THE POWER OF SAMPLING: CLASSICAL MUSIC

Hip-Hop and Classical music, the two genres couldn't be farther apart on the music spectrum; between Hip-Hop's stereotyped violent lyrics, and the peaceful, soothing of classical instruments. The two have deep ties though, thanks to the art of sampling.

Sampling is the act of reusing a portion of a sound recording in another recording, usually in terms of songs, but the sampled sound bite can come from just about anywhere. It's a practice that has been around since the 1970s, and if you have a broad music knowledge or a good ear, I'm sure you can catch sampling in everyday life. And Classical music isn't a genre Hip-Hop leaves untouched. 

O Fortuna Meets Hate Me Now

Carl Orff, a German composer, applied music to the centuries old "O Fortuna", a poem from Medieval Times, in 1935. In 1999, Nas released him album I Am..., which features the track Hate Me Now ft. Puff Daddy, and samples the history ridden O Fortuna. 

Take a listen to the two productions below and see if you can hear the sampling for yourself. 
We'll start with the original version by Carl Orff.

And now for Nas' take.

Nas is at it again

Nas goes on to sample another Classical piece three years later, in his 2002 album God's Son, with the track I Can. This time the sample comes from Beethoven with Für Elise. 

This Beethoven piece is one of his more popular and recognizable, but it wasn't found until 40 years after his death. And if that isn't proof that you should do what makes you happy for you, and not for fame, I don't know what is.

I Can is a song written to remind you that you can do anything you put your mind to, as long as you stay true to yourself and your unique path. I'm sure Für Elise wasn't chosen for this exact reason, but it's still interesting to watch two inspiring songs find their way to each other. 

A Devil Love Story?

The infamous Immortal Technique song Dance with the Devil samples The Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet by Henry Mancini. 

Mancini is regularly considered "one of the greatest composers in the history of film", for works in Pink Panther, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and this Romeo and Juliet Love Theme. 

Dance with the Devil has a different undertone to it. The song is a shocking tale that is based on true events of trying to impress "thugs", and warns about "dancing with the devil". I won't ruin the full story here, but if you make it to the end of any song, make it this one. 

From Film to Symphony

Symphony 2000 by EPMD ft. Method Man, Redman, and Lady Luck features a sample from Ennio Morricone with Uccellacci e Uccellini: Titoli Di Testa. 

Uccellacci e Uccellini (The Hawks and the Sparrows) is a 1966 Italian film about social and political philosophy. Morricone, an Italian composer and conductor, was in charge of the music for the film. This sample stems from the Titoli Di Testa (opening credits) of the movie, where they are actually sung.

Symphony 2000 is a Hip-Hop staple song from 1999. The track is paying homage to another Hip-Hop classic: The Symphony by Juice Crew. In both productions, the artists rap in a hand-off way, segueing into the next verse.

This brings me to my main point, Hip-Hop and Classical music aren't that far removed from each other. Sure, the message and overall mood of the song can drastically change. But some of the greatest producers in Hip-Hop became, and continue to be, inspired by Classical music. This gives a recognition to the Classical genre that might not otherwise exist if sampling wasn't as well practiced as it is. We're all guilty in some aspect to sticking to the music we know and enjoy most, but sampling creates a bridge between genres for those willing to look deeper.

For a great list of Hip-Hop songs along with their Classical counterparts, visit this Spotify playlist. And for a great sampling resource, check out Who Sampled, a website that allows you to type in any song, and outputs you the song(s) it sampled, or later songs that sampled it!