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Best Al Green Samples In Hip Hop

February 19, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Al Green’s soul is ingrained in hip hop’s DNA. From samples and interpolations of his songs, he’s not only helped define the genre but played a role in hip-hop that can not be understated. Some of the biggest names in music have sampled his vocals, making them a staple in the sounds of today. Many legendary hip-hop classics have reimagined Green’s illustrious discography, injecting the emotion of his unique vocals into their music. Last year, Rolling Stone ranked the music icon as the tenth greatest singer of all time — a testament to his legacy. Today, we are looking at the best Al Green samples in hip hop. Take a look at the list below.

“Eye For A Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)” – Mobb Deep Feat. Nas & Raekwon (1995)

One of Mobb Deep’s most iconic tracks creatively flips Al Green’s “I Wish You Were Here.” The New York rap duo completely transformed its sample. The song builds on top of its melancholic string section to make one of hip-hop’s filthiest beats. The strings become the spooky backing for the thumping drum break on “Eye For A Eye.” The verses from Havoc, Prodigy, Nas, and Raekwon are so tough that one might not even think of Al Green when they hear the beat for the first time. Mobb Deep later sampled his music once again on their final studio album. Additionally, Raekwon, his fellow Wu-Tang Clan members, and Nas sampled Al Green on numerous tracks.

“Shootouts” – Nas (1996)

Nas sampled Al Green’s music for multiple tracks on Street’s Disciple as well as “U Wanna Be Me” from the 8 Mile soundtrack. Out of the many times he has repurposed Green’s music, his first is easily the best. His 1996 song “Shootouts” samples the exact part of “I Wish You Were Here” that “Eye For A Eye” did a year prior. Unlike “Eye For A Eye,” Nas’s track turns its Al Green sample into a clean loop that is not as menacing. Producers Poke and Tone slowed and chopped “I Wish You Were Here” into a polished boom-bap instrumental, embodying the mafioso theme of It Was Written.

“What’s Beef?” – The Notorious B.I.G. (1997)

Biggie sampled Al Green’s “I’m Glad You’re Mine” on three separate occasions. Two of these songs, “What’s Beef?” and “I Got a Story to Tell,” ended up on Life After Death. The posthumously released “Dead Wrong” also sampled the track as well. While all three tracks made a classic rap songs out of the famous drum break, “What’s Beef” is easily the most creative.

Producers Nashiem Myrick and Carlos Broady did not alter the loop, but added the ominous strings on top to create a hip-hop classic. Biggie’s commanding delivery fits comfortably within the pockets of the drums, making perfect sense as to why he rapped over them so much. In comparison to the other uses of “I’m Glad You’re Mine,” the additional production on “What’s Beef?” fits the sample better. Life After Death features multiple Al Green samples, including this track, the aforementioned “I Got a Story to Tell,” and “My Downfall.”

“Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)” – JAY-Z(2001)

JAY-Z’s The Blueprint album closes with “Blueprint (Momma Loves Me),” sampling Al Green’s “Free At Last.” Producer Bink! flipped his vocals into a motivational outro layered with slow drums and an organ melody. He sampled such a small portion of the song but it lends itself nicely to the rest of the track. The additional instrumentation combined with the tasteful Al Green sample makes for a soulful beat on an album known for its brilliant sample flips. The beat on “Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)” was later repurposed for “Mamma Knew Love,” the opening track from Anthony Hamilton’s debut album, 2003’s Comin’ From Where I’m From.

“Living This Life” – UGK (2007)

UGK’s “Living This Life” stands out as one of the best uses of Al Green samples in hip hop. It samples not one, but two different songs from Green. “Living This Life” incorporates the aforementioned drum break from “I’m Glad You’re Mine” and the vocals from “Free At Last.” These prominently sampled Al Green songs, along with Goodie Mob’s “Free,” display how various elements of preexisting songs can create a brand new sound. While both of these Al Green samples have been reworked for several hip-hop songs, UGK and the track’s producers, N.O. Joe and Joe Scorsese, managed to make them fit together seamlessly.

