Chaka Khan, the “Queen of Funk,” delighted fans at the Tiny Desk with a rendition of her hit “Sweet Thing,” where the audience’s enthusiastic participation underscored her enduring influence on music. Emerging in the 1970s with the funk band Rufus, Khan’s career boasts 22 albums, 10 Grammy Awards, and collaborations with icons like Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Quincy Jones. Her 50-year journey in the music industry was recently celebrated with her 2023 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The performance began with guitarist Rob Bacon on the talk box, accompanied by bassist Melvin Davis and drummer Jay Williams, setting the stage for a funky rendition of “Tell Me Something Good.” The office audience couldn’t resist grooving to classics like “What Cha’ Gonna Do For Me” and “Ain’t Nobody.” Tiffany Smith, one of Khan’s backing vocalists, was impressed with her delivery of the challenging moments in “Sweet Thing.”
To close the show, Khan performed “I’m Every Woman,” an anthem written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson that has empowered women for decades. The song was a perfect finale for a month celebrating Black women’s contributions to music, showcasing Khan’s powerful voice and timeless appeal.
The performance featured a talented ensemble, including Melvin Davis on bass, Jesse Milliner on keys, Rob Bacon on guitar, Euro Zambrano on percussion, Jay Williams on drums, and backing vocals from Audrey Wheeler-Downing, Tiffany Smith, and Trina Broussard. The Tiny Desk team, led by producers Bobby Carter and Mitra I. Arthur, delivered a flawless production, with Joshua Bryant directing and editing and Neil Tevault managing the audio. Chaka Khan’s Tiny Desk concert reaffirmed her status as a musical legend, connecting with fans through her powerful and soulful performances.
It’s certainly not news that Hip Hop has a long history and lasting relationship with sampling. While many samples exist in Hip Hop, not many artists have been sampled as much as Chaka Khan. The musical legacy of the iconic singer is further preserved through samples from many songs in Hip Hop. All things considered, her indirect contributions to Hip Hop make her something of a star within the genre as well.
Over the years, a plethora of Hip Hop tracks have seamlessly integrated the soulful sounds of Chaka Khan’s discography. Brilliant acts like Eminem and Kanye West have borrowed from Khan to create fire tracks of their own. Interestingly, the singer was not very pleased with how West sampled a song of hers, and she has said so several times over the years. However, she finally seems to have had a change of heart and recently shared that she’s letting go of her “silly grudge” with Ye over the sample. Here’s a list of some of the hottest Hip Hop songs that contain samples from Chaka Khan.
Eternal Atake (Deluxe) was released on March 13, 2020, and contains 32 songs, one of which is “Strawberry Peels.” While the track is less than two minutes long, it’s a favorite among some Lil Uzi Vert fans. It contains a sample from “Never Miss the Water” (1996) by Chaka Khan ft. Meshell Ndegeocello. The iconic high note that opens “Never Miss the Water” also appears within the first few seconds of “Strawberry Peels.” While this sample only shows up at the very beginning, it is unmistakable.
6. “F**k Em All” – 2Pac ft. Outlawz
Better Dayz, the fourth posthumous album by late Hip Hop icon 2Pac, was released on November 26, 2002. Several songs on the album contain samples, including the title track and “Late Night,” among others. The sample on “F**k Em All” is from Chaka Khan’s song “The Message in the Middle of the Bottom” off her 1978 debut album. However, it’s the instrumental, rather than her voice, that is sampled on “F**k Em All.”
Before the documentary film Soul in the Hole was released in August 1997, its eponymous soundtrack album dropped on July 29, 1997. “High Expectations” is one of the 15 tracks contained in the album and one of its standouts. Additionally, the Hip Hop song samples the 1980 Chaka Khan gem “Move Me No Mountain.” It is one of a handful of rap songs that sample the groovy ‘80s track. With sampling only growing in popularity, “Move Me No Mountain” will very likely be sampled again in the future.
4. “Gerald” – G-Eazy ft. Anthony Hamilton
This track was released on September 24, 2021, as a part of G-Eazy’s sixth studio album, These Things Happen Too. “Gerald” offers a compelling glimpse into the artist’s introspective side, as well as his personal journey. It also masterfully samples the hook of Chaka Khan’s 1988 track “Baby Me.” The slowed-down iteration of “Baby Me” that plays in the background throughout “Gerald” sits on the track just right and completes the song.
