As the sun rotates and his game grows bigger, it’s now become easy to forget just how Snoop Dogg became a pop culture legend. It was Doggystyle, his Death Row debut, that catapulted him to the forefront of mid-’90s hip hop. In celebration of a quarter-century of G Funk, we’re breaking down all the samples - both Dre-flipped and Snoop-interpolated - on the records three … [Read more...] about Behind Doggystyle: The Singles that made a West Coast Classic
Sample Dives
Behind Warren G’s Regulate… G Funk Era: Every Sample, Every Collaborator
The ‘G’ in Warren G stands for Griffin, but it might as well be shorthand for “G Funk”. Warren’s distinctive production chops and romantic vision of gangsterism made him one of the most indispensible voices of the G Funk era and, in the years since, they’ve enshrined him as one of the West Coast’s most recognisable veterans. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, we’re … [Read more...] about Behind Warren G’s Regulate… G Funk Era: Every Sample, Every Collaborator
25 Years of Illmatic: The Producers and Samples that Created a Classic
If 1994 is one of hip hop’s greatest years, then Illmatic is one of the richest cherries atop the proverbial cake. Whilst it might not have been the most immediately impactful of the year’s debuts, it still stands as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. We’re breaking down the samples throughout the massive album, from killer to killer. That’s right: there ain’t no … [Read more...] about 25 Years of Illmatic: The Producers and Samples that Created a Classic
How Kanye Made “The College Dropout” – Every Sample, Every Beat
It’s hard to imagine the world without Kanye West, and it’s hard to imagine Kanye West without The College Dropout. Fifteen years on, we’re breaking down the sampling on Ye’s triumphant debut and talking about the creation of a classic. Things were different in 2004: 50 Cent was a musical titan, Jay-Z had retired from the rap game and Donald Trump was endorsing the … [Read more...] about How Kanye Made “The College Dropout” – Every Sample, Every Beat
Behind “The Black Album”: Production & Sampling Deep-Dive
November 14, 2003: with nothing left to prove, Jay Z releases The Black Album, a project billed as his last. Fifteen years on, we reflect on the production throughout the LP, breaking down the sampling, examining the sonic palette and looking at the collaborators Jay chose to score his classic curtain closer. Fifteen years ago, Jay-Z felt he’d said all he had to … [Read more...] about Behind “The Black Album”: Production & Sampling Deep-Dive
Dissecting No I.D.’s Production Masterclass on “4:44”
In a genre often preoccupied with youth culture, an album exploring the trials of adult relationships and responsibilities is like a breath of fresh air. That goes double when it’s the work of a veteran producer and a legendary emcee. We’re celebrating their excellence with this, an in-depth exploration of No I.D.’s incredible production work on Jay’s most mature record. … [Read more...] about Dissecting No I.D.’s Production Masterclass on “4:44”
Dissecting Jay-Z’s Forgotten Classic Album “Vol 2… Hard Knock Life” [20th Anniversary]
Today marks 20 years since the release of Jay-Z's third studio album, Vol 2... Hard Knock Life. While the album's legacy is often overlooked in favor of other Jay classics, Hard Knock Life still remains Jay's commercial peak to this day, and represents the beginning of hip hop's invasion of the mainstream. On Pusha T’s 2018 highlight, “Infrared,” he muses about the … [Read more...] about Dissecting Jay-Z’s Forgotten Classic Album “Vol 2… Hard Knock Life” [20th Anniversary]
Behind Drizzy’s Most Essential Album, “Nothing Was The Same”
The months before the release of Nothing Was The Same, the third studio album by Canadian hip hop titan Drake, were dominated by the emcee’s hit singles. The album’s first single, “Started From The Bottom,” was released in February, a whole seven months prior to the album. The simplistic rap banger hit #6 on the Billboard 100, turning in at least one new quotable and … [Read more...] about Behind Drizzy’s Most Essential Album, “Nothing Was The Same”
Producing Doris: Every Sample from Earl Sweatshirt’s Debut Studio Album, Analyzed
Doris, the first of Earl Sweatshirt’s two studio albums, was released on August 20, 2013. In the five years since, the Los Angeles-based rapper has become one of hip hop’s most lauded young lyricists and, much like his Odd Future associate Frank Ocean, one of the culture’s most enigmatic figures. Earl's long absence from the limelight has led devoted fans to pore over his every … [Read more...] about Producing Doris: Every Sample from Earl Sweatshirt’s Debut Studio Album, Analyzed
Wyoming: Breaking Down Kanye West’s 42 Samples One-by-One
From the hook on Pusha T's "Come Back Baby" to the quasi-unreleased Kurt Cobain demos on "Cudi Montage", the five-chapter Wyoming series produced by Kanye West contains some of the most iconic samples of the year. We break them down one-by-one to gain a glimpse behind the creative process of one of the most talented producers of a generation: Kanye West. Welcome to Conor … [Read more...] about Wyoming: Breaking Down Kanye West’s 42 Samples One-by-One