“Are We Still Friends?” – Tyler, The Creator (2019)

On IGOR, Tyler, The Creator beautifully modified Al Green’s “Dream” into a compelling album closer. Throughout its instrumental, “Are We Still Friends?” notably features a slightly sped-up loop “Dream,” incorporating multiple elements of the track. Tyler does not modify it too much. Instead, he created a completely new song out of it, exhibiting that a good loop is sometimes all one needs. “Are We Still Friends?” experiences multiple embellishments in its production throughout the song, adding Tyler’s own style of instrumentation to Al Green’s original version. It remains one of Tyler’s most soulful songs to date.

“Crowns For Kings” – Benny The Butcher Feat. Black Thought (2019)

In hip hop, many producers heavily chop Al Green samples, while others simply loop a portion of the song. Benny The Butcher’s “Crowns For Kings” opts for the latter. Green’s “Look What You Done To Me” is featured as the basis for the track. Produced by the late DJ Shay, the sample is met with a traditional drum pattern, over which Benny and Black Thought deliver bars with conviction. Adding to the sample and the rest of the track is the triumphant brass between the verses. The way “Crowns For Kings” transformed “Look What You Done To Me” shows the power of a good loop.

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Bun B Shouts Out Busta Rhymes For Sampling “Get Throwed”

November 25, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Bun B gave a shout-out to Busta Rhymes in a post on Instagram, Friday, following the release of the rapper’s new album, BLOCKBUSTA. For the song, “BIG EVERYTHING” featuring DaBaby and T-Pain, Busta sampled Bun B’s 2005 track, “Get Throwed.”

“Salute to the general @bustarhymes for bringing back that Trill Nostalgia and doing this record!’ Bun B captioned the post. “He’s been talking about it for a minute but the timing couldn’t be better! And he brought in @tpain and @dababy for a trill ass trifecta??!!! What a banger!” Plenty of others joined in on the praise in the comments section, including T-Pain.

Bun B & Busta Rhyme Meet Up In N.Y.C.

Busta Rhymes and Bun B during Nike Presents an All-Star Twenty Fifth Anniversary Celebration of The Air Force 1 in Sport and Music – December 10, 2006 at Gotham Hall in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

Bun B released “Get Throwed” on his 2005 album, Trill. It features Pimp C, Z-Ro, Young Jeezy, and JAY-Z. Bun recently reflected on JAY-Z’s contribution to the song, revealing that he dissed an undisclosed rival. Speaking with Elliott Wilson on the Rap Radar podcast in 2017, he revealed: “If you listen to ‘Get Throwed,’ to JAY’s verse — for some people it’s going to be clearer than others — but there was shots fired in bars 8 to 12, and there were more shots from bars 12 to 16.” He did clarify that Nas wasn’t the target: “Nah nah nah. This was before that … this was more internal.” Check out Bun’s post for Busta Rhymes below.

Bun B Praises Busta Rhymes

Busta Rhymes kicked off the rollout for his 11th solo studio album, BLOCKBUSTA, back in June with the release of the BIA-assisted single, “BEACH BALL.” Other artists featured on the tracklist include Quavo, Young Thug, Coi Leray, Swizz Beatz, Kodak Black, DaBaby, Giggs, and more. Be on the lookout for further updates on Bun B and Busta Rhymes on HotNewHipHop.

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Rod Wave Denies Stealing Boosie Badazz Sample: “Find You A Hobby Fk Nia”

November 21, 2023 by newhiphopnews

When Rod Wave first caught wind of the hate Boosie Badazz was spreading about him online, the 25-year-old took things in stride. He offered to have a discussion with the Louisana native so they can agree to an amount of money to squash the situation, but instead, Boosie is hinting at filing a lawsuit and dropping a diss track about Rod. At this point, the “Great Gatsby” artist has had enough of the drama and has taken to platforms like Twitter and Instagram to get some things off his chest.

“Jus ‘cuz you know ’bout da original song [doesn’t] mean I stole it? [You] d*mb b**ch,” he wrote in a now-deleted tweet. “I ain’t never stole s**t, five platinum albums. Find [you] a hobby f**k ni**a. [You] b**ches don’t even [f**k with me], speaking on me. Mind yo bidness b**ch,” his rant continued. While that likely helped air out some of his feelings, it wasn’t enough for Wave to call it a night. Instead, he hopped on his IG Story with more to say.

