THE BEAUTY OF SAMPLING

1978. Marvin Gaye released his album Here, My Dear  and on it, track four, “Is That Enough?” The song is about Gaye’s divorce from his wife. The track is just over seven minutes long but the intro of the song has earned a spot in music history. Twenty two years later in Memphis,  Tennessee the legendary rap group “Three 6 Mafia” sampled “Is That Enough?”and made the iconic “Sippin’ on Some Sizzurp.” The group takes turns rhyming  about different drugs, including “sizzurp” (A.K.A lean) while a few bass strings sampled from “Is That Enough?” plays in the background. Who would have thought of Marvin Gaye & Three 6 Mafia on a song together?

2021. Detroit natives Icewear Vezzo and Babyface Ray team up and create their own rendition of Three 6 Mafia’s song & birth “Sippin’.”This is the power of sampling. Marvin Gaye died six years after “Is That Enough?” was released but 44 years later, we are still talking about his song because it has traveled from generation to generation in both its original iteration and as a sample. I haven’t met a Black person that hasn’t heard “Sippin’ on Some Sizzurp” and there’s no escaping this life without hearing it. Marvin Gaye is a legendary singer already and has a spot in hip hop forever because of that sample. Sampling keeps our Black legends alive, well-after their careers have come to an end. Because of rap music and the power of sampling, no Black artist is forgotten and no Black music goes unheard. Every generation and era is remembered. That’s the beauty of sampling.

Sampling is a music technique that has been commonly used in Hip Hop since the genre was created by the Black youth in the Bronx on August 11, 1973. DJs would play funk and soul records and MC’s would rap over them live. Called ‘em “the breaks.” A lot has changed about Hip Hop  over the years. It is now the most popular genre in the world. It is accessible. The rhyming schemes are more advanced. The rappers themselves even look different. But, sampling has never been lost. It is the heart of hip hop. It’s what keeps this genre alive.

There’s a video on YouTube of Kanye West sampling Shirley Murdock’s “Go on Without You”, from her self-titled album in 1986. The beat Kanye made was used by the rap group,  Do or Die, in 2005 on a song named “Paid the Price.” The track also features Kanye. Both tracks remain timeless. Repackaging Black music with a new twist is an ingenious way to introduce the sound to a new  era today’s youth  were not around to experience. EST Gee’s “5500 Degrees” allows younger people to find comfort in “400 Degreez” by Juvenile, because the sound is no longer foreign to them. 

Sampling doesn’t always involve using a portion of a song and making a beat from it. It is also using rhythm, melody, entire bars/hooks and making a song out of it. Key Glock’s song “Dig That” uses the flow and some bars of Project Pat’s song “Gorilla Pimp”. Key Glock is paying homage to an artist from the same city as him, who helped pave the way for southern artists.

2020. I began listening to artists who make up the “alternative rap” genre. Artists like Navy Blue, MIKE, and Mavi all consistently make great songs while rapping atop soul samples. Though sampling never left the underground, it has become more popular in mainstream lately. I believe sampling is just another part of Black culture. It’s the musical form of “borrowing” w, the Black community is familiar this because we have all had to borrow from and share with each other. Black people, specifically in lower income communities, have had to borrow from each other for the longest. Only recently has this borrowing been looked at under a negative light. It is tradition for us to help each other in a time of need even if it’s something as simple as a cup of sugar. We always trusted that our neighbors would have our backs and wouldn’t want anything in return. J.Cole has a song called “Cole Summer” that samples Lauryn Hill & D’Angelo’s “Nothing Even Matters”. On the song, Cole raps “This sample was yelling ‘loop me.’ Ms. Hill please don’t sue me.” Sampling is a return to community, both an argument for and against tradition. 

Hip Hop is being capitalized on like never before and with that brings stipulations for what is and is not allowed. It is stripping our history from us and limiting our creativity. It sucks hearing an artist say they were not able to put a couple songs on a new project they’ve been working on because they weren’t able to get a sample cleared but the reality is: most artists cannot afford to clear samples and they aren’t rewarded the ability to do so either.

