Take hits from the 80's? (Yea Yea)...But do it sound so cra-zay?

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by Rachel Chacon Editor-in-Chief

Back when Diddy was still Puff Daddy and the world had not yet taken on such a menacing form, my now defunct older brother and I sat to watch Puffy & Mase preen in 'Love U So'. It was my very first experience with a sample, and it changed the way I looked at the things that shine forever.
Little did I know at the time that those refreshingly new beats and rhythms had been created by another artist, and loved by another generation. This realization would crash-land years later, of course. Epiphanies almost always come too late...when they come at all. Questions, however, never seem to stop. One of which being; what happened today to decide that yesterday deserved another breath?

Samples in themselves are a tricky form of art. Follow too closely, and it becomes the always dreaded cover. Stray too far and heated questions about royalties arise. But when the porridge is just right, why, you've got yourself a hit. And maybe even better, you've got yourself a hit with an audience who has no idea how painfully unoriginal you really are.

Some would argue that sampling another artists work signifies growth and respect between genres. Which is a great point-congrats to some. This orchestrated cut and paste job can end one of two ways: in a turn for the worse or a brilliant photocopy. Rare and long hidden beats that found little attention in their day suddenly find their much deserved airplay and recognition. More importantly a great sample can open its listener's ears to new songs, new artists, and a new appreciation for the corners they never bothered to turn.

Now reflect back to the original side of the coin; at what point does the flattery end and the robbery begin? I wonder if, in the studio, anyone stops to think about what they're doing; what kind of mark (if any) they really want to leave in their name. Unfortunately, shine may be too hard to say ‘when I deserve it' to. How many times, while contemplating another watch to the wrist or statue to the shelf, does said artist pause and thank God that someone somewhere years ago, was clever enough and worked hard enough to create a hypnotic bridge like they did. I fear that truly grateful hearts are few and far between...

And so the sample lives on. Much like the film industry, our music has been reduced to repeating itself to stay afloat. There is such an depressing lack of thought, artists have even begun to sample themselves, while still maintaining that they're at the top of their game. The King of Queens himself 50 Cent's recent jingles bring to mind "Get Rich...", which he continues to do despite it all. And who am I to be such a hater? Being just one of the 800k+ who forfeited 3 gallons of gas for Kanye's ‘ Late Registration', its easy to assume we're a nation who doesn't mind a familiar beat and comforting hook, if it appears to be for the sake of rebirth instead of re-bling.

But remember friends: there's nothing like the real thing, ba-bay.

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