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Examples of why Kanye West’s sampling is some of the best production in music: A THREAD
I’ve spent 2020 waiting for Kanye to drop a new project but since that seems to be a bit of a wait, I’ll remind everyone just how good he is in the meantime
I’ve spent 2020 waiting for Kanye to drop a new project but since that seems to be a bit of a wait, I’ll remind everyone just how good he is in the meantime
THROUGH THE WIRE
Samples:
Through the Fire - Chaka Khan
Player’s Ball - OutKast
Samples:
Through the Fire - Chaka Khan
Player’s Ball - OutKast
Just after signing his first record deal, Kanye was in a massive car crash that left his jaw wired shut and his face needing surgery.
His response?
Use Chaka Khans Through the Fire and turn it into Through the Wire rapping through a wired shut mouth. Genius
His response?
Use Chaka Khans Through the Fire and turn it into Through the Wire rapping through a wired shut mouth. Genius
JESUS WALKS
Samples:
Walk With Me - The ARC Choir
Ode to Billie Joe - Lou Donaldson
College Dropout was the world’s introduction to Kanye’s method of merging tiny snippets of niche songs into masterpieces
Samples:
Walk With Me - The ARC Choir
Ode to Billie Joe - Lou Donaldson
College Dropout was the world’s introduction to Kanye’s method of merging tiny snippets of niche songs into masterpieces
DIAMONDS FROM SIERRA LEONE
Samples:
Diamonds Are Forever - Shirley Bassey
Using the iconic Bond track for a social piece on the immorality of big jewellery is special stuff.
(Kanye didn’t know Sierra Leone was a country when he first heard it but that’s irrelevant)
Samples:
Diamonds Are Forever - Shirley Bassey
Using the iconic Bond track for a social piece on the immorality of big jewellery is special stuff.
(Kanye didn’t know Sierra Leone was a country when he first heard it but that’s irrelevant)
GOLD DIGGER
Samples:
I Got A Woman - Ray Charles
Kanye chose the sample for Gold Digger after he watched “Ray” starring Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles. He got Jamie on the track and the rest is history
Samples:
I Got A Woman - Ray Charles
Kanye chose the sample for Gold Digger after he watched “Ray” starring Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles. He got Jamie on the track and the rest is history
STRONGER
Samples:
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - Daft Punk
Graduation was a weird electronic/pop phase for Ye but this is one of his most successful songs ever so don’t let me stand in the way
Samples:
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - Daft Punk
Graduation was a weird electronic/pop phase for Ye but this is one of his most successful songs ever so don’t let me stand in the way
Kanye was fed up with the drums in the original after spending ages working around them in production. When A-Trak played the A-Capella version one day Kanye said “You mean to tell me there was a fucking acapella this whole time”
CHAMPION
Samples:
Kid Charlemagne - Steely Dan
Kanye felt the lyrics to Kid Charlemagne were perfect for the story he was trying to tell. Steely Dan hated it and rejected the request before Kanye hand wrote to them telling them how personal it was to him. They accepted
Samples:
Kid Charlemagne - Steely Dan
Kanye felt the lyrics to Kid Charlemagne were perfect for the story he was trying to tell. Steely Dan hated it and rejected the request before Kanye hand wrote to them telling them how personal it was to him. They accepted
HEARTLESS
Samples:
Ammonia Avenue - The Alan Parsons Project
The beat was initially meant for Jay-Z but Ye heard it and said he was keeping it himself. When his producer said he wasn’t even working on an album Kanye replied “well now I am”
Samples:
Ammonia Avenue - The Alan Parsons Project
The beat was initially meant for Jay-Z but Ye heard it and said he was keeping it himself. When his producer said he wasn’t even working on an album Kanye replied “well now I am”
POWER
Samples:
Afromerica - Continent Number 6
It’s Your Thing - Cold Grits
21st Century Schizoid Man - King Crimson
Samples:
Afromerica - Continent Number 6
It’s Your Thing - Cold Grits
21st Century Schizoid Man - King Crimson
There’s a reason My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is so acclaimed. Kanye put so many more hours and so much more thought into this than anything else he’s done before or since. 3 completely different styles of songs blended to perfection
DEVIL IN A NEW DRESS
Samples:
Will You Love Me Tomorrow? - Smokey Robinson
Just gorgeous
Samples:
Will You Love Me Tomorrow? - Smokey Robinson
Just gorgeous
RUNAWAY
Samples:
Expo ‘83 - The Backyard Heavies
Mary Jane (Live) - Rick James
Introduction to Star Time (Live) - James Brown
Last one for now
Samples:
Expo ‘83 - The Backyard Heavies
Mary Jane (Live) - Rick James
Introduction to Star Time (Live) - James Brown
Last one for now
Shall I take some samples from classic Funk songs? Nah I’ll use 1 second snippets from the live performances and build one of the most popular modern hip hop tracks around that
I’d love to know how this man’s mind works
I’d love to know how this man’s mind works
Important to mention this isn’t all Kanye by any means. He’s had so much assistance from Mike Dean and No I.D as well as others but to simplify it I’ve used Kanye in the singular. Can’t take away West’s influence around this style though.
