Who Flipped It Better? Cal Tjader - Mother And Child

This time around we're going to make it a little less mind boggling to pick the beat you like better. There's only two songs that I know of that used the same Cal Tjader sample. I'll give you some info and previews below, then you can be the judge.

First up, we have Encore's smoothed out track 'Think Twice' from the 1996 Peanut Butter Wolf 'Step On Our Egos' EP. I loved this track the first time I heard it and it still holds up. PBW loops the sample and laces some rugged drums under it, suiting my taste as a fan perfectly. The clincher here for me are the vocal samples that he uses for the hook . Finsta Bundy's vocal sample of "never gave a fuck and I never thought twice" is from Sunnyside off of what I believe was their first single, Sunnyside/Spirit Of The Boogie. The other vocal sample is from Donald Byrd's sampled to death, but very appropriate here, cut 'Think Twice'.

The challenger is none other than Perth Amboy, New Jersey's own Miilkbone. The track is 'How Ya Like It' off of his debut album 'Da Miilkrate' and also the flip side of his hit single 'Keep It Real'. Nick Wiz handles the production on this track combining the Tjader sample with another sample that I can't identify at this time. It definitely sounds very familiar, maybe from a soundtrack or a CTI artist? If you know what it is, please leave it in the comments. Regardless, the track is ill. For the hook, he loops up "tell me how you like it so far, baby paw" from Method Man's self titled breakthrough cut 'Method Man'.

Previews:

Cal Tjader - Mother And Child

Encore - Think Twice

Miilkbone - How Ya Like It

Download these 3 and other sampled tracks mentioned in this post here.

Personally, I went with the PBW produced 'Think Twice'. Leave your choice in the comments if you would like.

--Verge

Trans Europe Express Revisited

In my last post on this subject,  I broke down the famous train sound pattern from Kraftwerk's "Trans Europe Express." For the sequel I put together an (incomplete) selection of tunes that all sample this particular sound. The diversity of the material truly reflects Kraftwerk's cross-genre appeal. Keep an open mind!

DOWNLOAD TEE COMPILATION

1. Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock (1982) 

The most famous sampling of TEE – not the beat though. An emulated version of the train sound is played in the background when the synth melody from TEE sets in. Check my blog for more stories about this song.

2. Anthony Rother – Trans Europe Express (1998) 

That's a no brainer ... outstanding remix and probably the only one that can hold up to the original. To quote myself: Rother "took the sluggish juggernaut steam engine and remodeled it to a REAL express train by increasing the bpm ...  Whereas the original version was still rooted in a long musical tradition - a symphony that went through several movements, Rother's tightly composed TEE has finally arrived in the Modern Age, thus realizing what was only hinted at but not unfolded by Kraftwerk."

3. Kool G Rap – Rhymes I Express (1989) 

Only samples the pattern in the chorus but it's such a dope song that I had to throw it in. Nice play on the double meaning of "trans" and "express." 

4. Special Request – Salsa Smurph (1983) 

Electro novelty track that was quite a hit back in the days. I have no idea why; it's just SO odd. Weird sounds, lo-fi production, weird keyboard playing ... did I mention this is really weird (and fascinating)?

5. Kartoon Krew – Inspector Gadget (1984) 

Nowhere near my favorites from the era but it still is a nice little tune, featuring some solid synth and vocoder work. 

6. Sir Mix-A-Lot – Society's Creation (1990) 

Heavy minimalistic beats and some unusual socio-political commentary from the Bumpasaurus. We are treated with a chopped up and barely recognizable version of the Kraftwerk sample. The 909 snare drum sounds a bit too technoid for my taste ... but then again even Mantronik used the 909 and he is the king of the beat, so who am I to complain?

7. Ras Kass – Ghetto Fabulous (1998) 

That song is way past my usual timeframe, but it is a strong track and remarkable in its own right for slowing down the Kraftwerk sample to the point of disintegration. The relation to a train sound is completely lost, but it still retains its floating, ethereal character.

8. Professor Griff – Last Asiatic Disciples (1990) 

PE's own conspiracy theorist/wingnut Professor Griff with a nice upbeat version of the sample which drops quite unexpectedly and is over before you know it. Well seasoned dosage of subsonic boom provided by Luke Skyywalker of 2 Live Crew fame. 

9. Ultramagnetic MC's – Crush Kill Destroy (1984-1990)

"Traveling At The Speed of Thought" isn't the only Ultra song sampling Kraftwerk. I think I even prefer Crush Kill Destroy for its raw and unpolished minimalism ... even if the production is a bit on the „raw and unpolished“ side, too. Call me biased but how can you not like Kool Keith's wacky space scientist lyrics? 