3. “Bagpipes From Baghdad” – Eminem
Known for its controversial lyrics and catchy production, “Bagpipes From Baghdad” was released as a part of Eminem’s sixth album, Relapse. It is one of those Hip Hop samples of a Chaka Khan song barely noticeable in the track. However, fans of the Queen of Funk would definitely be able to pick it up, regardless. In this case, the sampled track is “I Feel for You,” and the sampled material shows up at the 2:32 mark.
2. “Therapy” – Cormega
While Cormega’s second album, The True Meaning,did not achieve widespread commercial success, it was critically praised. With songs like “Therapy” on the album, it makes sense that it would receive critical acclaim. The Hip Hop track samples a song from the iconic Chaka Khan album I Feel For You (1984). The shimmery notes that open Khan’s “Stronger Than Before” are slightly sped up and looped throughout Cormega’s “Therapy.” It serves as the perfect sonic backdrop for the emcee to lay his cold bars, and he does exactly that.
1. “Through The Wire” – Kanye West
“Through the Wire” is inarguably one of the most iconic Hip Hop songs that samples Chaka Khan. Over the years, the veteran songstress has expressed her displeasure with the sample. Contrarily, however, many listeners of Kanye West’s music are diehard fans of the track. Similar to the 2004 Ye track, the sampled Chaka Khan song is titled “Through the Fire.” The soulful and melodic sample complements West’s introspective lyrics. Additionally, the use of the sped-up sample became a signature element in the rapper’s early production style, helping to define his sound. Without a doubt, “Through the Wire” remains a standout track in West’s extensive catalog, and its impact can partly be credited to the iconic Chaka Khan sample.
From Drake and Nicki Minaj to Taylor Swift and Cardi B, Kanye West (formerly Ye) has a long and well-documented list of people with whom he’s had beef. But according to a recent Rolling Stoneinterview, one iconic musician has rethought getting into it with the “New Body” rapper.
On December 28, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Chaka Khan said that her apparently one-sided grudge with West was over. Back in 2019, on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Khan confessed that she was “insulted” by how her 1984 single “Through The Fire” was sampled on West’s 2003 track “Through The Wire.” But upon reflection, she’s changed her mind.
“You know, that was my fault, too, for feeling salty about that in any way. Because if I understood the rap game more completely, like I do now, then that wouldn’t have been a big deal to me,” said Khan. “I’m done. Please. I’m not hanging on to any silly grudges.”
Based on a video floating around online, Khan isn’t the only artist that recently buried that hatchet with West. It appears that Kid Cudi and him have also put aside their issues after reconnecting at his Vultures listening party on December 14.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Chaka Khan recently gave Rolling Stone a lengthy and illuminating interview centered around her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Moreover, she obviously has an indelible legacy in music, art, and culture, and a lot to reflect on as her trajectory continues forward in life. The funk legend still performs and is active in the music space, although she definitely considerers an exit every now and then. However, when asked whether she’d ever retire in this new conversation, she gave a surprisingly shady answer that might target other singers in her immediate genre or era circle. Either that, or it’s a comical jab at current artists “fake retiring” these days instead of older acts stretching out their relevance.
“Well, I might do that three or four times, like other b***hes do,” Chaka Khan responded to the question of whether she’ll ever fully give up performing. She explained that she doesn’t want to tour anymore but will keep doing shows, as she wants to shift gears to spending time with her grandchildren and other personal matters. Still, the Chicago native didn’t have to blast other artist to relay this info. Previously, she had dissedMariah Carey, Adele, and Mary J. Blige for their talents.
“Recently, I [talked] about a list of the ‘greatest singers of all time,’” Chaka Khan expressed in her apology for these remarks on Instagram. “Instead of questioning the need for such a list, I was pitted against other artists and I took the bait. As artists, we are unfairly put into ‘boxes’, ‘categories’ or on ‘lists.’ Being an artist or musician is not a competition. It’s a gift, for which I am truly grateful. It was not my intention to cause pain or upset anyone. To anyone that felt this way, I sincerely apologize.”
Meanwhile, another apology of sorts came when the 70-year-old spoke of her bond with fellow Chicago artist, Kanye West. She took issue with his sample of her song on “Through The Wire,” but during this interview, she called it a “silly grudge.” We’ll see what other hot takes and perspectives Chaka Khan comes through with about the music industry. For more news and the latest updates on her, stay logged into HNHH.
Chaka Khan just got inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a deserving accolade for such a superstar. Thus, she reflected on her career highlights, personal experiences, and so much more during a recent interview with Rolling Stone. What will probably prove to be of most interest to hip-hop fans is the singer’s assessment of her relationship with Kanye West. For those unaware, he sampled her track “Through The Fire” on his first-ever single “Through The Wire,” something that she critiqued for many years since. Now, though, it seems like it’s all water under the bridge.