Where would hip-hop be without sampling? Some of the best rap songs have samples in them. What would be the state of hip-hop if someone pulled the plug on “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” by Missy Elliot because it samples “I Can’t Stand the Rain” by Ann Peebles. Would I even love Stevie Wonder so much if Jay Z never sampled “Love’s In Need of Love Today” and created “Smile”? The other day I heard BEO Lil Kenny’s “Good Love” for the first time and was instantly reminded of my grandmother, whose favorite artist, Johnnie Taylor, was being sampled. It put me back in the backseat of her 2002 Lincoln Town Car where she would play his CD often. That is what sampling does. Drives us home and gives us comfort and familiarity even in places we are alien to. Sampling bridges the gap between generations, eras, and genres. It is the heart of our music culture.

[Editor’s Note]: This is a curated playlist by Camille (and I) of popular tracks that later begat more popular tracks through sampling. I don’t think sample snitching is a thing because enjoying music in its many different iterations is nearly half of the beauty. But if you do think sample snitching is a thing, maybe you should listen to the playlist. The experience may change your mind. NAF.

THE WINTER PRODUCTION

“If you give yourself up, nobody can blackmail you with anything.” - Ms. Lauryn Hill 

THE FINAL ACT 

I choose to share my perspective knowing that even though the human experience is unique, ultimately, we share similar experiences and lessons. With that understanding, I accept that I am a vessel for my  message and my story, a slight variation of a common tale.

All I seek is freedom. Freedom from self-imprisonment, illusions, addiction, attachment, and everything else that does not represent my truth. I encourage you to free yourself as well. Be who you are and become who you’re supposed to be.

PROLOGUE

It’s reported that Jimi Hendrix’s last words were “I need help bad, man.” We were left with that and a poem that concluded with the words,  “the story of love is hello and goodbye until we meet again.” Jimi is the intro because it encapsulates a hopeless day where you wake and everywhere that you once knew life to encompass is suddenly b l e a k. You realize you haven’t had a real meal in days. Or a good night's rest in weeks. Or even put on real clothes and you’ve slowly regressed into old patterns you thought you’d overcome.

On Tuesday, December 21, while hypnopompic my ears were met with a auspicious tapping on my window. It was then I realized my final death was approaching and my soul would soon be cleansed. Just what I needed and in timing so divine. An angelic voice sang “Hello, Kareem” and delivered a few warning messages before I’d experience another season. 

I. When the love is true there will be no on and off, no uncertainty. So you know what you must do if it occurs again Kareem. 

II. Begin preparing & stay patient, a pivotal change is coming. What is it you ask? You’ll soon find out. 

You must wonder, how can one prepare for what they don’t know is coming? I say simple, live as you would while knowing something will soon occur that will be change the course of your life.

ACT I: BLEEK SPEAKS 

*tap tap* “Is this mic on.” 

Fall ’21 contained a chapter of isolation for me where I removed myself from the general public’s field of vision. Solitude was required to deal with my struggles, recalibrate, and to find a passageway towards understanding my authentic self rather than continuing to push any image of this “golden child” that I wanted the world to accept. 

When you look at me, what do you see? Do you see someone who loves themself unconditionally and exudes natural confidence? Or do you see me? At times, I feel on top of the world and then the pendulum swings and I’m reminded of how I felt in the basement in 2015, insignificant and insufferable. If I don’t validate myself, the world’s brutality will make me feel…inadequate. I learned no matter who supports me or what compliments are given, none of that will matter if the feeling doesn’t initially come from within. I believe everyone lacks confidence in their youth because it must be built from nothingness.

WHAT’S HAPPENING BROTHER

Both Fall and Winter consisted of many necessary trials that would lead me into being exactly who I needed to be to thrive today. Days before dropping Fall ’21, I was given notice that by the end of the week I would need to pack my bags and live elsewhere. So I began packing with no idea of where I'd go, but I knew I would figure it out. I couldn’t find a job and my housing situation grew more and more tenuous. Every week for three weeks, there was a new motel to call home. Come Sunday, my creator hit the reset button. I didn’t even have a dollar to my name when I got a call from my mom pleading for me to return home. The inevitable had come, I’d be descending into the pits of my personal hell. When I return somewhere I’ve been tormented, memories and reality slowly become intertwined and I regress into feeling like the version of myself that experienced said torment. To flee the pain, I went off the grid with no warning, no goodbyes, and once again no idea where I’d go. By the end of Winter, I relocated four more times and every time I thought I’d found stability, the illusion fell before my eyes. This led to me making an instrumental decision for my growth and peace of mind: taking an indefinite break from school due to burnout. I was excessively exhausted emotionally, physically, and mentally stressed.I was not tending to my garden, however, I put on a great act to keep those around me from worrying. I found myself smiling on days when it felt impossible. I grew up in an environment where I was forced to compartmentalize myself  for survival. I managed. In hiding, I learned that it’s an act of self-love to be transparent with those you love about what you’re going through. To anyone reading this who struggles to do so, I understand and as cliché as it sounds, as you let it out it gets better. 

