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The Top 10 “REWIND!” Moments In Hip Hop Sample History!

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There are times when you are listening to some old music & you just get hit. You get hit with a musical moment, that is so great, you go back and listen to it over and over again (or sample it, then listen to it ever and over again). We will call this a REWIND moment. I tried to remember the first time I heard all of these tracks & rank them from #10 to #1. These are the Top 10 “REWIND!” moments in Hip Hop sample history, according to ME…

If you agree, disagree, or think I am missing something (I’m almost sure I am) state your case in the comments below!

PS A quick shout out to all my people coming over from abcdrduson.com & theindustrycosign.com!

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#10 Grover Washington Jr. – “Knucklehead” (Pimpmagication) At some point in music history string ensembles tired of their emotional and sweet sounds, and sought the power of Pimpmagication. This is a prime example of a string ensembles Pimpmagicaction powers. Note: Pimpmagication is enhanced tenfold when paired with horn sections.

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#9 Bobby Womack – Across 110th St (100%’er) – There aren’t many songs that I consider 100% perfect, 100% great, 100% of the playing time. This is one of them. So technically this doesn’t belong on the list. But the way Bobby Womack tops off the final refrain from this 1972 classic, absolutely earns it’s spot. I still get adrenaline/chills from this joint. Note: All respect due to Yaphet Kotto & Anthony Quinn.

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#8 The Four Tops & The Supremes “Melody” (The Jump Off) – No time wasted here. The Funk Brothers & a stellar horn/wind section go right in and jump off this track with authority. Note: Listen closely as Motown’s patented double barreled drum kit technique is in full force. Motown studio sessions often used 2 drummers on 2 separate kits at once.

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#7 Baby Huey & The Babysitters “Hard Times” (Mayfield FTW) - Curtis Mayfield (Writer & Producer) has obviously put together some classic tunes. But with this track, in my opinion he created the greatest epic funk masterpiece of all time (& my favorite song of all time). Baby Huey died before they could finish his fuc#ing album. Makes you wonder what would have been if things went differently. Note: After Baby Huey died in 1970, Chaka Kahn took his place as lead singer of the Babysitters.

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#6 Ten Wheel Drive – “Ain’t Gonna Happen” (Horn Bullyness) – Ten Wheel Drive sets you up with a happy little groove, then they come in to your home wearing 3/4 minks and start breaking s#it. Note: Special shout out to the Ten Wheel Drive horn section (Louis Hoff , Dennis Parisi, Jay Silva, Richard Meisterman and Peter Hyde) for creating one of the most gully moments in white music history!

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#5 Donny Hathaway – “She Is My Lady” (WHOHOOOOOOOOOOAAAAHAHHH!) – I don’t understand why an entire music industry would turn to autotune, when the human voice is capable of such a thing. Note: Donny Hathaway did not need autotune.

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#4 Isaac Hayes – “Walk On By” (Return To Epicness) – Whenever someone has sampled this, as far as I have heard, they have always sampled the first intro section of this Ike Hayes Epic funk classic. In my book, I think when they revisit that section of the song again, it’s a step up from the first one & has some extra attitude & lean. Note: One of the great turnarounds of all time, see #3 for definition.

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#3 James Brown – “The Boss” (The Turnaround) – I don’t know if James Brown invented the term “turnaround”, but this is definitely the definition of a perfect turnaround. Call yourself a bad moth(er) a few times, break the pace, then fall back to the legendary funk/pimp break. If you weren’t ready for it the first time shame on you, Cus he TOLD YOU SO! Note: Flutes are underrated.

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#2 Lamont Dozier “Shine” (Intro) – Producer/songwriter extraordinaire Lamont Dozier might not be the greatest singers in the world. But he can for sure put together some world class arrangements. Note: I don’t understand how they got that guitar to sound like that (sounds like an underwater amp & wah pedal), but it sounds glorious!