10. De La Soul – Ghetto Thang (1989) 

Very subtle use of the pattern and a great example of freeing a sample from its original context to create something completely different. 

11. Wolfgang Riechmann – Wunderbar (1978) 

Riechmann was a contemporary of Kraftwerk and part of the Düsseldorf electronic scene. It is not exactly the same pattern as in TEE but you can clearly hear the similarity. This is a wonderful song with a slight spaghetti western feel that always reminds me of the For A Few Dollars More theme (as used by Babe Ruth's "The Mexican"... as used by Planet Rock) ... and there we are, full circle.

12. Cosmic Rockers – Exodus (2007) 

I couldn't resist sneaking one of my own songs in. Probably the darkest and most Detroit sounding tune I ever made. The percussion pattern adds to the chilling and mechanical atmosphere. A little challenge (not too tough though): Can you ID the two vocal samples?

-- Cosmic Rock

That Backwards Sample

Every once in a while a producer can effectively work a backwards sample into a dope cut.

This is usually easier to do if there are no drums in the sample you're reversing,as they may sound awkward and ruin your mix. But in this case, it worked out perfectly. I must say Pumpkinhead produced a genuine work of art with 2nd Amendment. He sampled the same track that Fredro Starr used for Onyx's 'Last Dayz',except in reverse. Not only did the beat come out ill, but the subject he chose to rhyme about was perfect for it. 

I first noticed it when listening to this Bob James record. I immediately noticed the Onyx sample,but thought there was something else there. So, when spinning the record back to see what it was I missed, I discovered this palatial reverse sample. Check it out below.

The Sample

Pumpkinhead - 2nd Amendment

Onyx - Last Dayz

Download these 3 pieces in one folder here

--Verge

Who Flipped It Better? Gary Bartz Style

Today,we're looking at Gary Bartz' song, Gentle Smiles. This is some smooth Mizell Brothers produced funk. Real cool-out type ish. The Tribe song "Butter" samples a different part than the two that are in question here. They looped up the horns with the singing under it, for the hook. I don't know what exactly they did to get the bass so ill. Classic material,though.It wouldn't be fair to throw this in with the others.

1. Technical - Stress I don't know who did this beat,but they definitely knocked it out. I'll never stop loving filtered out bass lines and this one is pretty thick.The drums are cool. There's not much to the snares,but the kick drum booms and all the elements come together nicely. The emcee rhymes about the stress of dealing with the hood, more-so the people in the hood. I definitely like the beat much better than the rhymes on this one. Not that the emcee is wack, the beat is just so nasty.

2. Jax(RIP) - Rated PG(ft.Werd Da A.O.S) This song is genius when it comes to conceptual type rap music. PG stands for Pam Grier in this, who the story winds up revolving around.And rightfully so, as she was probably the illest, flyest actress to ever grace a movie screen. The beat is suffice for the rhymes. The horns recur throughout, becoming filtered out at times, laying out a perfect backdrop for Jax to proclaim his love of older, but still fine women on the second verse.

Here's how I would rate these joints :

For the beats: 1. Technical - Stress, 2. Jax - Rated PG

For the songs: 1. Jax - Rated PG, 2. Technical - Stress

Props to LyricalGymnastics for lacing the Philaflava forum with the Technical track

--Verge

Who Flipped It Best?

Too many times to count,producers have flipped the same samples. But, sometimes it works out well, depending on how they use it. What drums they use, what kind of bass, who's rhyming, how they chopped it up- these are just a few of the variables to take into consideration. Sometimes it's just what your favorite song is out of the bunch. Check these joints out to determiine which song made the best usage of the sample. Let us know in the comments.

Original: Bob James - Feel Like Making Love

1. Two Outta Millions - Land Of Lyricism

2. Esteem(East Flatbush Project) - Can't Hold It Back

3. Tony Bones - Come Upstairs

4. Mannish - Tasha's Room

For me, it came down to the East Flatbush Project produced Esteem song "Can't Hold It Back" and the Prince Po produced Tony Bones track. Po really went off on this one. The extra violin sample,the ill note variations he worked,and Tony Bones entertaining as always rhymes, put this song over the top for me.

But don't sleep on the Esteem joint.He may sound like he was a bit too influenced by Tim Dog or Freshco, but he drops some classic one liners. He rips from beginning to end. And the production is tight.Dirty drums,knocking bass,ill horns,the moan type sample on the hook-I don't know if I could honestly pick a winner here.

The Mannish and Two Outta Millions cuts are well put together,too.

Props to Blockhead for blessing the Philaflava website with the Tony Bones track.

Props to chillhood for looking out on the "Land of Lyricism" track.

And as usual, props to CharlieManson for the Esteem song.

--Verge