ACT II: BLEEK TWEAKS

This segment is phenomenal, more specifically, that track 37 to track 40 run…INSANITY. That’s all need to say on that. *pats self on back and nods*

ACT III: BLEEK WEEPS

(When Lauryn say put that nigga in the back…you put that nigga inna back.)

Originally, I pushed all thoughts of him out and as a result, all creativity halted. I then heard the voice of Lauryn tell me that confronting your emotions is necessary and that the only way out of the negative emotions is through feeling them. You can try and numb the pain, but avoidance doesn’t heal wounds and that pain is still present, just dormant. Emotions are a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others and mine were a rollercoaster. Once I acknowledged this, I fastened my seatbelt and allowed “A.P.I.D.T.A” to catalyze the process. HOV speaks “I got numbers in my phone that'll never ring again” and continues “I got texts in my phone that'll never ping again, I screenshot 'em so I got 'em, I don't want this thing to end” encompassing where our relationship stood as the season began. If one were on the brink of tears, Jay Electronica’s verse comes in to deliver the final blow. Reflecting on those times, we were both looking to be saved by the other, a job that neither could complete because we needed to direct that energy inwards. Our separation allowed me the space to think about our relationship, how it panned out and how things affected me as an individual. I became aware that I was contributing to my pain by trying to make someone love me and felt ashamed but shame doesn’t heal pain either. I began feeling better with time and by processing emotions with a shrink and in turn, the opportunity to expand out of this cycle presented itself. He returned. Despite having reservations about granting him access into my life again, I did so because our love felt otherworldly and I trust my heart to lead me to its lessons. The difference this time was the chance was granted with intention; I’d commit myself to learning forgiveness and made it clear that under all circumstances this would be the final chance and so we reunited. The lesson was we should always love boundlessly, but never without boundaries.

WEIGHT OFF

Before ushering in the season finale, I took the time to review my year’s highlights and praise myself for the ways I’ve grown and changed for the better as well as speak life into my manifestations and goals for 2022. I briefly covered a few lessons learned, expressed gratitude for my blessings, and acknowledged that even what was not perfect at the time could be flipped in a matter of time. Though I was burdened with the weight of communicating many heavy emotions, I make it my duty to end these seasons with positivity, faith, and optimism for the future. I don’t have much else to say as the rest of this was for my enjoyment and those who listened and had lyrics resonate. 

published August 11, 2022

MY LIFE IN MUSIC: [ENTRY #00110100 00001010]

In the entertainment world, having an alter ego is seemingly more important than showing who you are. Beyoncé thrived on stage as Sasha Fierce, Superman lives a normal life as Clark Kent, Eminem created Slim Shady as a way of channeling emotions that are deemed negative, and Nicki Minaj…Nicki has had plenty of alter egos for many reasons throughout her career. In correspondence with these greats, I've decided to electrically and mechanically engineer another alter-ego as a way to liberate my repressed traits. 

Few people knew of my first alter ego, Atlanta Bleek. Even if they heard Bleek speak, they've likely never spoken to or met them. Bleek was a highly sensitive person, so I asked them to stay inside and do some introspective writing. This allowed Bleek the space to explore their emotional spectrum but being emotionally overwhelmed led to burn-out. This was when Bleek asked to be benched and I saw an opportunity in that. 