“To clarify something, the reason you were annoyed with Kanye West about ‘Through the Wire’ is that he asked to use your sampled voice, but didn’t make it clear that it’d be sped up, right?” the publication asked. “Yeah. And you know, that was my fault, too, for feeling salty about that in any way,” Chaka Khan responded. “Because if I understood the rap game more completely, like I do now, then that wouldn’t have been a big deal to me. No, I’m done [having it bother me]. Please. I’m not hanging on to any silly grudges.”
Kanye West & Chaka Khan Perform “Through The Wire” In 2004: Watch
Of course, Kanye West is no stranger to sampling issues, whether from an artistic standpoint or actually clearing it. Most recently, that’s what’s happening with his song “Everybody” off his yet-to-be-released collab album with Ty Dolla $ign, Vultures. The song samples The Backstreet Boys, and it looks like the publishers in charge of the sampled record refuse to give the rights over as of writing this article. It’s just one of many ways in which this album rollout turned chaotic. We still doubt it will ever see the light of day.
Meanwhile, Ye isn’t just receiving apologies from a legend; he’s also giving them. Everyone has a different take on his apology in Hebrew to the Jewish community for his antisemitic remarks. While some are forgiving and others don’t buy it for a millisecond, at least it’s better than complete silence. For more news and the latest updates on Chaka Khan and Kanye West, stay logged into HNHH.
Tonight’s Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony has honored a truly stacked list of musical legends for 2023. During the show, Chaka Khan received a heartfelt tribute as one of the inductees. Other musicians like HER, Sia, Common, and Jazmine Sullivan welcomed her with the award.
Sullivan led Chaka Khan’s induction speech — giving kind words to one of her biggest inspirations. “That voice, as raw as it is sweet, as sensual as it is soulful, has guided us through good times and bad, through meet-ups and breakups, through desire and despair, through hard times and higher love,” Sullivan said, according to Rolling Stone. “Chaka’s voice will never get lost among her peers or fade in the background, her tone stands alone. Everything about Chaka is fire.”
She also shared a story about how Khan was there for Sullivan’s mother when she went into remission for cancer.
From there, HER, Sia, and Common all appeared at different times to perform a blend of Khan’s songs. Common did “I Feel For You,” and HER played stuff from Khan’s time in Rufus with “Ain’t Nobody” and “Sweet Thing.” Sia closed out the medley with “I’m Every Woman,” according to the publication.
Check out a video from Chaka Khan’s induction tribute here.
The ceremony is scheduled for November 3 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York and will livestream on Disney+. According to Billboard, the stream will begin at 8 p.m. EST, and, rather than air on HBO at a later date like in years past, a three-hour “edited broadcast of highlights will air on ABC” on January 1, 2024, beginning at 8 p.m. EST.
Additionally on Thursday morning, September 28, the Rock Hall announced this year’s performers: Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Chaka Khan, Willie Nelson, Brandi Carlile, Dave Matthews, Chris Stapleton, St. Vincent, and New Edition. The Rock Hall also promised that more performers will be revealed between now and the ceremony.
The 2023 inductee class was confirmed in May. Upon the news, Missy Elliott “cried all morning. Many people felt the weight of her induction, as Missy is the first-ever female rapper to earn the honor.
“Missy Elliott got in first ballot, just like Eminem got in first ballot last year and Jay-Z the year before,” So if there’s a throughline we’re seeing, it shows the power of hip-hop music culture now, as if we didn’t know it already, as far as how quickly these artists are being recognized on the first ballot,” Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Chairman John Sykes told Variety in May.
Missy Elliott is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Over the weekend, Prince lovers from around the world gathered at Paisley Park to celebrate and honor Prince’s life on what would have been his 65th birthday and 7th year of his passing. The 7th Annual Celebration event was a major success thanks to star-studded programming, uplifting performances, and engaging panels, all in celebration of Prince’s outstanding legacy and once-in-a-lifetime cultural impact.
Over June 8-11, Paisley Park hosted exclusive presentations of unreleased music from the famous Prince Vault and special appearances by and conversations with Grammy-winning artist Chaka Khan and Hip-Hop legends Chuck D and Doug E. Fresh. Guests were also treated to live performances from powerhouse Minnesota super group Sounds of Blackness, R&B star Stokley of Mint Condition, artist, DJ, and BDP co-founder D-Nice, members of Prince’s band New Power Generation(NPG), Prince protegé Shelby J, and Minneapolis youth choirKnown MPLS, and an exciting showcase of new artists Nunnabove and Nur-D. Supporting new, and young artists was something that was extremely important to Prince, and remains one of Paisley Park’s core values. Celebration included a special Prince Legacy Tribute to one of the founding members of NPG—the beloved vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Rosie Gaines, accepted by her daughter and grandson. The event also honored both Prince and Tina Turner through a unique tribute led by Prince’s longtime DJ and collaborator DJ Rashida.
