Hip-hop turned 50 last year. During that half-century, the technology used to create this globally influential sound has continually moved forward. However, there's one tool that has remained absolutely essential to any producer's arsenal: sampling.
In hip-hop production, sampling offers artists an opportunity to demonstrate creative ingenuity, technical ability, and unorthodox thinking, all the while paying tribute to the figures that have helped shape their understanding of music. From chopping up sweet vocal harmonies to create a brand new melody, to building a whole track around an obscure piece of instrumental improvisation, samples can add an entirely new dimension to a track.