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#1 The Dramatics “The Devil Is Dope” (Ending) – This is possibly the most triumphant & funky moment of all time. You got the horn & string sections going all out and everyone else grooving like crazy behind them (The 2 bar drum fills are ridiculous). Plus, they go on for at least a good minute in the full song. Note: I want this to be played at my funeral.

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Agree? Disagree? Have your own top 10? State your case below!

E1000k

Good list. Gotta think about this one for a bit…
http://www.pmpworldwide.com/frost-gamble Frost Gamble

Dope list!

A few off the top of my head -

Lynn Collins – Think (forget all the samples – this song could be a dance hit today IMO)

Aretha Franklin – Rock Steady (her voice is the best instrument in this super funky track)

James Brown & Marvey Whitney – You Got To Have A Job (My theme song on bad morning)

The Winstons – Amen Brother (so obvious but those horns and drums are undeniable)

Kraftwerk – Numbers (any song off Computer World really – they were so far ahead of their time)

Kool & The Gang – N.T. (there’s a reason this track has been sampled for over 3 decades)

Co-sign on that Baby Huey joint. Chill Rob G too.
- http://www.beabetterproducer.com Jim Bond
  
  Don’t know a couple of those… will look into it…
  - http://www.pmpworldwide.com/frost-gamble Frost Gamble
    
    Pretty sure I have them all ripped to mp3 if you need them…
- http://www.myspace.com/criticalthinkingproduction Curtdog12
  
  Yo Frost Gamble Yo….I totally forgot about Kraftwerk…and being from South Florida, I should have def listed that one…there were so many songs that were based off of Kraftwerk and Afrika Bambaataa (i.e. Planet Rock) samples…..
http://www.onmyquest.com Reginald DRS H

Damn, that “Shine” record is fuckin awesome! I never heard it before, who sampled it?
- http://www.beabetterproducer.com Jim Bond
  
  Ghostface(rza) sampled that on Supreme Clientel “Saturday Night” & I know Pharoah Monche sampled it too.
  - http://www.dynamicproducer.com MayDay the Merciful
    
    Me too
    - http://www.steezebeats.com Steeze Beats
      
      Dahm ive sampled shine like a billion times lol no lie, Lamont dozier is a genius…Great list
http://www.livingprecision.com LP

Mr. Bond, well done.. I’m feelin these
http://www.samrhansum.com Sam Rhansum

GREAT POST!!!

I remember one of my first “Rewind” moments. Back in highschool I was in a local record store “known for diggin”, and a saw a stack of records kinda put to the side and hidden by the listening station. I realized they must be waiting for some digger to go get his money and come back and get them. I listened to only one record, first track, and knew the whole stack must be gold. SO hells yeah. I did what any digger would have done. LOL

That first record was:
Bad Bascomb – “Blackgrass” the break that comes in around 1:45

also in the stack was
Ohio Players – Honey with the funky worm
James Brown – Jungle Groove with Funky Drummer
Brick – Dazz
Lyn Collins – Think About It
Incredible Bongo Band – the one with Apache
and the first version 12in of LL Cool J’ “Rock The Bells” – NOT THE ONE with all the samples.

that one day started my whole career of diggin for the samples.
- http://www.pmpworldwide.com/frost-gamble Frost Gamble
  
  Next to the listening station is the worst place to hide some records – he deserved it:)
  
  Nice score!
  - http://www.beabetterproducer.com Jim Bond
    
    Haha true…
    
    Whenever I hit a vinyl spot, I always make sure to check those little piles floating around first…
http://www.myspace.com/criticalthinkingproduction Curtdog12

Yo J. Bond,
I feel pretty good. I own the Black Caesar and Across 110th St. sndtrks and I believe I have that Donnie Hathaway on a greatest hits disc….now if I could only chop’em to make them sound good…
Jimmy

Ill list, nicely done, props

Dope Hip-Hop books –

Check The Technique http://www.waxfacts.com
Can’t Stop Won’t Stop http://www.cantstopwontstop.com
How To Rap http://www.howtorapbook.com
Classic Material http://www.o-dub.com/classic/classic.html
Drape

GREAT list, Jim. i’ve sampled 110th st, and deffiently agree with you that it is a 100%er. i wanna re-do it tho cause that was back in the day so it wasnt as good as it can be now with my improvements on chopping and arranging.

although i did melody 2 days ago.. and it was DOPE. and i’ve already posted it up on DP, for the official sample thread. please check that oout when you have the time, i’d LOVE some feedback from your recomended tracks.

stay up JB.

