Hotbox Sample Series #7: God Made Me Funky

Not that G'd up Hammer album from way back. This week's sample mix marks the first time this series has featured a drum break. . .well, for the most part anyway. The drums that kick off the Headhunter's "God Made Me Funky" track has provided the foundation for a number of hip-hop songs, many of which are featured here. The original track's primary guitar/bass loop has also been mined, and these faster-tempo songs are featured toward the end of the mix.

Ironically, Kool Moe Dee's song of the same name does not sample the track.

1. God Made Me Funky - The Headhunters 1.41
2. Underwater Rimes - Digital Underground 4.15
3. Pease Porridge - De La Soul 4.18
4. Take It Off - De La Soul 1.30
5. To The Listeners - Eric B. & Rakim 3.14
6. Bring The Beat Back - Steady B. 0.48
7. Braggin' & Boastin' - Jungle Brothers 2.00
8. Albee Square Mall - Biz Markie 1.36
9. Approach To Danger - NWA 2.07
10. Headhunters Interlude 1.02
11. No Mercy - Low Profile 2.11
12. Down To A Science - Downtown Science 3.16

#7: God Made Me Funky (The Headhunters) 27.35
http://www.zshare.net/audio/607266861fa5daf2/

Hotbox Sample Series #6: Get Up And Dance (Freedom)

The majority of the tracks in this week's mix are light-hearted party joints, much like the sample source. The exception is Boogie Down Prodctions' "You Must Learn". The Shan record is nice as well.

1. Get Up And Dance - Freedom 0.41
2. You Must Learn - Boogie Down Productions 4.30
3. Freedom - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five 2.53
4. High Power Rap - Disco Dave 1.57
5. Get Up And Have A Good Time - Rob Base 1.29
6. It's A Love Thang (Word) - Redhead Kingpin & The FBI 1.52
7. Ruff Nigga Gettin' Busy - Poison Clan 1.29
8. Don't Dance - Kool Moe Dee 2.17
9. I Got A Man - Positive K 1.42
10. Give Me My Freedom - MC Shan 3.48

http://www.zshare.net/audio/60341149d20c4e00/

Hotbox Sample Series #5: "Blind Alley" (The Emotions)

The piano/drum break at the beginning of The Emotions' 1971 hit "Blind Alley" has been sampled many times over the years. Marley Marl gets props for first using it for the first time on Big Daddy kane's 1988 breakout hit "Ain't No Half-Steppin'", then gets most of those props revoked for re-using the same sample years later (and not flipping it differently or even changing the tempo) for LL's track. To trim the tracklisting, I pretty much just used songs that incorporated the piano, as some producers have just lifted the 1/2-bar drum break portion. The exception to that rule would be my favorite of the bunch, Ice Cube's post-1992 Rodney King LA riot ghetto report.

For a more thorough compilation (but not mixed), click here

1. Blind Alley - The Emotions 1.35
2. Ain't No Half-Steppin' - Big Daddy Kane 3.53
3. Pink Cookies In A Plastic Bag - LL Cool J 2.20
4. Alley Cat - Hotbox 1.44
5. Organize - Chubb Rock 3.19
6. Jiggable Pie - AMG 2.16
7. Sound Of The Zeekers - Leaders Of The New School 0.30
8. We Don't Have A Plan B - Redhead Kingpin & The FBI 1.57
9. We Had To Tear This Muthafucka Up - Ice Cube 4.21
10. Comin' For Datazz - Gang Starr 1.48
11. Reggie Noble Meets Redman - Redman 2.27
12. Phony Rappers - A Tribe Called Quest 2.10
13. Funk Wit Da Style - Craig Mack 4.33

http://www.zshare.net/audio/601494611de1b86c/

Hotbox Sample Series #4: Nautilus (Bob James)

There are literally hundreds of songs that have sampled various parts of the instrumental jazz record. I narrowed my latest mix down to hard classic rap, which is never a bad thing. But yes, there are many really good records that didn't fit the mold; maybe I'll do a second volume of smoother songs in the future. For a more complete compilation, click here.

1. Nautilus - Bob James 0.46
2. Beats To The Rhyme - Run DMC 2.31
3. Live At The Barbecue - Main Source feat. Nas 2.35
4. Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em - Eric B. & Rakim 4.23
5. Bronx Nigga - Tim Dog 3.01
6. Anti-Nigger Machine - Public Enemy 1.07
7. Daytona 500 - Ghostface Killah feat. Raekwon & Cappadonna 3.36
8. I'll Wax Anybody - Tim Dog 4.36
9. Brothers On My Jock - EPMD feat. K-Solo 2.19
10. Bust One Fa Me - Threat 2.42
11. My Mind Spray - Jeru The Damaja 4.31
12. Throw Ya Gunz - Onyx 3.12
13. Raise It Up - Ultramagnetic MC's 1.46
14. Inna City Life - Group Home 1.44
15. Cruddy Clique - Naughty By Nature 2.41

http://www.zshare.net/audio/6007984147e7cbb2/

Hotbox Sample Series #3: "Hip Hug-Her" (Booker T. & The MG's)

Episode #3 of the sample series features the powerful groove first utilized by the Jungle Brother's for the B- side of "Beyond This World". This break is sometimes confused for the similar "Buzzsaw" used for "Call Me D-Nice" or the "Tramp" break. Q-Tip digs the track; he rhymes on it twice. Ice Cube comes in immediately after Don't Curse.

