Rising within the mid-70s and blooming spectacularly within the 80s, hip-hop has been constructed on sampling, with its producers looking for to inject some old-school grooves into their future-shaping tracks. The Godfather Of Soul, James Brown, was a bedrock of early hip-hop, however so was the Blue Be aware catalogue. Some teams – most notably A Tribe Referred to as Quest, one among hip-hop’s largest jazz-influenced acts – notably appreciated a few of the long-lasting jazz label’s extra overtly funk-influenced recordings of the late 60s and early 70s; their finest Blue Be aware samples included deep grooves by guitarist Grant Inexperienced, keyboardist Ronnie Foster, flutist Bobbi Humphrey, singer Marlena Shaw, organist Lonnie Smith, and alto saxophone maestro Lou Donaldson.
Different acts to have discovered inspiration within the Blue Be aware discography embrace a few of the largest names in hip-hop’s hallowed pantheon: Public Enemy, Dr Dre, De La Soul, 2Pac, Ice-T, Busta Rhymes, Ice Dice, and Beastie Boys.
In hip-hop’s early days, sampling was a free-for-all, smash-and-grab scenario. Blue Be aware, nonetheless, beneath the visionary stewardship of the late Bruce Lundvall – who was answerable for the label from 1984-2010 – led the way in which in legitimizing sampling by inviting London hip-hop group Us3 to entry the label’s catalogue. The outcome was their 1992 hit “Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia),” which was constructed on a pattern of Herbie Hancock’s basic observe “Cantaloupe Island.”
Immediately, artists comparable to J Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Kanye West have continued to plunder the Blue Be aware vaults, making certain that the most effective Blue Be aware samples stay key constructing blocks in hip-hop’s evolution.
Take heed to Blue Be aware’s Most Sampled playlist now.
Herbie Hancock: Cantaloupe Island (1964)
London-based group Us3 had been the primary hip-hop act signed to Blue Be aware and scored a High 10 US pop hit, “Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia),” in 1993, which famously reconfigured probably the most accessible minimize from Hancock’s fourth Blue Be aware album, Empyrean Isles. The group’s debut album, Hand On The Torch, featured music that sampled quite a lot of basic Blue Be aware recordings.
In 2006, the Hancock unique additionally fashioned the spine for a European EDM observe known as “Blue Note Tribute” by Congaman. As for Herbie Hancock, the web site whosampled.com lists him because the third most-sampled jazz musician of all time, which makes the pianist liable for an astounding quantity of the most effective Blue Be aware samples to seem on report.
Grant Inexperienced: Down Right here On The Floor (1970)
By no means ones to let a great groove – and a classic, funky jazz one at that – to go to waste, A Tribe Referred to as Quest had been so taken with guitarist Grant Inexperienced’s stay model of “Down Here On The Ground” (co-written by Argentine pianist Lalo Schifrin) that they sampled it on “Vibes And Stuff” from their 1991 LP, The Low Finish Principle. Inexperienced’s model had appeared on his 1970 album Alive!, recorded at a venue known as The Cliché Lounge in Newark, New Jersey.
The guitarist’s jazzed-up model of James Brown’s “Ain’t It Funky Now,” together with “Cantaloupe Woman” and “Sookie Sookie,” may declare a spot among the many finest Blue Be aware samples, whereas Inexperienced’s music continues to seek out new ears. His 1971 minimize “Maybe Tomorrow” was sampled by Kendrick Lamar in 2012 for the observe “Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst.”
Ronnie Foster: Mystic Brew (1972)
Provided that, within the 70s, Blue Be aware turned from laborious bop to jazz-funk, it’s no shock that the label’s 70s discography has been sampled by myriad hip-hop acts. Keyboardist Ronnie Foster’s “Mystic Brew,” a mellow gradual jam taken from his 1972 album Two Headed Freap, was famously repurposed by New York group A Tribe Referred to as Quest for the observe “Electric Relaxation” from their 1993 LP, Midnight Marauders. DJ/producer Madlib remixed the observe, calling it “Mystic Bounce,” on his 2003 Blue Be aware album Shades Of Blue. Extra not too long ago, J Cole sampled it for the observe “Forbidden Fruit,” that includes Kendrick Lamar, on his 2013 album, Born Sinner.