Attendees were gifted special cassette-shaped USB keys with two previously unreleased tracks from the Prince Vault– “All A Share Together Now,” recorded on September 4, 2006, and “7 (E Flat Version),” recorded on August 9, 1992. Both tracks are set for a worldwide DSP release on July 7, 2023.
Prince’s former attorney, manager and friend, L. Londell McMillan on Celebration 2023: “Thank you to all who contributed to a monumental Prince Celebration 2023. We celebrated Prince and lifted his name, in his house, with many who loved him, on the 7th Anniversary of his transition — we miss him dearly. The music, conversations, events, food, and fellowship were all done with love and gratitude to honor Prince. We look forward to Prince Celebration 2024, the 40th Anniversary of Purple Rain.”
Chaka Khan is an unlikely person to kick off a flood of reactions following her interviews, yet here we are. The legend has been intimately woven into music history, and her contributions to the culture are unmatched. However, Chaka Khan’s soundbites have caused an uproar in recent years. She went viral—twice—over comments made about Kanye West. She admitted to hating his “Through the Fire” sample for his classic hit “Through the Wire.” More recently, Khan shared scathing opinions about Adele, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige. For the latter controversy, she returns with an apology.
“Recently, I was asked about a list of the ‘greatest singers of all time‘ and instead of questioning the need for such a list, I was pitted against other artists and I took the bait,” Khan says in a statement shared to Instagram. “As artists, we are unfairly put into ‘boxes’, ‘categories’ or on ‘lists.’ Being an artist or musician is not a competition. It’s a gift, for which I am truly grateful.”
Chaka Khan Says She Didn’t Mean To Offend
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 24: Chaka Khan performs onstage during Angel Ball 2022 hosted by Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation at Cipriani Wall Street on October 24, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation)
“It was not my intention to cause pain or upset anyone. To anyone that felt this way, I sincerely apologize,” she continued. “Thank you for all the love everyone has shown me, unconditionally. I have always been about empowering others and I started a foundation for that very purpose. I will be announcing soon. Empowering all artists is most important because we truly are the architects of change…and change begins within the heart. I love you all and God bless.”
The apology has caused a divide. Khan’s supporters don’t believe she needed to explain herself to anyone. Yet, those who found her remarks to be offensive have taken to social media with pushback because they didn’t think the icon took accountability. During the controversial interview, Khan had this to say about Blige’s cover of her classic, “Sweetest Thing”: “I told Mary J. Blige she f*cked it up,” Chaka Khan said.
She added, “Number one, her vocals were flat. And I asked her, I said, ‘What time of day was it or night, what were you doing when you decided to cover ‘Sweet Thing’? And where were you at when you covered it?’” Khan claimed Blige told her she was up late, until 8:00 a.m. “I said, ‘Girl, you don’t sing nothing at eight in the motherf*cking morning. Especially if you have to get up to sing it.’” Check out Chaka Khan’s post above.
Chaka Khan found herself at the forefront of the music news cycle last week after appearing on an episode of the Los Angeles Magazine Presents: The Originals podcast. On the show, she was asked about Rolling Stone‘s recent list of the all-time best singers, and she threw shade at vocalists like Mariah Carey and Adele.
Now, Khan has explained herself.
In an Instagram post shared last night (March 5), Khan broke down what happened and offered an apology, writing:
“Recently, I was asked about a list of the ‘greatest singers of all time’ and instead of questioning the need for such a list, I was pitted against other artists and I took the bait.
As artists, we are unfairly put into ‘boxes’, ‘categories’ or on ‘lists.’ Being an artist or musician is not a competition. It’s a gift, for which I am truly grateful.
It was not my intention to cause pain or upset anyone. To anyone that felt this way, I sincerely apologize.
Thank you for all the love everyone has shown me, unconditionally. I have always been about empowering others and I started a foundation for that very purpose. I will be announcing soon.
Empowering all artists is most important because we truly are the architects of change…and change begins within the heart. I love you all and God bless – Chaka.”
𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖐𝖆 𝕶𝖍𝖆𝖓 
(@chakakhan)