Rod Wave Grows Weary of Boosie Badazz’s Allegations

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“It was okay for me to be a f**king teenager listening to they music,” the Florida native vented to his followers on Tuesday (November 21). “Supporting them and s**t, f**king with them… How they finna be bringing up all these lyrics like I stole some s**t? It’s public record. I ain’t stole no s**t. Tryna come up with some s**t like I stole they s**t.”

Among others who are weighing in on the validity of Boosie Badazz’s bitterness is Fat Joe. The Terror Squad member can name at least 20 instances that would give him grounds to claim his music was “stolen” by other artists but doesn’t seem too bothered about bringing the potential legal battles to court. Read everything he had to say at the link below and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.

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Fat Joe Weighs In On Boosie Badazz Threatening To Sue Artists Who Have Used His Songs

November 21, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Fat Joe says he could’be filed upwards of 20 lawsuits by now aimed at other artists sampling his work without permission. The legendary New York rapper discussed the idea while weighing in on Boosie Badazz’s recent threats to do so. Joe referenced Young Dro’s “Shoulder Lean” and Dem Franchize Boyz’s “Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It.”

“If you use somebody’s music and you sample it and you don’t clear it and you don’t give them no money, they can sue you,” he began. “Me, personally, I have never sued nobody for that. And trust me, they done had ‘Make it rain, make it, make it, make it rain.‘ Or ‘Lean wit it, rock wit it.’ My shit’s been jacked legendary. ‘Shoooulder leeean.’ My shit been jacked! If I went to court I’d be like, ‘Exhibit A — that shit don’t look like ‘Lean Back’ to you?’ […] I could’ve sued people for sampling my shit 10, 20 times.”

Fat Joe Attends Billboard Music Awards

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 15: Fat Joe attends the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Mindy Small/FilmMagic)

As for Boosie, he specifically referenced Rod Wave. “Rod Wave ain’t the only one. Y’all better do y’all research. I done got paperwork on the way. Lot of people, it ain’t just Rod Wave,” he said. “I love when they do that shit. They be giving my flowers. I be liking that shit when I hear it. It’s just, you gotta compensate me too. It’s a business.” At the end of the day, Boosie says artists should pay a level of “respect” when sampling. Check out Fat Joe’s opinion on the matter below.

Fat Joe Says He Could Sue Artists For Using His Work

In other Fat Joe news, he recently shared a video of himself passing out turkeys in New York City in honor of Thanksgiving. Be on the lookout for further updates on the rapper on HotNewHipHop.

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Boosie Badazz Calls Out YG For Allegedly Interpolating One Of His Songs Without Asking

November 21, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Boosie Badazz has been getting even recently with artists who are sampling and interpolating his work without permission. It started earlier this week when he claimed he would be filing a lawsuit against Rod Wave. Allegedly the lawsuit will reportedly revolve around Rod’s new song “Long Journey” which Boosie claims is a take on his 2010 track of the same name. But he wasn’t done there. In a following rant, he doubled down on his allegations against Rod while also calling out Kodak Black, who he’s beefed with in the past, for similar reasons.

In this instance, Boosie called out Kodak for his song “Eaze Your Mind” which he claimed took a little bit too much creative liberty with his own track “Let Me Ease Your Mind.” Now Boosie is picking a third target, once again taking aim at another rapper for borrowing his work and calling them out on Instagram. This time it’s YG and more specifically his song “FTP.” Boosie claims that the song queries from Boosie’s feature on the YUNG SNAPPA song “Fk Da Police.” It’s unclear at the moment whether or not any actual legal filings have been made in relation to the copyright issues. It’s also unclear if YG has even been made aware of Boosie’s grievances yet. Check out the songs side-by-side below.

Boosie Badazz Calls Out YG For Sampling Him

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A post shared by HOLLYWOOD UNLOCKED (@hollywoodunlocked)

Correspondingly in the comments of a repost of Boosie’s original comments, fans express their confusion. “How are all of these rappers sampling without permission, pretty BOLD!! Does Boosie not own the rights to the music cause ain’t no way?” one of the top comments on the post asks.