Lou Donaldson: Ode To Billie Joe (1967)
Simply incomes his place on the checklist of finest Blue Be aware samples, this North Carolina-born alto saxophonist is outwardly Blue Be aware’s most sampled musician ever (on the final depend, his work has been repurposed over 200 occasions). Donaldson was a number one exponent of soul jazz at Blue Be aware within the 60s, and his cowl of the well-known Bobbie Gentry hit from 1967 turned up on his album Mr. Shing-A-Ling later the identical yr. Kanye West sampled it for his observe “Jesus Walks,” which appeared on his 2004 debut album, The Faculty Dropout. Eminem adopted go well with in 2013 (on “Bad Guy” from The Marshall Mathers LP 2) and, extra not too long ago, in 2015, Donaldson’s greasy soul groove was a part of the musical DNA of A$AP Rocky’s minimize “L$D,” from the album At. Lengthy. Final. A$AP. Different Donaldson tunes that jostle for consideration among the many finest Blue Be aware samples embrace “Turtle Walk,” “Who’s Making Love,” “Pot Belly,” “The Caterpillar” and “Brother Soul.” Those that have sampled his work embrace A Tribe Referred to as Quest, Mary J Blige, Nas, Dr. Dre, De La Soul, and Pete Rock & CL Easy.
Donald Byrd: Flight-Time (1972)
A famous laborious bop trumpeter of the 50s and 60s, Byrd switched to fusion within the early 70s. His largest album in that vein was 1972’s Black Byrd, produced by Larry Mizell. From it got here the laidback groove “Flight-Time,” which was utilized by Public Enemy on the title observe of their 1990 Def Jam LP, Worry Of A Black Planet. 4 years later, Nas constructed one other new observe on “Flight-Time”: “NY State Of Mind,” from the Illmatic album.
Many different Byrd tunes have discovered their approach into an Akai S900 sampler (the reasonably priced little bit of {hardware} that, within the 80s, modified music-making ceaselessly), together with “Blackjack,” “Stepping In Tomorrow,” “Think Twice,” “Wind Parade” and “Street Lady.” General, his music has been sampled over 100 occasions.
Bobby Hutcherson: Ummh (1970)
An atmospheric mid-paced shuffle groove with a powerful blues really feel, “Ummh” was the killer minimize from vibraphonist Hutcherson’s 1970 Blue Be aware album, San Francisco, a collaboration with West Coast tenor saxophonist Harold Land. Ice Dice was the primary rapper to pattern the tune (on “Ghetto Bird,” from his 1993 LP, Deadly Injection). “Ummh” additionally turned up as a part of UK DJ/producer/remixer Photek’s “The Rain” and Madonna’s “Bedtime Story,” each recorded in 1994. Hutcherson’s “Goin’ Down South” – which additionally appeared on the San Francisco LP – was utilized by Us3 as the idea of their observe “Lazy Day.”
The Three Sounds: Repeat After Me (1969)
This Michigan trio, with Gene Harris on piano, got here to epitomize finger-clicking soul jazz within the 50s and 60s. A strutting blues-based minimize dominated by Harris’ outstanding piano, “Repeat After Me” was first sampled by US/Canadian hip-hop trio Most important Supply for his or her 1991 minimize “Vamos A Rapiar,” which appeared on their debut LP, Breaking Atoms. The identical Three Sounds observe – which initially featured on their 1969 LP, Soul Symphony – ended up inspiring The Coup’s “Kill My Landlord” a yr later. In 2002, UK jazz-based hip-hop duo The Herbaliser utilized the identical pattern on “The Turnaround.”
Reuben Wilson: We’re In Love (1971)
This soul-jazz organ grinder from Mounds, Oklahoma, was one among many Hammond heroes on Blue Be aware’s roster within the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Between 1968 and ’71, Wilson minimize 5 albums for the label, and “We’re In Love” got here from his Blue Be aware swansong, Set Us Free. A dreamy ballad laced with electrical sitar, percussion and vocals, it caught the ears of Nas in 1994, who used it on his city meditation “Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park).” Wilson’s unique was truly first sampled two years earlier by Scientifik (“I Ain’t The Damn One”) and, extra not too long ago, in 2011, was utilized by Ace Hood on “Forgiv’n.” In 2018, the rapper Drawback sampled it for his observe “Stressin’.” Wilson’s Blue Be aware songs “Orange Peel” and “Stormy” additionally qualify for honorable point out among the many finest Blue Be aware samples.
