Thread by @Thejollofdiary, Dear Upcoming Artist,Demystifying the Difference Between Sampling & InterpolationLet's address the much-needed difference [...]

Dear Upcoming Artist,

Demystifying the Difference Between Sampling & Interpolation

Let's address the much-needed difference between popular music industry phenomena - "Sampling" and "Interpolation", citing some interesting moments in African music as case study.

Sampling and Interpolation have been and will always be a part of our musical experience and dialogue, so much that there's a social media account called @Samplechief, dedicated to spotlighting some African music-related samples [and interpolation].

However, what's also become prevalent is the ‘understanding and use’ of these phenomena interchangeably when in actuality, they don't exactly mean the same.

Hence, diving to the crux of this thread. First, the difference between Sampling and Interpolation is reliant on the [two] copyrights that every song possesses.

These two copyrights are Masters and Composition - like we should know by now.

Masters:

This encompasses the actual [finished] record that is being distributed and consumed, which is a combination of the lyrics, melody, vocals etc. It is typically owned and controlled by the artist or record label.

Composition:

This encompasses the underlying melody, lyrics, notes etc of a song. This doesn’t include vocals of the artist. This is typically owned by the songwriter, producer and controlled by a publisher.

Having understood these [two] copyrights of every record, one can easily identify cases where a record bears either a Sample or Interpolation.

Sampling means REUSING a piece of a particular masters in a new song. When you sample an artist/song, it means you’re taking a part or snippet of the artists masters [read: COPY] and adding that snippet to the music that is being newly created [read: PASTE].

To be called a Sample case, RECORDING from the original song must be incorporated into the new song

Let’s examine some instances that typify Sampling below:

- "Wanted" by Tiwa Savage (2013) - Listen closely from 0:43

- "World-A-Music" by Ini Kamoze (1984) - Listen from 0:54

Anyone familiar with Tiwa Savage’s “Wanted” originally released in 2013 (off her debut album), must’ve realized the part that sings “…out in the street they call it murder” isn’t Savage’s vocal.

The said vocal was sung in World-A-Music by Jamaican reggae artist, Ini Kamoze in 1984.

Here, you can rightly say Savage sampled Kamoze’s World-A-Music in her Wanted track.

This however wouldn’t have been a Sample, if Savage had sung those exact words in her own voice

- "Follow Follow" by Falz (2019) - Listen closely from 0:15

- "Zombie" by Fela (1976) - Listen closely from 6:16

On playing Falz’s 2019-released Follow Follow, listening closely from 0:15, you’ll hear a part of Fela Kuti’s Zombie, just before Falz makes his way into the song.

This is another instance one can rightly say Falz’s Follow Follow samples Fela’s Zombie.

This, as well, wouldn't be a Sample case if Falz had sung Fela’s words instead.

"Wombolombo" by Burna Boy (2013) - Listen closely from 0:15

"Wombo Lombo" by Angelique Kidjo (1996) - Listen from start

Here, Burna Boy samples Kidjo by infusing a snippet of her 1996 smash record, Wombo Lombo in his then-new record similarly dubbed Wombolombo.

This sample actually went throughout the record.

Let Nas Down by J Cole (2013) - Listen closely from (0:17)

Gentleman by Fela Kuti (1973) - Listen closely from 1:10

In J Cole’s Let Nas Down, listening attentively from 0:17 seconds, bears a sample of Gentleman by Fela Kuti.

The sample includes some saxophone and vocal of Fela saying “mi gbo”, a Yoruba saying that means “I can’t hear”.

Can’t Get Enough by J Cole ft Trey Songz (2011) - Listen from start

Paulette by Balla Et Ses Balladins (1980) - Listen closely 0:17 and 2:45

J Cole, in Can’t Get Enough also samples Paulette by Guinean band, Balla Et Ses Balladins.

This is quite pronounced.

A Million by Veronica Vega ft Quavo (2019) - Listen from start

Ise Oluwa Ko Seni Toye by Musiliu Haruna Ishola (2000) - Listen from start

At the start of A Million, American singer Veronica Vega samples son of Legendary Nigerian Apala singer, Musiliu Haruna Ishola.

Upon the audio release of A Million in June 2019 which features Quavo, a part of Migos, Vega was trailed by Nigerian entertainment lawyer @L3galtool who ensured due clearance and allocation of royalties to Ishola before Vega was permitted to release visuals of the record.

Read these accompanying tweets:

https://twitter.com/iredumare/status/1157187216369750016?s=19 https://twitter.com/iredumare/status/1157939858838642688?s=19

https://twitter.com/iredumare/status/1157187216369750016?s=19

It’s however important to know that before sampling an artist or releasing the record, you must seek permission [also known as License] from owners or controllers of both copyrights [masters & composition].

The artist or record label[under which the song was released] grants permission for use of the masters, while the publisher[under directive of the songwriters & producers involved] grant permission for use of the underlying composition.

However, artists often desist from sampling as seeking permission can be a rigorous process. This is primarily because Sampling typifies exploiting the TWO music copyrights.

Have a look at this tweet from @amaarae

Let this [Sampling] sink in.

Tomorrow, we continue with Interpolation.

Huge shout out to @melody_hassan @thepopdad for also coming through with relevant references.

Interpolation https://twitter.com/Thejollofdiary/status/1270275542776975360?s=19

https://twitter.com/Thejollofdiary/status/1270275542776975360?s=19

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