Hip-Hop, despite its short lifetime in comparison to other music genres, has gone through many changes since its conception. The songs that we hear all over mainstream radio today sound completely different from what was being played ten, twenty years ago. One of the most noticeable differences is the lack of sampled material. More and more hip-hop producers are taking the route of expensive synthesizers and 808 drums rather than record players vinyl, and samplers. This process has resulted in creating a divide between those who support sampling and those who do not.

Kanye West is one producer who still samples, and samples hard. Almost every beat he has created has contained elements from other songs, and some claim that this takes away from his musical integrity. Those who are against the concept of sampling claim that Hip-Hop cannot be taken seriously as long as we are blatantly stealing and copying other musical styles. Some have even gone as far as saying that Hip-Hop cannot stand on its own as a musical genre, as it is simply borrowed music.

However, few remember that sampling lies within the very roots of Hip-Hop. The first hip-hop records were derived from sampling and remixing funk, soul, disco, and jazz. To disregard the core element of hip-hop for the sake of originality is absurd. Even though our culture is forever evolving, we cannot forget how we got where we are.

To limit ones self from sampling anothers work is to limit ones ability. A musician can only work for so long without drawing upon outside inspiration. Even the big time producers who arent really known for sampling, such as The Neptunes, have a large collection of vinyl stashed somewhere. Watch the bonus DVD that came with the album The Neptunes Presents... Clones. Records can be seen scattered around their work area as they walk the audience through the production process.

Still not convinced?

Remember the huge hit single Drop it like its Hot? Well, that had a sample. Get a hold of Laid Backs White Horse.

Listen to that Neptunes produced Snoop Dogg single from a few years back, From the Chuuuch to the Palace. Hard synths, clean drums, and no sample in sight. However, check out Dennis Coffeys Scorpio, and one may have to reconsider how original and innovative the Neptunes really are.

The point of the following was not to discredit the Neptunes. In fact, I revere them for being two of the best producers in the game. My goal was to highlight the fact that the Neptunes, one of the most original production teams to date, sample. Sure, there are some producers out there who blatantly abuse the art of sampling. They lay new drums over tired loops, mix it down and release it as the next hot track. The sampled track ends up getting butchered by the beat maker, and it is a slap in the face to the original artist. However, the problem does not lie within sampling itself, but in the producers who abuse it. Those who first started sampling used it as a tool to engineer their own ideas, rather than as a method to steal others. As Hip-Hop artists we should always be looking forward, rather than relying on what has already been done.

Good music is good music regardless of its process of creation. It does not matter whether there was a sample or not, if that lead has been overused, or if the loop is ripped directly from the original track. People judge music based on its quality. We are all in pursuit of great music, and to disregard sampled or non-sampled music due to technicalities and personal bias is to take away from our musical growth. Elitism is unnecessary in the world of music. Just let the audio speak for itself.