Tyler, The Creator's latest single “NOID” features a sample from a Zamrock band. Billboard has rounded up 14 more songs from R&B and rap artists who sample old African songs.
Tyler the Creator attends the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2024 Menswear show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 20, 2023 in Paris, France.
Pierre Mouton/Getty Images for Louis Vuitton
Tyler, The Creator's latest single “NOID” from his seventh album Chromaticitywhich was released on Monday (October 28) finds the Nigerian-American rapper paying homage to his African roots: He samples Zambian rock band Ngozi Family's 1977 track “Nizakupanga Ngozi.”
And it's not the first time the revered MC (real name Tyler Okonma) — who has become more vocal about his heritage (see his comment below Okay Africathe Instagram post about not being included in the platform's selection of African artists performing at Coachella this year) — try an old African song. “I THINK”, from the 2019 Grammy Award-winning album Igor samples 'Special Lady' by Nigerian disco artist Bibi Mascel as well as 'Get Down' by Cameroonian multi-instrumentalist Nkono Teles.
Tyler isn't the only major artist to pay tribute to the continent. Canadian-Ethiopian superstar The Weeknd honored his Ethiopian homeland when he sampled Aster Aweke's “Y'shebellu” in 2016. Starboy “False Alarm” single.
The late and legendary Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango's 1972 'Soul Makossa' is perhaps the most experimental African record ever made, as its various instrumental elements have been heard on Jay-Z's 'Face Off' (with Sauce Money), on Beyoncé's 'Deja Vu – Homecoming Live' (which also featured Hov) and countless more songs. The “Mama ko mama sa maka makossa” hook has been adapted and used in hits such as Michael Jackson's “Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'” and Rihanna's “Don't Stop the Music”, but there has been quite a bit of legal controversy surrounding them . two songs. Dibango sued both artists in 2009 for copyright infringement after Rihanna only sought permission from Jackson to borrow the hook from “Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'” for her 2007 track without contacting Dibango. He had previously reached a financial settlement with the King of Pop, but Dibango demanded €500,000 in damages and that Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music could not make money from these songs until the matter was resolved. But the judge dismissed the case because Dibango had accepted the publishing credit to Rihanna's song.
Bulletin board collected 15 songs from R&B and rap artists that sample and interpolate vintage African songs, in order from newest to oldest.
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Tyler, The Creator, “NOID”
Tyler, the Creator “NOID” single from the album 2024 Chromaticity samples from Zambian rock band Ngozi Family's “Nizakupanga Ngozi” from the 1977 album 45,000 volts. “NOID” loops the fuzzy guitar riff from “Nizakupanga Ngozi,” while the chorus of Tyler's single features Paul Ngozi's Chichewa vocals: “Pobwela panyumba panga, uyenela ku nkala ndi ulemu/ Tungbo, ine sinifuna vokamba, kambamolo / / (Wotangozi, wotangozi).” “NOID” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 43 and on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at No. 9 this week (chart dated Nov. 2).
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Kelly Rowland & NFL, “Hitman”
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Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z, “Déjà Vu (Homecoming Live)”
Beyoncé's “Déjà Vu (Live Homecoming)” featuring Jay-Z, from the former's 2019 album Homecoming: The Live album samples of Fela Kuti's “Vampire” from Manu Dibango's 1976 album of the same name “Soul Makosa”. The groovy horn and rhythm sections of “Zombie” and “Soul Makossa” kick off “Déjà Vu (Homecoming Live)” before Hov screams to the crowd: “Coachella, if you're having a good time tonight, make some noise!” “Soul Makossa” reached No. 35 on the Hot 100, No. 21 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 3 on Worldwide Digital Song Sales. It also earned Best R&B Instrumental Performance and Best Instrumental Compilation nominations at the 1974 Grammys.
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Tyler, the Creator, “I THINK”
Tyler, the Creator “THINK” from the 2019 album Igor Nkono Teles' samples “I'm coming to” from his 1982 album Afro Music Party and Bibi Mascel “Special Lady” from the self-titled 1982 album. “I THINK” hears the four-on-the-floor drum beat from “Get Down,” as Tyler and guest vocalist Solange belt out Mascel's heartfelt chorus – “I think I'm in love/ This time I think it's real” — and fuzzy synth chord progression. “I THINK” peaked at No. 51 on the Hot 100 and No. 22 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
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The Weeknd, “False Alarm”
The Weeknd's “False Alarm” from his 2016 album Starboy samples by fellow Ethiopian singer-songwriter Aster Aweke “Y'shebellu” from her 1989 album of the same name Star. Aweke's lean lines are faintly heard at the end of “False Alarm,” which peaked at No. 55 on the Hot 100 and No. 23 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. “Her voice is the best thing you'll ever hear,” said The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye). Bulletin board for his 2016 No. 1 cover.
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J. Cole, “Let Us Down”
by J. Cole “Put Nash Down” from his 2013 album A born sinner samples of Fela Kuti's “Mr” from his 1973 self-titled record. “Let Nas Down” loops Kuti's insane sax solo from “Gentleman.”
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J. Cole feat. Trey Songz, “Can't Get Enough”
by J. Cole “I can't get enough”, featuring Trey Songz, from the former's 2011 album Cole World: The Sideline Story samples Guinean Dance-Music Orchestra Balla et ses Balladins' “Paulette” from the 1980 album Objectif Perfection. “Can't Get Enough” features the tropical guitar melodies and loose harmonies from “Paulette”.
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Nas & Damian Marley, “As We Enter”
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Ye feat. Bon Iver, “Lost in the World”
Yes “Lost in the World” with Bon Iver, from the former's 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy interjects Manu Dibango's 'Soul Makossa'. He sings “Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-se, ma-ma-ku-sa” in the first verse of “Lost in the World”, a work on Dibango's hook from “Soul Makossa”.
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The Roots, “I Won't Apologize”
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Rihanna, “Don't Stop the Music”
Rihanna's “Don't Stop the Music” from her 2007 album Good girl turned bad samples of Michael Jackson “I want to start something,” which interpolates Manu Dibango's “Soul Makossa” from his self-titled 1973 album. It lifts the code “Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa” from Jackson's record, for which Dibango had claim that it was an unacknowledged change of his hook from “Soul Makossa”. Rihanna's hit reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 and Pop Airplay while topping Dance Club Songs and Dance/Mix Show Airplay. It was also nominated for Best Dance Recording at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
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Nas feat. Alicia Keys, “Warrior Song”
Come on “Warrior Song”, with Alicia Keys, from the 2002 album The Son of God samples of Fela Kuti and The Afrika 70's “Na Poi” from his 1971 self-titled album. Kuti's song from “Na Poi” kicks off “Warrior Song”.
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Missy Elliott feat. Timbaland, “Whatcha Gon' Do”
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Jay-Z feat. Sauce Money, “Face Off”
by Jay-Z “Far Away”, featuring Sauce Money, from the former's 1997 album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 samples “Soul Makossa” by Manu Dibango. The jazzy horn section and funky breakbeat of “Soul Makossa” plays during the chorus of “Face Off”. “Jay came in, we put on the 'Soul Makossa' record, the sample, he had Sauce Money on there and they came in together. It was hot. It was simple, nothing major. It was a one-off,” said Tone, one half of the production duo Trackmasters who helmed the record. Complex in 2012. “We wouldn't be in the studio for two weeks. It was just one session, he came, he spat and it was over.”
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Michael Jackson, “Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'”
Michael Jackson's “Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'” from the 1982 album Impressive work interjects Manu Dibango's 'Soul Makossa'. “Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'” peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/rb-rap-artists-sampling-interpolating-old-african-songs/
