WhoSampled Guest Mix: ‘Kanye West, The Samples’

As Yeezus fever grips the internet ahead of tomorrow’s official release of Kanye’s electronic opus, we thought it a perfect opportunity to review some of the source material that has made Kanye consistently one of our site’s most popular artists. With a nod to the quirky sources of the forthcoming Yeezus and the trademark vocal chops of Cruel Summer, we revisit the early years of the Soul on 45 sound that made his debut LP a timeless classic and reference his wholesale reworkings of classics from the likes Curtis Mayfield, Ray Charles, Otis Redding and others: A whistle-stop tour of some of our favourite moments in the career of the poster boy for contemporary popular sample based Hip Hop.

Tracklist:

1. Eddie Bo – ‘Hook and Sling’ (sampled in Kanye West feat. Bon Iver, Alicia Keys and Charlie Wilson’s ‘Lost in The World’ and Kanye West, Common, Pusha T and Big Sean feat. Kid Cudi and Charlie Wilson’s ‘Good Friday’)
2. The Temptations – ‘What It Is?’ (sampled in Common feat. Kanye West and The Last Poet’s ‘The Corner’)
3. Super Beagle – ‘Dust A Sound Boy’ (sampled in Kanye West feat. Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz’ ‘Mercy’)
4. Barrington Levy – Under Mi Sensi (sampled in Chief Keef & Kanye West feat. Pusha T, Jadakiss & Big Sean’s ‘I Don’t Like (Remix)’)
5. Don Covay – ‘If There’s A Will There’s A Way’ (sampled in Common feat. Kanye West and Rhea Williams’ ‘Southside’)
6. Joe Tex – ‘Papa Was Too’ (sampled in Kanye West, Teyana Taylor, Cyhi Da Prince feat. Cam’Ron, Pusha T & Jim Jones’ ‘Christmas in Harlem’)
7. Lauryn Hill – ‘Mystery of Iniquity’ (sampled in Kanye West’s ‘All Falls Down (Original Version)’)
8. Brian Bennett – ‘Solstice’ (sampled in Kanye West, Mos Def, Raekwon & Swizz Beatz’ Lord Lord Lord’)
9. Dave & Ansell Collins – ‘Double Barrel’ (sampled in Kanye West, Big Sean, 2 Chainz & Marshia Ambrosius’ ‘The One’)
10. The Emotions – ‘I Could Never Be Happy’ (sampled in Kanye West’s ‘White Dress’)
11. Tommy James & The Shondells – ‘Cany Maker’ (sampled in Kanye West feat Adam Levine’s ‘Heard Em Say’)
12. Natalie Cole – ‘Someone That I Used To Love’ (sampled in Kanye West feat Adam Levine’s Heard Em Say’)
13. The Dells – ‘Fonky Thang’ (sampled in Kanye West’s ‘Family Business’)
14. Shirley Bassey – ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ (sampled in Kanye West’s ‘Diamonds From Sierra Leone’)
15. Mountain – ‘Long Red’ (sampled in Kanye West feat. Lil’ Wayne’s Barry ‘Bonds’ and Kanye West’s ‘The Glory’ and Fallout Boy feat. Kanye West’s ‘This Ain’t A Scene It’s An Arms Race (Kanye West Remix)’)
16. The ARC Choir – ‘Walk With Me’ (sampled in Kanye West’s ‘Jesus Walks’)
17. Lou Donaldson – ‘Ode To Billie Joe’ (sampled in Kanye West’s ‘Jesus Walks’)
18. Ray Charles – ‘I Got A Woman’ (sampled in Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx’s ‘Gold Digger’)
19. Carl Douglas – ‘Dance The Kung Fu’ (sampled in KRS-One, Kanye West, Nas & Rakim’s ‘Classic (DJ Premier Remix)’)
20. James Brown – ‘Funky President’ (sampled in Kanye West, Big Sean & Jay-Z’s ‘Clique’ and Kanye West feat. Pusha T’s ‘Runaway (Video Version)’)
21. Otis Redding – ‘Try A Little Tenderness’ (sampled in Jay-Z & Kanye West feat. Otis Redding’s ‘Otis’)
22. Orange Krush – ‘Action’ (sampled in Kanye West feat. Nas & Really Doe’s ‘We Major’)
23. Chaka Khan – ‘Through The Fire’ (sampled in Kanye West ‘Through The Wire’)
24. The Three Degrees – ‘Make It Easy On Yourself’ (sampled in Kanye West & Talib Kweli feat. Q-Tip, Common & Rhymefest’s ‘Make It Easy On Yourself’)
25. Lenny Williams – ‘Cause I Love You’ (sampled in Twista’s ‘Overnight Celebrity’ (produced by Kanye West))
26. Curtis Mayfield – ‘Move On Up’ (sampled in Kanye West feat. Lupe Fiasco’s ‘Touch The Sky’)
27. Brenda Lee – ‘Sweet Nothin’s’ (sampled in Kanye West’s – ‘Bound 2’)
28. Ponderosa Twins Plus One – ‘Bound’ (sampled in Kanye West’s – ‘Bound 2’)