-Drape
- http://www.beabetterproducer.com Jim Bond
  
  go ahead and send it
http://www.myspace.com/frezhstarnsent Raymond

omg this is hot… i just ripped up ten wheel drive… thanks very much this has to be one of my top 10 beats i made
- http://www.beabetterproducer.com Jim Bond
  
  welcome
  - Anon
    
    Im a lil late to the blog but here’s my list in no specific order. Just too much heat to rank :
    
    EDDIE HAZEL – California Dreamin’(AND REPRISE) – Bootsy Collins’ lead guitar man with a smooth voice and electric groove makes u wanna keep listening
    
    LAMONT DOZIER – Peddlin’ Music on the Side – Should be every strugglin artists’ theme song. I felt every word
    
    DAVID AXELROD – School Boy – Wow, didnt know what else to do but sample lol
    
    BOBBY WOMACK- Across 110th street – See Jim Bonds’ post – lol (also check i dont know what this world’s coming to interlude by Mr. Womack)
    
    OHIO PLAYERS – Our love has Died – Soul music at it’s best
    
    ISAAC HAYES – The look of love – “YOU SEE ME STRESSED RIGHT” “CAN I LIVE?” – NUFF SAID
    
    STYX – Castle Walls – Dont know if its been used but i have .lol. Mesmorizing synth in the beggining followed by hard guitars, melodic arrangement. dope
    
    OUTKAST – Liberation – I cant stop listening to this day. At one point i played this song every morning i woke up. Classic Material From A Classic Album . Aquemeni
    
    BRIGHTER SIDE OF DARKNESS – Love Jones – Beautiful song. period
    
    DAVID PORTER – Storm in the Summertime – Probably number 1 on this list. Over 9 minutes of genius arrangements. All that needs to be said is “who shot ya”. Not to mention ll cool j’s ill bomb, faith evans and a host of others. As raw as it gets.
    
    Forgive the length of the post. At the job board. Keep bangin yall!
http://www.letterlbeats.com The Letter L

I’d heard most of these already. I did a song called Rock The Mic with like three 2 count chops from Walk On By. SOme of them I couldn’t sample…what that really means is that my ears weren’t ready to hear the parts that should be sampled. I mean that sincerely because I can’t count the number of times that I listened to a whole record and heard nothing then came back 4-5 months later and had my “Rewind” moment.
http://str8buttah.com Tayo

Just found this here blog and each time I come around,I feel am being schooled all over and over again.WHich is not a bad thing by the way.I totally agree with dat list and just wanna include some joints/artists I feel could make it
Stark Reality-most of their joints got that rewind effect
Barbara Mason-child of tomorrow(hope I got that right)
Aretha franklin-till you come back to me
Just off the bat though…Nice blog and am hooked on it by the way
Travis Dixon-Murray

Yoooo I been lookin for the sample to Biochemical Equation FOREVER
- http://www.beabetterproducer.com Jim Bond
  
  Glad I can help
http://www.soundcloud.com/martebeats MARTE

Great list ! i need to say that this blog was the BEST thing EVER for my producer carrer.. i’m learning a lot here, thank you Jim Bond !

MARTE Beats, Rio De Janeiro – Brasil
- http://www.beabetterproducer.com Jim Bond
  
  Thanks man. Glad you like it.
http://LetterLBeats.com Letter L

Forgot about this post until the recent comment. Went back and did some more “digging” and found Donnie Hathaway’s Giving Up that has a try bully horn and string bridge at around the 3:43 mark.

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