The new adidas ZX 2K Boost takes inspiration from the classics to create a modern icon. Complex AU looks at the way hip-hop is doing the same thing.
Hip-hop began with samples. From the genre’s earliest days, when Kool Herc toasted over looped breaks in South Bronx rec centers, the art of sampling – having an ear for finding the perfect sound and a knack for creating the perfect loop – has been as much a cornerstone of hip-hop as lyrics, wordplay and flow.
Just as trends dictate the way rappers approach their craft, you can often pick an era a song was recorded based on the sample. The early ‘90s saw a spike in jazz loops off the back of A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr’s work. When the focus shifted to the west coast, Funkadelic and Zapp samples reigned. Years later, Kanye’s chopped up, and pitched up, soul samples dominated the sound of hip-hop in the early-00s.
In 2020 we’ve seen an interesting shift as, not unlike the samples themselves, the genre itself has become a perfect loop. Instead of looking to jazz, soul and funk, we’re seeing hip-hop become more insular and look for samples from foregone eras of rap.
With a shoutout to the new adidas ZX 2K Boost, which looks to the past to create a new favourite with classic adidas aesthetics on a sole of modern tech, we’re taking a look at a handful of recent tracks that sample classic hip-hop from years gone by.
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Megan Thee Stallion “Girls In The Hood” (2020)
Sample: Eazy-E “Boyz N The Hood” (1987)
Megan Thee Stallion is a classic example of combining the best of two eras. The attitude and messaging is unflinchingly progressive, positive and quintessentially 2020, but the DNA of classic rap – most notably, the late and great Pimp C – is never far from the surface.
On “Girls In The Hood”, Megan flips the Eazy-E classic from a female perspective, but maintains the reckless, cocky attitude that made “Boyz-N-The-Hood” timeless. Where Eazy treated ‘64 Impalas and future in-laws as disposable, Megan does the same with men and haters on Instagram. Kick em to the curb and get to the bag.
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Travis Scott “5% Tint” (2018)
Goodie Mob “Cell Therapy” (1995)
Travis Scott’s Astroworld was a wild journey through mashed soundscapes and Mike Dean-curated vintage rap references. Even lead single “Sicko Mode” famously flipped samples of both Biggie’s “Gimme The Loot” and Luke’s “I Wanna Rock”.
With “5% Tint”, Trav and producer Mike Dean paid homage to Goodie Mob’s 1995 classic “Cell Therapy”. The piano loop is slowed to a Screw’s pace and, while much of the content is centered around girls and drugs, Travis mimics the paranoia of Goodie Mob’s original track with uneasy lyrics like “move antsy, and I still don't like shit fancy / Up late feelin' real chancy, they outside really tryna end me.”
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Drake “When To Say When” (2020)
Jay-Z “Song Cry” (2001)
While many of the tracks on this list can simply be considered homage or tribute, Drake’s decision to flip a Jay Z song seemed calculated.
With “When To Say When”, Drake was emerging from a hiatus which, while brief, included the heaviest blow to his image the rapper had ever sustained. A simple comeback wouldn’t suffice, but by leveraging the legendary status of Hova’s “Song Cry”, Drake guaranteed the world was watching.
Leaked photos and video stills of Drake shooting a video out the front of Jay Z’s Marcy Projects – in a Yankees jacket, no less – served as the first teaser. The reception was loud and polarising. When the video debuted, views soared. It was further proof that Drake plays this game better than almost any who came before him.
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Saweetie “My Type” (2019)
Petey Pablo “Freek A Leek” (2002)
Saweetie is no stranger to jumping on tracks from years gone by; the first time most of us heard the Bay Area rapper was “ICY GRL” and the subsequent Kehlani-assisted remix, which put Saweetie’s bars over Kia’s unforgettable “My Neck My Back”.
With “My Type”, Saweetie flipped Petey Pablo’s classic “Freek-A-Leek” and paid appropriate homage to the early-00s strip club anthem. Where Petey Pablo celebrated tongue piercings, Saweetie shouted out the importance of good pipe. This was a sequel which was truly recorded in the spirit of the original.
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G-Eazy/Blueface “West Coast” (2019)
Richie Rich “Let’s Ride” (1996)
Still in the Bay Area, Oakland rep G-Eazy’s “West Coast” paid homage to Richie Rich’s ‘96 hit “Let’s Ride”.
Where the Richie Rich original was more of a general hip-hop track with a west coast hook, G-Eazy seems to have revelled in repping for the Bay over the old classic. References to scrapers, Mac Dre, the Golden State Warriors and the region’s unique drug culture pepper his verse.
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