Mafia, produced by production team DJ Paul and Juicy J, sampled 'I Want You' for 'Long Nite' from their debut album 'Mystic Stylez'.



The album's second track 'Come Live with Me Angel' was sampled in 2003 by Red Spyda for one of G-Unit's few charting hits: 'Wanna Get to Know You' with R&B singer Joe. The album's second single 'After the Dance' was again used by Ice Cube (via the Boogiemen production team) in 1991 for the single 'Steady Mobbin'' from 'Death Certificate'. Seven years later, 'After the Dance' was sampled by Salaam Remi for Canibus' 'Get Retarded' from his debut album 'Can-I-Bus'. Finally, L.A. Jay and SlimKid3 sampled Marvin's 'Since I Had You' for the Pharcyde's 'Otha Fish' from their debut album 'Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde'.

The Lowdown:
Marvin Gaye 'I Want You', 'Come Live with Me Angel', 'After the Dance', and 'Since I Had You'
from 'I Want You' (1976) (MP3/CD)
Ice Cube 'What Can I Do?'
from 'Lethal Injection' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'What Can I Do?'
Mary J. Blige 'Be Happy'
from 'My Life' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Three 6 Mafia 'Long Nite'
from 'Mystic Stylez' (2001) (MP3/CD)
G-Unit and Joe 'Wanna Get to Know You'
from 'Beg for Mercy' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Wanna Get to Know You'
Ice Cube 'Steady Mobbin''
from 'Death Certificate' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Canibus 'Get Retarded'
from 'Can-I-Bus' (1998) (MP3/CD)
The Pharcyde 'Otha Fish'
from 'Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde' (1992) (MP3/CD)

Bonus Cuts:
There are a series of decent covers of 'I Want You' (none as good as the original in my opinion), but I thought I'd throw this one out there: Madonna enlisted Massive Attack to produce her version of 'I Want You' to pretty good results (don't hate me for saying so!).

Related Posts:
Source Material: Marvin Gaye 'Trouble Man'
The Breaks: Marlena Shaw 'California Soul' (Marvin Gaye appearance)

Rewind: UGK 'Underground Kingz' (Part 1)

UGK's 2007 album 'Underground Kingz' is a mix of triumph and tragedy. The double disc album contained their highest charting single to date, an instant classic, but the album and breakthrough single were followed by the untimely death of UGK's Pimp C less than half a year later. This two part post will cover the sample basis of the seventh album by one of Texas' finest rap groups.

The album's undeniably hot hit single is the DJ Paul and Juicy J (of Three 6 Mafia fame) produced 'Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)', a lyrical collaboration between UGK and Outkast. Three 6's team samples Willie Hutch's soundtrack for the film 'The Mack' (yet again) for the track's soul sample: 'I Choose You'. Along with Three 6's own 'Stay Fly', they almost cast ownership on the ability to remake Willie Hutch's tracks into new chunks of chart gold. Though a modest hit (only cracking the Billboard 100 singles chart), the track is a true underground anthem.

Pimp C samples Latimore's 'Let's Straighten It Out' aptly for the vitriolic 'Quit Hatin' the South' which ramps up the threats of physical violence to Mobb Deep levels. 'How Long Can it Last' utilizes a sample from the relatively obscure track 'Something in the Past' by the 80s unit One Way along with Al Hudson. The MoMo produced track 'Two Type of B----es' features a guest spot from UK emcee Dizzee Rascal and flips a sample from Gladys Knight and the Pips' 1973 track 'Daddy Could Swear, I Declare'.

Check back for part two of our look at 'Underground Kingz'.

The Lowdown:
UGK 'Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)', 'Quit Hatin' the South', 'How Long Can it Last', and 'Two Type of B----es'
from 'Underground Kingz' (2007) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)', 'Quit Hatin' the South', 'How Long Can it Last', and 'Two Type of B----es'
Willie Hutch 'I Choose You'
from 'The Mack' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
Latimore 'Let's Straighten it Out'
from 'More, More, More' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
One Way Featuring Al Hudson 'Something in the Past'
from 'One Way Featuring Al Hudson' (1980) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Gladys Knight and the Pips 'Daddy Could Swear, I Declare'
from 'Neither One of Us' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Rewind: Three 6 Mafia 'Da Unbreakables'

Three 6 Mafia's mainstream success was limited until the release of 'Da Unbreakables' released in 2003, over a decade after the group originally formed. Until 'Unbreakables', only 'Sippin' on Some Sizzurp' from 2000's 'When the Smoke Clears' made a splash outside of the Dirty South. The lone single from 'Da Unbreakables', putting Three 6 Mafia on the map, is 'Ridin' Spinners' with Lil' Flip. 'Spinners' incorporates samples from Eazy-E's 'Eazy-Duz-It' and features an awesome start-and-stop intro.

'Da Unbreakables' may only have one single, but that doesn't mean the rest of the album should be overlooked. 'F--- That S---', part of the one-two-three punch that opens the album in part to fantastic sequencing, samples the bassline from Portishead's 'Wandering Star'. DJ Paul and Juicy J use a sample from 'Make Me Say It Again, Girl' by the Isley Brothers for the mid-album track 'Ghetto Chick'.

Three 6 Mafia would later release the platinum album 'Most Known Unknowns' with the top 20 hit 'Stay Fly'. Additionally, Three 6 Mafia would win an oscar in 2006 for their track 'It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp' from the movie 'Hustle and Flow'. The attention they have finally been starting to receive has been a long time coming for one of rap's most overlooked production teams.

The Lowdown:
Three 6 Mafia 'Ridin' Spinners', 'F--- That S---', and 'Ghetto Chick'
from 'Da Unbreakables' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Eazy-E 'Eazy-Duz-It'
from 'Eazy-Duz-It' (1988) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Eazy-Duz-It'
Portishead 'Wandering Star'
from 'Dummy' (1994) (MP3/CD)
The Isley Brothers 'Make Me Say It Again, Girl'
from 'The Heat Is On' (1975) (MP3/CD)