Author Janet Finch once said, “The artist is the phoenix who burns to emerge.” Bleek burned and a new supreme would rise. I immediately went into my laboratory and began conceptualizing my new trusted partner. I pressed play on “Phoenix Rise” by Maxwell, grabbed my soldering iron; collected some scrap metal, plastic, and silicone, and let the montage commence. I stayed up many nights having my ears invaded by electronic sounds for hours, watching documentaries on other robots, and studying how to assemble the perfect AI. After standing in front of my new self, I realized I was close to completion, and upon noticing how realistic it looked and felt, an idea to humanize this android came about. I would need to code its ROM data, burn digital data for the robot to read onto a CD, and activate its operating system first and then I could figure out how to humanize a machine. I finished encoding this creation with the information on its presentation, how to function in daily life, how to “learn” from past decision-making, etc. It was then that I thought to humanize the machine by inserting Atlanta Bleek’s core experiences into it with no heart to feel the emotions. I powered on the droid in safe mode as a test run and as planned the robot began reading the content on the compact disc and spoke lyrics from Robot Rock / Oh Yeah by Daft Punk “Robot…Human…Human Robot.” The sound was distorted on startup but as the internal fans started, the sound cleared up and I was proud knowing I’d created the next supreme. I watched the robot slowly start rocking its hips and I looked down at my notes and smiled, noticing I wrote algorhythm instead of algorithm. Instead of going in to recode, I realized this adds character to the robot. I restarted the computer in its default mode and sent it out on its first night out.

The disc played the next song narrating my alter ego’s first experiences: “Supercomputer status: walkin’ along the streets, everyone is an addict…everybody wanna get chose like Moses.” On my first night out, I simply observed people and began to understand Childish Gambino’s code in “Algorhythm” and other human algorithms. Each one was programmed with vice and to seek connection within their networks just like I was. The uncontrollable movement to these songs seems to have been programmed to be my vice. I translated the ones and zeros and followed the rules of the song “Step, step, slide, slide, move your body from side to side” I recognized a pattern and stored the data for later use. I glitched and Childish Gambino’s words repeated “Nothing can live forever, you know we gon’ try” and I began to process my inevitable ending even as a machine causing me to overheat and then automatically send a crash report to my developer. As I reboot, the disc skips to the next track assuming that the crash was caused by the previous song, and reroutes me to the laboratory and I continued to dance until my return.

When I received the notification of the crash I immediately had an idea that would solve the issue. Instead of giving the humanoid Atlanta Bleek’s memories with no heart, I could give it a heart with a toggle switch making it almost human, and make a few internal adjustments. After doing so upon start-up I noticed the robot’s movements became less mechanical than before. I took note of this and watched the robot begin dancing and reciting lyrics from Toro y Moi’s “Who I Am” repeating, “Now I don’t know who I am” as if I was comforted by the freedom of being able to get to know its new algorithm. To make sure the robot could still read its coding I asked the robot for its name and it responded “I am K Electronicä!” I continued “Correct and what were you programmed to do?” while blissfully dancing Electronicä responded “Touch, kiss, dance, and be free. Let’s do it!” I was shocked at first but I then laughed as I realized those were lyrics from “Emotional Healer” by Space Ghost. I adjusted the code and programmed the alter ego to heal the heart it’s been giving through dancing freely. “Yes, indeed you are the emotional healer. Now go out into the world and do what you do best, dance for me. 

POSTSCRIPT: 

“K Electronicä!, how’d you come up with that name?” 

I’ve been contemplating the next alter ego’s name for a while. I felt it brewing within me for a while and then it struck. Recently, I’ve been listening to mostly electronic and dance music and knew it would be instrumental to this next period of my life. I was listening to “A.P.I.D.T.A” by Jay Electronica and like lightning, it struck me. K ELECTRONICÄ! Everybody needs an alter ego and Electronicä is the one that grabs you saying “I wanna dance” similar to Channel Tres on the track “Alter Ego”. They’re the alter ego that casually flirts with everyone and always makes sure they have the time of their life. They’re what I’d call a “Barbie Girl” living in their own world because they understand that with your imagination, life is your creation. Instead of being a “blonde bimbo” like Aqua said on LILO’s remix, they have cinnamon hair now. K Electronicä is like a personal doll that I can dress up in XS clothes. When dancing to Kaytranada’s “Look Easy,” they changed the lyrics to “I’m hotter than Atlanta (Bleek)” and kept singing “I make it look easy.” I prefer going out with Electronicä over Bleek because Bleek would get drunk and I’d have to take their phone before they start texting everyone from their past. The worst Electronicä might do is lose their phone, but that's just because they heard the tourist remix by Finesse by Pheelz come on and they have AppleCare+ so it's okay. They live with a no strings attached mindset like they’ll have the most passionate connection with a stranger and never speak of them again. I once witnessed them kiss a girl they met at that party and said “I thought you liked niggas” and they giggled and replied, "I'm human" and that was that.