Much More Dilla

This morning we are continuing or exploration of J Dilla samples… In the mid and later 200os, the entire rap world was buzzing about Dilla’s beat tapes.  As many producers often do, J Dilla would give out “tapes” of his beats for Emcees to preview and hopefully, buy.  In order to avoid his beats getting [...]

Dilla is LOVE

Last week a listener asked me to explore some J Dilla beats on the SEVEN O CLOCK SAMPLE, so I said… Ok, let’s TURN IT UP! DIlla passed away in 2006, after a long battle with Lupus.  Many knew Jay Dee was sick, but few saw his death coming. When he passed, the Hip Hop [...]

Grandmaster Flash and the Spectacular Samples

This week on 7 o clock sample, we are looking at hip hop pioneers GRANDMASTER FLASH and the FURIOUS FIVE. In the late 1970s, the idea of recording Rap music was an odd concept.  Hip Hop culture developed from the “have-nots” of our society, so the high price of recording a track, was not an [...]

Samples Get No Enemy

Today’s 7 o’clock sample pays tribute to the late great FELA KUTI! Fela’s legacy continues to inspire younger and younger generations. The themes explored in his music continue to strike a chord in today’s modern times. His life has been recently brought to broadway by Jay-Z and Will & Jada Smith in the show FELA! [...]

Fela Samples

This week on the 7 o’clock sample, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate the music of Afro-beat god father Fela Kuti. Fela was more than a musician, he was a political figure, a cultural icon and a musical pioneer. His music has inspired generations, and he single-handedly brought the funk of the motherland [...]

Take Me To The Crates

This week on the Seven O Clock sample, we are looking back at the musical legacy of RUN DMC. No one in their right mind would deny the influence that Run DMC has had on American popular music.  They were the first to do so many things for rap music. I had a request last [...]

Synthetic Substitution; A Pretty Break

This week we are paying our respects to the late great Melvin Bliss, and his classic track SYNTHETIC SUBSTITUTION… This track has been sampled for decades, by some of the best of the best in Hip Hop.  Check out Tuesday’s post for a more comprehensive list.  I’d be foolish to not give credit for the [...]

An Ode to Melvin Bliss

This week on the Seven O’Clock sample, we are paying homage to the late, great MELVIN BLISS. Melvin Bliss is a soul and R&B artist that you may have never heard of… but I guarantee that you’ve HEARD him. In 1973, Melvin recorded a single on SUNBURST records called “Reward”.  The single needed a B-side [...]

Superman Break

This week on the 7 o’clock sample, we have been exploring movie and TV theme music… There is a laundry list of TV themes that have been sampled by Rap and Electronic acts.  Some of my favorites include the Knight Rider Theme, Inspector Gadget, Theme From BattleStar Galatica, and even the Fat Albert Theme.  But [...]

That Young MC is one bad mother… SHUT YO MOUTH!

Our theme on 7 o’clock sample this week, is TV and MOVIE Theme music! ( mixing it up on the ONEs and TWOs ) There are a lot of great TV and Movie themes that have been sampled; JAWS, Knight Rider, Fat Albert Theme, even Inspector Gadget has been run through a drum machine. This [...]