Monday, March 10, 2008
Alice Deejay Samples- A Hip Hop Aberration or a Taste of What's to Come?
This shit's freaking me out. Having just watched Video Music Box I saw the new Wiz Khalifa "Say Yeah" video. I knew the sample- some Neptune's Italian shit while all my boys dropped bombs. After a little research I came to find out it was Alice Deejay "Better Off Alone." Was this a joke that ultimately became a single? Was he a juicehead back in the day with a tongue ring? Did Wiz and his people really seek this shit out- in the studio on some- "Yo that shit is dope- let's loop it"? We might never know. I guess dude was trying to appeal to a different audience. Midwest college bars will be bumping this. In the mean time, peep the video and track and feel free to chime in.
Wiz Khalifa- Say Yeah
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5 comments:
I haven't been this excited since somebody put their chocolate in my peanut butter. But seriously, it's a song by Wiz Khalifa, so if this is a taste of what's to come we have bigger problems than hip-hop using techno beats. The truth is, I've actually noticed this trend for quite some time now. I'm probably wrong on where it started, but I specifically remember thinking that if you took out certain hip-hop elements (drums, etc.) from "Yeah" (Lil' Jon ft. Usher) then you'd essentially have a a techno/house song. And since then I've been noticing that more and more - especially with these club party joints. Think about it. And I think the fact that nobody's noticed it, or at the very least talked about it, is a testament to how well they've been able to incorporate it. It just so happens this is a recycled, well-known beat from that genre, and I think that's what makes it stand out.
Man...I can understand the beat being made. People get bored and whatnot. But I cant imagine a rapper being like "Let me get that I'ma bang out three 16's and a hook TONIGHT!"
Along with being a tremendously pop beat with Top 40 appeal, the fact that it's still relatively recent bothers me. Hip hop is built on samples, but for the most part, older tracks that had time to die down. One generation has to pass. This shit still seems fresh. It's somewhat similar to the slack Puff caught with the "I'll be Missing You" sample from the "Every Breath You Take" by the Police. Like how could you sample some super pop shit like that? I hear you with the Usher joint and how Lil' Jon started incorporating synth into his beats- but that was an R&B track which suits the shit better, and it wasn't a blatant jack. I know Kanye's been doing his shit with Flashing Lights and other joints he's done, but he's been able to freak it. I don't mind so much the use of a house/techno track- I mean shit Craig G's "Turn This House to a Home" was my shit- the perfunctory house track on albums back in the day had me open. Who knows how much exposure this track will get- people might see the complete gimmickyness of it and pass. I would just hate for this shit to pop and have all these other artists start running to the Club Mix, Club Sounds, Club Doodoo vol. 7 CDs and go sample crazy.
Maybe the fact that I was bobbing my head to this and reaching for some glow sticks bothers me the most.
I understand the too new theory. There are exceptions, though. 45 King flipped Dido's track within a year of its release for Em. Without that we don't have one of the most deep/dramatic hip hop songs in the history of the game.
On the flip side though, I don't understand how some people can sample tracks from the 90's and up. I mean I have just outta pure boredom from having a broken turntable. But I never went digging for 90's vinyl. It makes no sense.
Kanye doing the house/techno vibe is different, because he's jsut a weird dude. He isn't your typical rapper. He's more of a pop star. most of his beats are crazy, but I didnt like his last album as a whole. I only went this is cool maybe twice or three times.
Gosh, there's a lot of helpful material above!
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