Elsewhere in the comments, other fans speculate on an answer. “I’m trying to tell yall Boosie don’t own none of his music. They are getting this music cleared from the owners which ain’t him,” another top comment reads. What do you think of Boosie Badazz calling out YG on top of Rod Wave and Kodak Black? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Boosie Badazz Calls Out Kodak Black For Sampling Him Amid Their Beef

November 19, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Boosie Badazz and Kodak Black have some pretty contentious and, as of very recently, financially contingent beef to handle. Moreover, the former called out the latter on Sunday (November 19) for sampling his track “Let Me Ease Ya Mind” on his new song, “Eaze Your Mind.” While it’s not a direct interpolation or sample, the Baton Rouge MC still thinks that his Floridian rival took too much liberty with this cut. Furthermore, he blasted Yak both in tweet form and with a video uploaded to social media going over his grievances. In both instances, the 41-year-old made it clear that, even if they don’t get along, they could’ve still made money together.

“DAM @kodakblack,” Boosie’s tweet read, which linked the music video for Kodak Black’s record. “EVEN THO WE FELL OUT WE COULDA DID FAIR BUIZNESS #justbuizness.” For those unaware, the two were most recently at odds due to Kodak’s decision to collaborate with 6ix9ine on a song. Badazz wasn’t very approving of this, as he sticks to a pretty stringent and very vocal anti-snitch philosophy that, in his opinion, should keep any and all MCs out of the rainbow-haired provocateur’s way.

Boosie Fires Off Against Kodak Black For “Eaze Your Mind”

DAM @kodakblack EVEN THO WE FELL OUT WE COULDA DID FAIR BUIZNESS #justbuizness pic.twitter.com/wVbuYXHEnJ

— Boosie BadAzz (@BOOSIEOFFICIAL) November 19, 2023

“Kodak…” Boosie’s video response began in a sing-song voice. “I ain’t trippin’. On my kids, bro, you gotta respect it, man. I ain’t trippin’, y’all trippin’. Stay tuned. I’ll be posting more in six hours.” It’s unclear what exactly he means by this, as he gave no indication to how he will keep this going or whether things will escalate. Still, we’d bet on this not becoming a prettier sight to see. After all, the Trill Entertainment affiliate just threatened Rod Wave with legal action for sampling one of his tracks without permission.

The “Let Me Ease Ya Mind” MC Tells Us To “Stay Tuned”: Watch

Meanwhile, what do you think about this exchange between these two artists and how it might develop? Is Louisiana’s own simply doing too much and overreacting to this vague inspiration, or is the When I Was Dead artist truly responsible for undue credit? However you may feel, let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below. Also, check back in with HNHH for the latest news and updates on Boosie and Kodak Black.

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Boosie Badazz Planning Rod Wave Lawsuit Over Allegedly Copied Song

November 19, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Boosie Badazz recently took to social media to announce plans to take legal action against other artists who he believes have sampled or even copied his work without permission. He shared the news during an Instagram Live, claiming to be fed up with people not thinking he’s “business-minded.” He called out Rod Wave specifically, referencing his Nostalgia track “Long Journey,” which is a take on Boosie’s 2010 Incarcerated cut with Webbie by the same name.

“Can’t let you just take my sh*t and I’m not getting nothing,” he explained. “I just want my split, you know, my cut … I ain’t mad, I love when they do that sh*t.” Boosie continued, describing how although he appreciates when other artists “give [him his] flowers,” it’s only fair that they also give credit where it’s due. “You gotta compensate me, too,” he said. “It’s a business.”

Boosie Badazz Is Fed Up

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A post shared by Watch Live Bitez (@livebitez)

Later in the live stream, Boosie noted how he feels as though people think he’s too “gangster” to file a lawsuit, and take advantage because of it. According to him, he just wants the same respect that other artists get. “They wouldn’t do that to a white artist. They wouldn’t do that to another artist, just Boosie,” he explained. “So I’m coming back for all that, bro. Y’all already know.” This isn’t the only time Boosie turned to taking legal action, however. He’s currently wrapped up in a lawsuit with his brother and Yung Bleu over a contract they allegedly signed without his permission.

