The golden age of the breakbeat
1970s Sample Sources
The 1970s are the single most sampled decade in music history. Funk, soul, jazz-funk, P-Funk, and disco records from this era form the structural backbone of hip-hop. James Brown's relentless output, Parliament-Funkadelic, the Philadelphia International Records sound, and West Coast soul bands all contributed records that have been sampled thousands of times. If you want to understand hip-hop, start here.
The 70s sample canon is dominated by drum breaks -- isolated bars of percussion that loop perfectly behind rapped verses. Producers like J Dilla, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Marley Marl built entire careers on 70s material.
Top sample sources from the 1970s
The Winstons -- Amen, Brother
1969 -- Soul
What was sampled
Gregory Coleman drum break
Sampled in
- 1988N.W.A -- Straight Outta Compton
- 1994Shy FX -- Original Nuttah
- 1996Prodigy -- Firestarter
Key producers
James Brown -- Funky Drummer
1969 -- Funk
What was sampled
Clyde Stubblefield drum break (bar 5)
Sampled in
- 1989Public Enemy -- Fight the Power
- 1990LL Cool J -- Mama Said Knock You Out
- 2002Nas -- Made You Look
Key producers
Chic -- Good Times
1979 -- Disco
What was sampled
Bernard Edwards bass line
Sampled in
- 1979Sugarhill Gang -- Rapper's Delight
- 1980Queen -- Another One Bites the Dust
- 1981Grandmaster Flash -- Adventures on the Wheels of Steel
Key producers
James Brown -- Think (About It) -- Lyn Collins
1972 -- Funk
What was sampled
Vocal hook and drum break
Sampled in
- 1988Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock -- It Takes Two
- 1995Mariah Carey -- Fantasy
- 1998Jay-Z -- Hard Knock Life
Key producers
Parliament -- Mothership Connection (Star Child)
1976 -- P-Funk
What was sampled
Bass line and keyboard riff
Sampled in
- 1992Dr. Dre -- Let Me Ride
- 1993Snoop Dogg -- Gin and Juice
- 2015Kendrick Lamar -- Wesley's Theory
Key producers
Roy Ayers -- Everybody Loves the Sunshine
1976 -- Jazz-Funk
What was sampled
Vibraphone melody
Sampled in
- 1993Digable Planets -- Rebirth of Slick
- 1993Souls of Mischief -- 93 til Infinity
- 1995Dr. Dre -- Keep Their Heads Ringin
Key producers
Kraftwerk -- Trans-Europe Express
1977 -- Electronic
What was sampled
Synth melody and rhythm
Sampled in
- 1982Afrika Bambaataa -- Planet Rock
- 2003Jay-Z -- 99 Problems
Key producers
Isley Brothers -- Footsteps in the Dark
1977 -- Soul
What was sampled
Guitar melody
Sampled in
- 1993Ice Cube -- It Was a Good Day
- 1991DJ Quik -- Hand in Hand
Key producers
George Clinton -- Atomic Dog
1982 -- P-Funk
What was sampled
Bass line, bark vocal, and groove
Sampled in
- 1992Dr. Dre -- Nuthin' But a G Thang
- 1993Snoop Dogg -- What's My Name?
- 1995Tupac -- California Love
Key producers
Ronnie Foster -- Mystic Brew
1972 -- Jazz-Funk
What was sampled
Electric piano and bass groove
Sampled in
- 1993A Tribe Called Quest -- Electric Relaxation
- 2006J Dilla -- Climax
- 2000Slum Village -- Fall in Love
Key producers
Explore other decades
See the sample relationships in action
Goat Music builds Sample Tree videos -- source and derivative, played side by side -- so you can hear exactly how each flip transformed the original.