Sometimes, a tune finding its way into a producer’s MPC is another chance for the song to survive, a revival of a tune that could’ve fallen victim to the contemporary fast-paced market. Other times, the sample itself is a gift to the producer, a song that needs to help achieve longevity, yet is so intoxicating it can’t help but be flipped into something fresh. Stevie Wonder is one of the most celebrated musicians of his time, with a discography that will last from generation to generation. His career is so riddled with innovation that Wonder has reached a level of undeniability very few can relate to, and it is that same discography that gifted us the focus of this week’s Golden Age Thursday.
In 1976, Wonder released his double-disc opus titled Songs in the Key of Life. The cinematic, bold 21-song outing boasts runaway radio hits, deeply vulnerable moments for Wonder, and arrangements so grand it feels like a disservice to hear them faintly from a crackling speaker in a grocery store. The first song on this classic album is a sweeping orchestration titled “Love’s In Need of Love Today,” a sweetly sung seven-minute ode to believing in the positive. The stunning album opener to Wonder’s ever-relevant mid-seventies LP will forever remain in music history, and Hip-hop pays tribute to its timelessness with fantastic reimagings from JAŸ-Z, Busta Rhymes, and 50 Cent, all of which can be heard below.
Stevie Wonder – “Love’s in Need of Love Today”
Produced by Stevie Wonder
JAŸ-Z – “Smile” (Feat. Gloria Carter)
Produced by No I.D. & JAŸ-Z
50 Cent – “Ryder Music”
Produced by Hi-Tek
Busta Rhymes – “One” (Feat. Erykah Badu)
Produced by Rockwilder
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