Hip-hop’s greatest soul flips, ranked
Hip-Hop’s, a genre based off of samples, from a time where the only way for Hip-Hop artists to make music was flipping other people’s music to the cultural phenomenon that it has become, being in its right an art form.
A classic and revered form of sampling is soul music. From the likes of great artists as Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield and many other of the greats.
So here is our list of the top 10 greatest soul flips in all of Hip-Hop.
Ms. Fat Booty by Mos Def, produced by Ayatolloh, samples Aretha Franklin’s 1965 song ‘One Step Ahead’
An absolute classic in its own right, but just not reaching our top ten.
Look Over Your Shoulder – Busta Rhymes feat. Kendrick Lamar, produced by Nottz, samples The Jackson 5’s ‘I’ll Be There’
A bit of a lesser known picker, one of the greatest soul flips of modern time, with amazing features from both artists.
Otis – Jay-Z and Kanye West produced by Kanye West sampled ‘Try A Little Tenderness by Otis Redding’
If not one of Kanye’s most iconic beats, it just doesn’t hit our top ten, which is partially devastating for just how amazing and unusual this beat is.
Gangstas Paradise – Coolio, Produced by Doug Rasheed sampling Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise”
One of the founding songs of Gangsta Rap as a whole with what can be considered one of the greatest sampled flips in all of rap.
The slowed synths, the interpolated chorus sets the mood for a dark and intense experience.
An experience that many songs have tried to recreate in the years since its release but none can capture the essence that Coolio achieved on this track.
Number 10 – Izzo (H.O.V.A) by Jay-Z, Produced by Kanye West, sampled “I Want You Back” by Jackson 5
From one of the greatest and most iconic hip-hop albums of all time, with the prime production of one of the greatest producers of all time, being rapped by one of the greatest rappers of all time.
Truly a prime era for rap, the Blueprint really is in no other way to describe it than a Blueprint for what a real rap album sounds like.
Izzo Hova, has all the features of a great soul flip, sampling such an iconic song as “I Want You Back” chopping it up slightly and slowing it down to give it a fresh feel that Jay-Z just glides over like it’s light work.
Number 9 – HAZARD DUTY PAY produced and performed by JPEGMAFIA sampling The Winans featuring Anita Baker’s ‘Ain’t No Need to Worry’
One of the most creative, weird and just mind boggling producers of this generation. With some of the most intriguing instrumentals to ever be made in all of rap.
With one of his more mainstream beats also comes one of his best, on Hazard Duty Pay, the very in your face sample chop and booming drums.
Peggy crafts a masterpiece of modern soul sampling, in a time where songs like these feel rarer than ever, he has his own take on the style and executes it masterfully.
Number 8 – Juicy by Notorious B.I.G, produced by Puff Daddy sampling Mtume’s ‘Juicy Fruit’
Another absolute icon of a rap song, with one of the most beautiful instrumentals to grace the genre.
With some of Biggie’s most heartfelt bars to date which compliments the beat perfectly.
Not to mention the infectious baseline throughout the track also.
Its themes of Biggie finally making it are empowering and especially with the sampled chorus.
A well deserving classic on this list with a doubt.
Number 7 – Robes – Freddie Gibbs and Madlib featuring Earl Sweatshirt and Domo Genesis, Produced by Madlib sampling Lenny White – ‘Sweet Dreamer’
To those who are unfamiliar with this song, listen before you judge.
Off of one of the most outstanding hip-hop records to grace the 2010’s Pinata is nothing short of some of the best bars and instrumentals of all time.
Whilst the record may not have charted, amongst Hip-Hop heads it is considered extremely highly. Robes being the best standout from an album of straight bangers.
It’s one of those flips that just doesn’t even feel real, it’s one of the most magical and angelic beats of all time.
Number 6 Can I Kick it – A Tribe Called Quest, Produced by Q-Tip sampling Lou Reed’s ‘Walk On The Wild Side’
Not just one of the great sample flips, but a top ten most iconic Rap songs of all time.
A simple yet effective sample that brings so much character and flavour to the track, a hip-hop essential with an extremely catchy chorus, thoughtfully delivered bars from Phifer and Q-tip across what is one of the best bass-lines ever made.
Number 5 Duckworth – Kendrick Lamar, Produced by 9th Wonder sampling Ted Taylor’s ‘Be Ever Wonderful’
Another modern pick however this one comes at no surprise, through a mix of 3 absolutely masterfully crafted beats from 9th wonder, the most iconic being the 1st, sampling Ted Taylor’s – Ever Wonderful.
With a little trick of making the word ‘darling’ sound like ‘duck’ (in relation to Kendricks last name), it is one of the most soulful and head banging flips of all time.
Kendrick just flows on it so seamlessly it’s genuinely pure magic, it’s hard to believe that these beats were once turned down before Kendrick picked them up.
The beat feels warm and smooth, and captures the essence of the track perfectly.
Number 4 Through The Wire – Performed and Produced by Kanye West sampling Chaka Khan ‘Through The Fire’
After considering a multitude of Kanye tracks that could be on this list, it really only boils down to this absolute classic.
Kanye’s signature sped up soul style at its absolute best, from the beat itself to the story of the song it is nothing short of monumental.
This song changed hip-hop forever, although the album it’s featured on ‘The College Dropout’ has a multitude of songs that could have gone at this spot from the likes of ‘All Falls Down’ to ‘Family Business’ Through The Wire is a special track like no other.
Much like Gangsta’s Paradise it’s a sound that although attempted to be replicated, no one has ever come close to that soulful magic.
Number 3 Do For Love – by 2Pac, produced by Soulshock & Karlin sampling Bobby Caldwell ‘What You Won’t Do for Love’
If questioned on what a ‘soul beat’ sounds like this is it.
As simple and as perfect as it gets, an absolute masterpiece, released posthumously for 2pac he discusses themes of a falling apart relationship he can’t help but hold onto.
With the lush and expressive sampled chorus, this track is nothing short of nostalgic to the golden era of rap that it was born in.
Number 2 Don’t Cry – Produced by J Dilla sampling The Escorts’ ‘I Can’t Stand (To See You Cry).’
If not the most beautiful and heartbreaking sample chops of all time.
We all know the story, made on the legendary producer’s deathbed for his mother, who he didn’t want to be sad about his passing.
It is one of the most complex and masterfully crafted chopped up beats of all time.
No one knows how J Dilla did it, how he heard what he heard to create such an emotional masterpiece that is ‘Don’t Cry’, how just some sample chops can be so unbelievably heartwrenching but if anyone were to do it, it only makes sense it was Dilla.
Number 1 Eye Know – Performed and Produced by De La Soul, The Mad Lads’ ‘Make This Young Lady Mine’ Steely Dan’s ‘Peg’, Lee Dorsey’s ‘Get Out Of My Life, Woman’, Otis Redding’s ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay’, and Sly and the Family Stone’s ‘Sing a Simple Song’
By far the best soul sample of all time, well as we should say 5 soul samples. With a mix of the guitars, the exceptionally whistle chop, the beat is laid back, it’s warm and it just doesn’t get any better than that.
With De La Soul’s perfectly chill raps and the amazingly catchy sampled hook, the song is about love, it feels like love and is more than well deserving of the number 1 spot.
