Sampling is fundamental to hip hop’s origins, though the art form has been the root of controversy for many years. Taking a portion of a song and working it into a brand-new creation is nothing unique. Sampling has walked a fine line between inspiration and theft for some time now—and not just in the hip hop world, but also in the pop realm. Marvin Gaye’s music catalog is iconic and is the source of many different hip hop samples.
Earlier this week, Ed Sheeran won a copyright infringement lawsuit for his song “Thinking Out Loud.” The actions against Sheeran were brought by the estate of one of the co-writers of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” The contention was that “Thinking Out Loud” directly copied “Let’s Get It On,” as the two songs share noticeable similarities. Sheeran’s win in the trial surprised many, as Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams went through a similar situation in 2014. The two were sued by Gaye’s family due to similarities between “Blurred Lines” and “Got To Give It Up.” The Gaye family was awarded $4 million.
This is a list of the best Marvin Gaye hip hop samples, listed in chronological order. His discography, consisting of 17 studio albums, has been sampled roughly hundreds different times. Take a look at the list below.
Method Man – “All I Need” (1994)
This classic RZA-produced song comes from Method Man’s debut album, the very first Wu-Tang solo album. “All I Need” samples “You’re All I Need to Get By,” a duet between Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. “All I Need” utilizes the song’s lead melody in its instrumental and sticks to the love-oriented content of the original sample. The sample is even more prominent in the song’s more famous remix from 1995. The update features Mary J. Blige on the hook, directly incorporating the sample’s chorus into the song. “All I Need,” specifically the remix, was highly influential in paving the way for hip hop love songs and R&B duets.
Kanye West – “Spaceship” (2004)
This highlight from Kanye West’s classic debut album, “Spaceship” samples Gaye’s “Distant Lover” from 1973’s Let’s Get It On. Produced by West, “Spaceship” brilliantly incorporates three parts of “Distant Lover” to create the main instrumental melody. The sample is sped up in a “chipmunk soul” fashion, Kanye’s signature production style during The College Dropout era. “Distant Lover” is sped up, chopped, and looped to create a soulful melody for Kanye, GLC, and Consequence to rap over. The use of a Marvin Gaye sample in hip hop the way “Spaceship” at the time represented the rising popularity of soulful loops.
JAY-Z – “American Dreamin’” (2007)
Marvin Gaye’s “Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again” from 1976’s I Want You is very sexual in its lyrics and instrumentation. The song’s content makes JAY-Z’s “American Dreamin’” such a creative flip. The song, produced by Sean C & LV, Diddy, and Mario Winans, completely repurposes “Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again” without altering the vocals. “American Dreamin’” is about chasing a dream from a life of crime and poverty into a secure and luxurious lifestyle. The Marvin song is looped to soundtrack the cinematic images Jay paints on “American Dreamin,” making the sample more painful than passionate.
Travis Scott – “Backyard” (2014)
Like “Spaceship,” Travis Scott’s 2014 track “Backyard” also samples Marvin Gaye’s “Distant Lover.” What sets “Backyard” apart is that it samples a live performance of “Distant Lover” from 1974. “Backyard” utilizes the performance’s live instrumentation and Marvin Gaye’s commentary when he talks to the crowd during the song. The song makes for a complete reimagining of a small portion of the sample. It is a creative way to flip the song, resulting in one of Travis Scott’s most underrated tracks.
Jay Rock – “Money Trees Deuce” (2015)
Most Marvin Gaye hip hop samples draw from his famous studio albums. Jay Rock’s “Money Trees Deuce” samples “‘T’ Cleans Up / Police Station” from Gaye’s 1972 soundtrack to Trouble Man. The sampled horns are just one of many unique sounds on that soundtrack. The horns only appear in small portions, but “Money Trees Deuce” makes that sound its primary backing. The final result makes for one of Jay Rock’s best songs and a solid sequel to the original “Money Trees.”
The Game – “Savage Lifestyle” (2016)
The Game’s ninth studio album, 1992, is a concept album based around the events he witnessed growing up in LA in 1992. The album’s opening track, “Savage Lifestyle,” places the listener in the middle of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. The song samples Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” from What’s Going On. The Game paints a picture of civil unrest in the song. “Savage Lifestyle” directly matches the content of “Inner City Blues.” The Game uses the Marvin Gaye sample to build the intensity of his song before transitioning into a rugged beat switch, depicting the breaking tension between citizens and government.
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5” (2022)
Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Part 5” samples the title track from I Want You. In the song, Kendrick plays with the sample. He uses Marvin’s voice for the chorus and removes the drums toward the song’s end. The sample is barely altered, with Kendrick essentially rapping over the original track. Still, the sample is very fitting for Kendrick to rap from different perspectives, making for a thought-provoking track.
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