Duke Pearson: Floor Hog (1969)
Pearson’s jaunty blues tune, recorded in 1968 for his Blue Be aware LP Introducing Duke Pearson’s Huge Band, impressed the “DAISY Age” trio De La Soul’s “Long Island Wildin’,” that includes Japanese hip-hop artists Scha Dara Parr and Takagi Kan. The observe appeared on their 1993 LP, Buhloone Mindstate, and their use of a hard-to-find Duke Pearson extract quickly had crate-diggers trying by way of their Blue Be aware collections for related pattern fodder.
Jeremy Steig: Howlin’ For Judy (1969)
Initially launched on the short-lived Strong State label, which in 1970 turned a part of the Blue Be aware catalogue, “Howlin’ For Judy” got here from the Manhattan flutist’s fifth LP, Legwork. Steig’s wild jazz groove is dominated by intertwining overdubbed flutes and was famously utilized by Beastie Boys on “Sure Shot” in 1994, although a yr earlier DJ Shadow And The Groove Robbers had sampled it on their single “In/Flux.” Clockwork Voodoo Freaks (aka The Mexican) additionally filched it for a observe known as “Deaf Mick’s Throwdown” in 1997.
Ronnie Legal guidelines: Tidal Wave (1975)
Starting as a mellow jam on which tenor sax, electrical piano, and astral synths interlock, “Tidal Wave” rapidly grows in emotional depth. The observe got here from Legal guidelines’ basic breakthrough debut album, Strain Delicate. Those that admired it sufficient to pattern it included Black Moon (“Who Got Da Props,” 1993), Quasimoto (“Return Of The Loop Digga,” 2000), and Younger Lean (“Princess Daisy,” 2013).
Eddie Henderson: The Kumquat Youngsters (1975)
Jazz-fusion trumpeter Henderson (who’s additionally a certified psychiatrist) made two albums for Blue Be aware within the mid-70s, the primary of which was Sunburst, which contained the super-funky “The Kumquat Kids,” distinguished by a squelchy synth bass. It was sampled by British electronica duo Hexstatic on their infectious dance tune “Kids Can Dance,” in 2000. Henderson’s “Inside You” (from his second Blue Be aware album, Heritage) additionally options among the many finest Blue Be aware samples, due to its use by Jay Z on 1996’s “Coming Of Age” and Souls Of Mischief’s 1993 minimize “Tell Me Who Profits.”
Gene Harris And The Three Sounds: E book Of Slim (1968)
A jaunty however swish tune written and organized by the estimable Arkansas saxophonist Monk Higgins, “Book Of Slim” got here from the album Elegant Soul, attributed to Gene Harris And The Three Sounds (it was the primary time that Harris’ identify acquired separate billing from the remainder of the group). Rapper Guru (one half of Gang Starr) sampled it in 1993 on “Take A Look (At Yourself),” which featured vibes maestro Roy Ayers. Blackalicious (“Lyric Fathom”) and The Herbaliser (“Intro”) additionally borrowed it in 1994 and 1999, respectively. Madlib remixed the observe on Shades Of Blue, calling it “Slim’s Return.”
Stanley Turrentine: Sunny (1966)
Famous for his strong tenor saxophone sound, Pittsburgh soul-jazz maven Turrentine has been much-sampled by the hip-hop technology. In 2016 a snippet from his soulful rendition of Bobby Hebb’s immortal tune, “Sunny,” discovered its approach on to “Foreplay” by California-based MC Jalen Santoy, and, a yr later, impressed “Sunny Nights” by younger Dallas rapper LeRoyce. J Dilla, J Cole, and Ice Dice are amongst those that have additionally sampled Turrentine’s music.
Jimmy McGriff: The Worm (1968)
A Blue Be aware acquisition from the Strong State catalogue, “The Worm” is an infectious slice of soul jazz that was the title observe of the Philadelphia organist’s fifteenth LP, that includes trumpeter Blue Mitchell. It’s been sampled over 100 occasions, most notably by the UK dance act The Chemical Brothers (on “Chemical Beats” and “Delek”), Norwegian electro duo Röyksopp (“Remind Me”) and Ghostface Killah (on the 2007 Marky & Bungle remix of “Back Like That”).