1. Hip Hug-Her - Booker T. & The MG's 1.37
2. Promo #2 Jungle Brothers feat. Q-Tip 2.58
3. Don't Curse - Heavy D. & The Boyz feat. Big Daddy Kane, Kool G. Rap, Grand Puba, Q-Tip, Pete Rock & CL Smooth 5.40
4. Givin' Up The Nappy Dugout - Ice Cube 3.03
5. Looseys - Das Efx 2.31
6. I Like My Girls With A Boom - Lord Finesse 4.13

http://www.zshare.net/audio/598498702ec165ea/

Hotbox Sample Series #2: "Handclapping Song" (The Meters)

There elements of the original track - the intro guitar break, the "clap ya hands now" vocal, and the drum/handclap break - have been sampled many times. All of the songs in this mix contain one or more of these pieces. I'm especially diggin' the Chi-Ali joint, which is pretty much a Native Tounges posse cut with a Chi-Ali 12 bar at the end. And no, I'm not from the Fax. . .it's a possible track for one or more rappers, presumably out of Halifax.

The Meters' 1970 album "Struttin" is littered with familiar breaks. I may feature another cut from the album for a future sample mix. The group's trademark scratchy guitar funk sound is firmly in place here, and the rhythm section is nice, tight, and choppy. Enjoy!

1. Handclapping Song - The Meters 0.43
2. Clap Your Hands - A Tribe Called Quest 3.12
3. The Symphony Pt. 2 - Marley Marl feat. Masta Ace, Big Daddy Kane & Kool G. Rap 3.50
4. Klap Ya Hands - Das Efx 1.40
5. Put Your Hands Together - Eric B. & Rakim 4.02
6. I'm From The Fax - Hotbox 1.44
7. Let The Horns Blow - Chi-Ali feat. Black Sheep, The Beatnuts, & Phife Dawg 5.14
8. Crumbsnatcher - Illegal feat. Diamond D. 2.43
9. Escape From Reality - Positively Black 0.57
10. Beauty And The Beat - Salt 'N' Pepa 0.25
11. DJ Premier In Deep Concentration - Gang Starr 1.02
12. Same Ol' Thang - Del Tha Funkee Homosapien 2.46

http://www.zshare.net/audio/59799625494131d3/

Hotbox Sample Series #1:"More Peas" (The J.B.'s)

For those that don't know, the J.B.'s were James Brown's legendary supporting cast of musicians during his commercial peak in the late 60's to mid 70's. One of my favorite bassline samples! The bass/drum loop break at the 7:20 mark of "More Peas" has been sampled many times in hip-hop. Perhaps the most famous examples are Cypress Hill's "The Phunky Feel One" and Organized Konfusion's "Fudge Pudge". Here is a 30-minute mix:

1. Soul Clap - Showbiz & AG 3.47
2. Behind Closed Doors - WC & The Maad Circle 4.50
3. Fudge Funk - Organized Konfusion 1.03
4. The Phunky Feel One - Cypress Hill 1.37
5. The Way Of Rhyme - Kris Kross 1.20
6. Fudge Pudge - Organized Rhyme 3.48
7. Search 4 The Lyte - MC Lyte 2.42
8. Gimme Dat Girl - Redhead Kingpin & The FBI (feat. Kwame) 2.25
9. Physical Form - Freestyle Fellowship 3.00
10. A Fight - Apache 2.57
11. I Shouldn't Have Done It - Slick Rick 4.01



http://www.zshare.net/audio/596766015689788f/

Welcome to Newfoundland 2?

Lee Fitz and I were discussing the possibility of this project today. The winter of 2004 saw the release of the first and only Newfoundland hip-hop compilation "Welcome To Newfoundland" which featured Shiest, Lee Fitz, Radar, Suave and much more. Classified, Spesh K, and Mic B made guest appearances as well. The project gained recognition from the St. John's creative community; in fact Suave and I were interviewed on the CBC morning show.

Five years later, the scene has expanded greatly to the point where there would be no problem finding enough performers and producers willing to contribute to a new homegrown compilation. Personally, I think a WTN2 could be a great promotional vehicle for new local artists, and I'd be willing to contribute a few tracks to the project. However we would need an "executive producer" of some sort; someone who could organize the recording and collection of tracks. I'm busy trying to finish up my "Number Theory" EP, but if there's anyone else out there willing to take the reigns, I'll help out in as many ways as I can. What do y'all think?

Update: Nas Show in St. John's

Nas/Kardinal Offishall/Shiest May 28th (Jack Byrne Arena, Torbay

This is the official announcement from ODC Productions. The Game has cancelled his Canadaian dates, but Nas is still coming. Kardinal will be replacing the Game. Show starts ay 6 pm.