This article has been handpicked from the Okayplayer editorial archives and included in our Hip Hop 50 collection as a noteworthy inclusion to the genre's rich and diverse narrative. The article has ...

Southern hip-hop’s influence continues shaping modern music through strategic sampling, with artists like Future, GloRilla and Sexyy Red drawing from classic Southern tracks. Recently, Juicy J noted ...

You can embrace fashion, culture and style on the runway or spend a family day at a farmhouse, there’s plenty of free things to do as February begins to wind down. 2 days ago In 2001, Just Blaze, the ...

Sampling in hip-hop has been going on since the genre’s inception, but in 2023, it’s been more prevalent than ever. If everything sounds familiar, it’s because it definitely is. Words: Grant Rindner ...

Artists like Edwin Birdsong and Ballin’ Jack aren’t household names, but their music is instantly recognizable as the samples behind hit pop songs. Share full article Songs by Them, the Lafayette Afro ...

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 ...

The New York rap scene has a new formula that’s making songs go viral every day. The art of taking a classic song and transmuting it to fit a new era through sampling has been a staple in hip-hop ...

Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Nestled deep into the sonic layers of “Redbone” is ‘70s funkadelics staple “I’d Rather be With You” by Bootsy’s ...

There's nothing quite like nostalgia. Just about anything can trigger a memory of your younger years, whether it's a picture, a fire ’fit or, as often happens, a song. Music, especially hip-hop, is ...

… Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s “Crazy in Love,” from 2003. Turns out it’s the same sample, a sleight of ear designed to trigger warm nostalgia, and also maybe a little confusion. Something sounds very familiar ...

I’m sitting in the basement of a low-rise corner building in Bushwick with 23-year-old rapper/producer Cash Cobain, and it’s finally time to throw on the Spice Girls. The basement is a converted ...