Earlier this month he revealed that while it hasn’t come without a cost, he still plans on getting the money he feels that he’s owed. “I lost a relationship with my mom and everything,” he said. “I don’t give a damn. You think I’m dropping this lawsuit? I swear to God I ain’t.” What do you think of Boosie Badazz planning to take legal action against artists who sampled or copied his music without permission? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

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NLE Choppa Sued By Rodney-O Over “Who TF Up In My Trap”

October 9, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Just over a couple of years ago, NLE Choppa really broke into the mainstream with his 2020 album, Top Shotta. It was a huge project for him for a few reasons. Firstly, compared to its predecessor, Cottonwood, which is also NLE’s debut, it nabbed more features. The first of the Cottonwood series only included two artists and one was for a remix. While Meek Mill and Blueface are still big names, those were the only guests. Even though Top Shotta was longer in length, it still contained more names. Lil Baby, Latto, Roddy Ricch, and Chief Keef all did their thing.

Secondly, NLE also had more bangers in the tracklist. These also helped mold him into the rapper we know currently. “Walk Em Down” set the bar high for him but he has been able to replicate that level of songwriting. Another solid track is “Who TF Up in My Trap.” It samples the iconic “Everlasting Bass” from legends Rodney-O and Joe Cooley. Unfortunately, according to a report from AllHipHop, we have come to learn that he never got permission to use it.

NLE Choppa Is Going To Court

Music Business Worldwide was the first to bring this about and they have learned that a lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Tuesday (October 3). One of the official statements read, “The composition of [Who TF Up In My Trap] substantially comprises the composition of Everlasting Bass and is either a verbatim copy or encompassed and embodied in an audio sample of Everlasting Bass found in the infringing work.” Other defendants that will be joining NLE include Juicy J, Project Pat, DJ Paul, and more.

What are your initial thoughts on NLE Choppa receiving a lawsuit from Rodney-O over “Who TF Up In My Trap?” How much money do you think Rodney will get out of this? Does this hurt NLE’s career at all? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around NLE Choppa, Rodney-O, and the rest of the music world.

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Doe Boy Thanks Ja Rule And J-Lo For Finally Clearing Sample

June 7, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Sampling is an often controversial part of making music. It’s gotten even more heated in recent years when artists have faced lawsuits just because their music sounds too much like someone else’s. So for artists to protect themselves, clearing a sample is absolutely essential. For Doe Boy, the process of getting a sample cleared took a lot longer than anticipated. His new song “Way I Walk” dropped a few days ago. According to Doe Boy himself, it took 12 months to clear a sample for use in the song.

A popular remix of Jennifer Lopez’s 2001 song “I’m Real” is an essential piece of Doe Boy’s new track. After a very long process of trying to get his sample of the song cleared, Doe Boy was finally able to release his own track. He recently posted a video thanking both J-Lo and Ja-Rule for their help getting it cleared. “Thank you J.Lo, I appreciate it. I been begging yo a*s for a year, we finally made it happen,” he says.

Doe Boy’s Thankful Video

Doe Boy thanks J. Lo & Ja Rule for clearing sample after a year of “begging” https://t.co/52WCdDsvQr pic.twitter.com/TBmGJzoQ21

— HipHopDX (@HipHopDX) June 6, 2023

He also posted on his Instagram to celebrate and promote the new song. “Everybody say THANK YOU @jlo. ‘WAY I WALK’ finally cleared,” he says in the caption. “Way I Walk” is the second new single Doe Boy has released this year following “Roll The Dice” with Dej Loaf. The song also got its own music video which has racked up over 100k views in just a few days.

Doe Boy had an even busier 2022 dropping two projects and dozens of features. His 19-track album OH REALLY came out earlier in the year and sports features from Lil Uzi Very, Ty Dolla $ign, Roddy Rich, and many more. He followed it up with his CATCH ME IF YOU CAN EP earlier this year. He also joined Smiley in the features list of Killy’s Crazy Life Of Sin EP later in the year. What do you think about Doe Boy’s new song and how long it took him to clear the sample? Let us know your thoughts on the song and sampling in general in the comments below.

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Best Marvin Gaye Samples In Hip Hop: From Kendrick Lamar To Jay-Z

May 8, 2023 by newhiphopnews

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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