Marlena Shaw: Lady Of The Ghetto (1973)
Solely the third singer signed to Blue Be aware, and the primary to report multiple album for the label, Marlena Shaw had recorded a studio model of the anthemic “Woman Of The Ghetto,” which she co-wrote, for her 1969 Cadet album The Spice Of Life. However it’s her stay model for Blue Be aware (from the Dwell At Montreux LP) that’s seen probably the most motion, sample-wise. UK dance act Blue Boy took a vocal pattern from it to create “Remember Me” in 1997; in 2000, French producer St Germain used it on the observe “Rose Rouge,” taken from his Blue Be aware album, Vacationer. It was additionally utilized in 2012 by UK singer-songwriter Daley, who sampled Blue Boy’s Shaw pattern on his music “Remember Me,” that includes Jessie J.
Huge John Patton: Alfie’s Theme (1968)
Patton’s rip-roaring soul jazz organ trio tackle Sony Rollins’ memorable theme to the 1966 Alfie film (starring Michael Caine as an endearing love rat) appeared on his eighth Blue Be aware album, Understanding, launched in 1968. London hip-hop act Us3 used a section of the observe for his or her music “It’s Like That,” launched on Blue Be aware in 1993. Although he’s one among Blue Be aware’s least sampled artists, Patton’s tasty model of The Meters’ “Cissy Strut” has additionally been utilized by Polish rapper OSTR.
Blue Mitchell: Good Humor Man (1968)
Florida horn-blower Blue Mitchell couldn’t learn music and performed trumpet solely by ear. Rising to fame with The Horace Silver Quintet within the early 60s, he started to make albums beneath his personal identify for Blue Be aware. “Good Humor Man,” sampled by the UMCs in 1991 (“One To Grow On”), and Bloodhound Gang in 1995 (“Mama Say”), was taken from a big-band album Mitchell recorded known as Heads Up! One other one among Mitchell’s Blue Be aware tunes, “Flat Backing,” recorded in 1969, can be value mentioning as among the best Blue Be aware samples, due to its use by a number of hip-hop artists, amongst them Del The Funky Homosapien.
Lonnie Smith: Spinning Wheel (1970)
A Tribe Referred to as Quest definitely felt that “Spinning Wheel” was among the best Blue Be aware samples the label needed to provide: they appreciated this organ-led soul-jazz retread of Blood, Sweat & Tears’ 1970 pop-rock hit a lot that they used it twice – first in 1990, on their hit “Can I Kick It?,” taken from their debut LP, Individuals’s Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm, after which once more in 1991 on “Buggin’ Out,” from The Low Finish Principle. Smith’s Blue Be aware model of “Spinning Wheel’” additionally impressed Wu-Tang Clan’s “Wu Tang: 7th Chamber,” which appeared on that group’s 1993 debut album, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Lonnie Smith’s music has additionally been sampled by Nightmares On Wax, Da Youngsta’s, and Kase.O.
Bobbi Humphrey: Harlem River Drive (1973)
A basic slice of flute-led jazz-funk produced by the influential Larry Mizell, this minimize has been sampled quite a few occasions, most famously, maybe, by DJ Jazzy Jeff And The Recent Prince in a 1987 pattern collage known as “Touch Of Jazz.” Others who’ve lifted it embrace Widespread (1992’s “Just In The Nick Of Rhyme”), Younger MC (the next yr’s “Back In The Day”) and, in more moderen occasions, KD (“Ride Around Town”). Different Humphrey Blue Be aware recordings that discovered their approach right into a sampler embrace “Blacks And Blues,” “Jasper Country Man,” “My Little Girl,” “Smiling Faces Sometimes” and “San Francisco Lights,” the latter utilized by Flying Lotus on his 2012 observe “Until The Colours Come.” Humphrey has additionally been sampled by Eric B & Rakim, Ludacris, Ice-T, and Digable Planets.
Comply with the Blue Be aware’s Jazz Meets Hip-Hop playlist for extra important Blue Be aware.
