Music is a universal language and over the past few years, we have seen a fantastic emergence of new artists who have really taken the world by storm. The emergence of new genres and artists has created a much broader music conversation around sampling and production. The best thing about sampling is some artists really go into the depths of sampling old classics, taking from totally opposite genres to create their own sound and the fusion of old in new just creates a masterpiece. Let’s have a look at some of the best samples of this new age.
1. LAST LAST – BURNA BOY (SAMPLE: TONI BRAXTON – HE WASN’T MAN ENOUGH)
When Burna Boy created this masterpiece, he probably wasn’t aware of just how big the tune would be. Over his past releases, he has managed to win major awards such as the Grammys for Best Global Music, but with his new album Love, Damini, he managed to win the hearts of many people outside of his fanbase. “Last Last” is track 1 on the album and it makes it so hard to continue to other tracks because of how much it bangs! “Last Last” was sampled from Toni Braxton’s 2000’s hit song “He Wasn’t Man Enough,” and the mid-tempo song finds Burna Boy reflecting on past relationships before ultimately concluding everything will be okay.
The part that catches your ear is the beat at beginning of the song which is the same beat Toni has at the beginning of her song. Despite the song being from an R&B artist and Burna being an Afro-Fusion artist, it landed well and created an all-new feel to the beat.
2. I’M THAT GIRL -BEYONCÉ (SAMPLE: TOMMY WRIGHT – STILL PIMPIN)
Beyoncé’s new dance-driven 16-track album Renaissance, is her first solo effort since 2016’s Lemonade and her seventh album. It features a number of notable samples in its varied production. She has an extensive list of producers and songwriters. However, some of the names showed up in the album’s credits because of a sample, or a sly interpolation of lyrics or melodies. “I’m That Girl” is the opening track and the first in a trilogy. She wrote and recorded all three parts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said of the process, “It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, and feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”
3. SUPER FREAKY GIRL – NICKI MINAJ (SAMPLE: RICK JAMES – SUPER FREAK)
The queen of rap and things like that has been on fire with her latest releases. Her latest hit song “Super Freaky Girl” samples Rick James‘ classic 1981 single “Super Freak”. Minaj raps some X-rated bars over the iconic funk riff, and calls to mind the reinvented-classic feeling of her 2014 smash single “Anaconda.” Like many other songs today, “Super Freaky Girl” first became a sensation on TikTok.
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