Sometimes, a sample jumps out of the wax it was printed on. A melody or drum break potent to the point of intoxicating the listener, so it isn’t simply a clear choice; it is almost as if these elements are begging to be repurposed. Other times, a song is so ethereal, so beautifully constructed, that there are several moments just waiting to become a part of someone else’s art, a performance so carefully crafted that every moment of these songs evokes visions in a producer’s head. Such is the case for the acclaimed vocal group The Emotions, who placed a record on the B-side of their debut that is so spellbinding, so honed, that the tune has been embedded throughout Hip-hop history.
Track seven on The Emotions’ 1969 debut studio album, So I Can Love You, is built out of nuances that eventually added a twinkle to the eyes and ears of producers like The Alchemist and RZA. “I Like It,” with its swirling horns, otherworldly vocals, and tempting drum patterns, can be heard on some of the biggest Hip-hop records of the past two decades. For this Golden Age Thursday, we get a full view of different producers’ sample techniques, a charcuterie board of styles that all found inspiration in The Emotions and their B-side classic. You can hear the original sample and how Action Bronson and Ol’ Dirty Bastard made it their own below.
Original Sample: The Emotions – “I Like It”
Produced by David Porter & Isaac Hayes
EPMD – “Scratch Bring It Back, Pt. 2 (Mic Drop)
Produced by DJ Scratch
Ol’ Dirty Bastard – “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”
Produced by RZA
Action Bronson – “Terry”
Produced by The Alchemist
Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim – “Nardwuar”
Produced by Frank Grimes
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