Since the beginning of the culture, hip hop music has been built off the back of sampling other genres.
From The Sugarhill Gang interpolating Chic’s “Good Times” to Kanye flipping ’70s funk-soul to Travis Scott pulling up Goodie Mobb for Astroworld, sampling makes up a fundamental part of hip hop’s DNA.
Now, before we get into this list, we’re not talking about breakbeat samples like “Funky Drummer” or “Impeach the President”, that’s a whole other different article. For this list, we’re focusing more on melodic samples.
Alright let’s get into it, here are 54 rap songs that use the same sample.
Willie Hutch – “Hospital Prelude of Love Theme”
Album: Foxy Brown (soundtrack)
Released: April 5, 1974
Songs sampled in:
- Mobb Deep – “Still Shinin'” (1995)
- Masta Ace – “Good Ol’ Love” (2004)
- Rick Ross feat. Cee-Lo Green – “Tears of Joy” (2010)
- Nipsey Hussle – “Blue Laces 2” (2018)
Hank Crawford – “Wildflower”
Album: Wildflower
Released: 1973
Songs sampled in:
- 2Pac – “Shorty Wanna Be a Thug” (1996)
- Kanye West feat. Paul Wall & GLC – “Drive Slow” (2005)
- J. Cole – “Dreams” (2009)
The Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back”
Album: Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5
Released: October 7, 1969
Songs sampled in:
- Eric B. & Rakim – “I Know You Got Soul (Six Minutes of Soul – the Double Trouble Remix)” (1987)
- The Notorious B.I.G. – “One More Chance” (1994)
- Rappin’ 4-Tay – “A Message for Your Mind” (1995)
- Jay-Z – “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” (2001)
Freddie Scott – “(You) Got What I Need”
Album: N/A
Released: 1968
Songs sampled in:
- Biz Markie – “Just a Friend” (1989)
- Ghostface Killah – “Save Me Dear” (2004)
- GOOD Music – “G.O.O.D. Friday” (2010)
Linda Clifford – “Never Gonna Stop”
Album: Here’s My Love
Released: 1979
Songs sampled in:
- 2Pac – “All Eyez on Me” (1996)
- Nas – “Street Dreams” (1996)
Chi-Lites – “Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)”
Album: I Like Your Lovin’ (Do You Like Mine?)
Released: December 1970
Songs sampled in:
- Kool G Rap & DJ Polo feat. Big Daddy Kane – “#1 With a Bullet” (1992)
- Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z – “Crazy in Love” (2003)
Soul Mann & The Brothers – “Bumpy’s Lament”
Album: Shaft (Music From The Soundtrack)
Released: August 1971
Songs sampled in:
- Lil’ Kim – “Drugs” (1996)
- Dr. Dre feat. Hittman, Kurupt, Nate Dogg & Six-Two – “Xxplosive” (1999)
- Pusha T – “Santeria” (2018)
Sister Nancy – “Bam Bam”
Album: One, Two
Released: 1982
Songs sampled in:
- Pete Rock & CL Smooth – “The Basement” (1992)
- Lauryn Hill – “Lost Ones” (1998)
- Kanye West – “Famous” (2016)
- Jay-Z feat. Damian Marley – “Bam” (2017)
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson – “Flashbulbs”
Album: The Education of Sonny Carson (Soundtrack)
Released: 1974
Songs sampled in:
- Travis Scott feat. Quavo – “Oh My Dis Side” (2015)
- 21 Savage – “Bank Account” (2017)
Mala – “Changes”
Album: N/A
Released: 2007
Songs sampled in:
- The Game – “Holy Water” (2012)
- XXXTENTACION – “Look at Me!” (2015)
Isaac Hayes – “Walk On By”
Album: Hot Buttered Soul
Released: July 1969
Songs sampled in:
- The Notorious B.I.G. – “Warning” (1994)
- 2Pac feat. Dramacydal – “Me Against the World” (1995)
- Wu-Tang Clan feat. Isaac Hayes – “I Can’t Go to Sleep” (2000)
Lonnie Liston Smith – “A Garden of Peace”
Album: Dreams of Tomorrow
Released: 1983
Songs sampled in:
- Jay-Z – “Dead Presidents” (1996)
- Rick Ross feat. Nas – “Usual Suspects” (2009)
- Meek Mill – “Respect the Game” (2018)
Zapp – “Be Alright”
Album: Zapp
Released: November 1980
Songs sampled in:
- Poor Righteous Teachers – “Shakiyla” (1990)
- Big Daddy Kane – “Prince of Darkness” (1991)
- 2Pac feat. Dave Hollister – “Keep Ya Head Up” (1993)
- Kendrick Lamar feat. GLC – “Poe Mans Dreams (His Vice)” (2011)
Bobby Bland – “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right”
Album: His California Album
Released: 1973
Songs sampled in:
- Pusha T feat. Kendrick Lamar – “Nosetalgia” (2013)
- Travis Scott feat. Rich Homie Quan & Young Thug – “Mamacita” (2014)
Esther Phillips – “That’s All Right With Me”
Album: From a Whisper to a Scream
Released: 1972
Songs sampled in:
- Mobb Deep feat. Big Noyd – “Give Up the Goods (Just Step)” (1995)
- Jeru the Damaja – “Whatever” (1996)
- J. Cole – “St. Tropez” (2014)
Creative Source – “I’d Find You Anywhere”
Album: Consider the Source
Released: 1976
Songs sampled in:
- Jadakiss – “By Your Side” (2004)
- The Game feat. Kanye West – “Wouldn’t Get Far” (2006)
The Impressions – “Man Oh Man”
Album: N/A
Released: 1965
Songs sampled in:
- Freeway feat. Nate Dogg – “All My Life” (2003)
- Young Jeezy feat. Jay-Z – “Go Crazy” (2005)
Darondo – “Didn’t I”
Album: N/A
Released: 1972
Songs sampled in:
- Big Sean – “Outro” (2015)
- Vic Mensa – “Say I Didn’t” (2017)
- Curren$y and Harry Fraud feat. Wiz Khalifa – “The Count” (2018)
- Choosey and Exile – “I Did” (2019)
Deodato – “San Juan Sunset”
Album: Love Island
Released: 1978
Songs sampled in:
- Lord Finesse feat. Marquee – “Gameplan” (1995)
- Lupe Fiasco – “Paris, Tokyo” (2007)
Ponderosa Twins Plus One – “Bound”
Album: 2 + 2 + 1 = Ponderosa Twins Plus One
Released: 1971
Songs sampled in:
- Kanye West feat. Charlie Wilson – “Bound 2” (2013)
- Tyler, the Creator – “A BOY IS a GUN” (2019)
