Hip-hop has had a strong connection to reggae music since the days of DJ Kool Herc’s summer house parties in the early 1970s. Hip-hop’s foundation was built on elements of the Jamaican sound system ...

Sampling has been a cornerstone of hip-hop since its inception, with producers repurposing existing music to create entirely new sonic landscapes. A standout hip-hop sample is more than just a looped ...

Hip-hop has existed for over 50 years, and since its inception, the genre has mastered the art of sampling to create some of the most iconic records in music history. Effectively using a sample ...

Artists such as Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye have been sampled on many of the dopest songs in hip-hop and R&B. Although hip-hop and R&B are always evolving, one thing will always be ...

Sampling originated from DJ Kool Herc's Merry-Go-Round technique. Over time, the technique evolved and has created hip-hop songs with ties that go back decades. The legal battles with clearing samples ...

Following the release of De La Soul’s latest album, ‘Cabin in the Sky,’ Okayplayer ranks De La Soul albums from worst to best. Since the last one blew up, here’s one you probably didn’t know 👀 ...

House music being celebrated in new songs from big-time acts like Drake and Beyoncé has turned into a huge conversation as of late, but the fast-paced, drum and hi-hat-riddled genre has always had a ...

Funk allowed Black musicians and their audiences to shapeshift and speak truth to power—even while speaking in tongues. But as Stanley Nelson and Nicole London’s documentary WE WANT THE FUNK! reveals, ...

Sly Stone, a legendary musician who helped propel funk to its elevated heights in the realm of Black music, has died. Hip-Hop artists of various eras have sampled Sly Stone’s work over the years, and ...

Last summer, I received an email from an independent rap label, promoting one of its new releases. It had a note attached about samples. “Do your best to refrain from mentioning them by name unless ...

It was only in 2018 when hip-hop surpassed rock 'n' roll to become the most popular music genre in the U.S., but its glory was short-lived. In 2023—the year when hip-hop celebrated its 50th birthday— ...