- 01RootsIshan PeopleThe year started with Roots , which is an irony.from the chapter
- 02“Mama Aifambeni”Quincy JonesWhen I put it on, I went right to the main theme, “Mama Aifambeni,” which Jones co-wrote with the South African composer Caiphus Semenya.from the chapter
- 03“Proud Mary”Ike & Tina TurnerIn the Tina Turner biopic What’s Love Got to Do with It , there’s nothing but chronological errors.from the chapter
- 04“A Fool in Love”Ike and Tina TurnerAnd then there’s that part where they have Tina and Ike first practicing “A Fool in Love” in space suits after they watch Reagan’s “Mr.from the chapter
- 05“What’s Going On”Marvin Gaye(There’s a pre-history: Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On was Black America’s first time experiencing that technology—there’s a preset vocal piece inserted into the song at the end of the choral outro to “Mercy Mercy Me,” right before “Right On.” [Randy Jackson and Greg Phillinganes …from the chapter
- 06What’s Going OnMarvin Gaye(There’s a pre-history: Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On was Black America’s first time experiencing that technology—there’s a preset vocal piece inserted into the song at the end of the choral ou …from the chapter
- 07“Mercy Mercy Me”Marvin Gaye(There’s a pre-history: Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On was Black America’s first time experiencing that technology—there’s a preset vocal piece inserted into the song at the end of the choral outro to “Mercy Mercy Me,” right before “Right On.” [Randy Jackson and Greg Phillinganes …from the chapter
- 08“Your Ways”the Jacksons(There’s a pre-history: Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On was Black America’s first time experiencing that technology—there’s a preset vocal piece inserted into the song at the end of the choral outro to “Mercy Mercy Me,” right before “Right On.” [Randy Jackson and Greg Phillinganes …from the chapter
- 09Triumphthe Jacksons… time experiencing that technology—there’s a preset vocal piece inserted into the song at the end of the choral outro to “Mercy Mercy Me,” right before “Right On.” [Randy Jackson and Greg Phillinganes told me they used that same device on “Your Ways,” a song from the Jacksons’ Triumph album in 1980.from the chapter
- 10“Heartbreak Hotel”Elvis PresleyThey tried to use it also on “Heartbreak Hotel,” but it didn’t feel right, so Michael Jackson just sang the part.] Trivia inside trivia, but it’s amazing to think about this technique even poking its head out of the groundhog hole back in 1971.)from the chapter
- 11“Planet Rock”Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic ForceSome people date the birth of hip-hop sampling to 1982, when Arthur Baker and Afrika Bambaataa released “Planet Rock,” which was built on a sampled Kraftwerk synthesizer line.from the chapter
- 12Lost in SpaceJonzun CrewThe Jonzun Crew’s Lost in Space , in 1983, used the E-Mu Emulator, a digital sampling keyboard that stored its sounds on floppy disc.from the chapter
- 13“Rapper’s Delight”Sugarhill GangThe earliest hip-hop singles, like “Rapper’s Delight” and “The Breaks,” used studio bands, though those bands were just re-creating music from existing records.from the chapter
- 14“The Breaks”Kurtis BlowThe earliest hip-hop singles, like “Rapper’s Delight” and “The Breaks,” used studio bands, though those bands were just re-creating music from existing records.from the chapter
- 15“I Need More Time”the MetersFor example, I was unfamiliar with the legendary New Orleans funk band the Meters until Ice Cube sampled “I Need More Time” for “The Nigga Ya Love to Hate” in 1990.from the chapter
- 16“The Nigga Ya Love to Hate”Ice CubeFor example, I was unfamiliar with the legendary New Orleans funk band the Meters until Ice Cube sampled “I Need More Time” for “The Nigga Ya Love to Hate” in 1990.from the chapter
- 17Unfinished BusinessEPMDTo me, the most important come-awake moment in this regard dates back to 1989, when EPMD released its second album, Unfinished Business .from the chapter
- 18“Please Listen to My Demo”EPMDTo me, the most important come-awake moment in this regard dates back to 1989, when EPMD released its second album, Unfinished Business .from the chapter
- 19“The Payback”James BrownDuring the song, there’s one prominent sample: a kind of slow-wash synthesizer that sounds like a high human vocal (it’s sort of the opposite of the Martha High vocal in “The Payback,” a human that sounds like a machine).from the chapter
- 20“Riding High”Faze-OThe song with the high wave was called “Riding High,” and as it turned out, I was familiar with that song via Gary Dove, the next-door-neighbor DJ of my grandma’s who was my first North Star.from the chapter
- 21Riding HighFaze-OSonically, I like Riding High more than I like Angel .from the chapter
- 22“Eminence Front”the WhoI remember rediscovering the Who’s “Eminence Front” in the mid-’80s.from the chapter
- 23“Dirty Laundry”Don HenleyIn my mind, that was conflated with “Eminence Front.” Years later, I found out that it was Don Henley’s “Dirty Laundry.” I also found out that I had been mishearing the lyrics, that it was “kick them when they’re stiff,” which I guess means when they’re dead (?).from the chapter
- 24“Binta’s Theme”QuestloveI composed a short theme, which I called “Binta’s Theme” after Kunta Kinte’s mother (played by the South African actress Nokuthula Ledwaba).from the chapter
- 25“Right Place Wrong Time”Questlove’s pickDr. JohnThe first remix I ever heard, in the true hip-hop sense, where the 12-inch is better than the album version, was for Steady B’s “Serious.” KRS-One, who made it, had a weird in-song internal monologue (“I was listening to BDP when suddenly .from the chapter
- 26“Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong”Questlove’s pickKC & The Sunshine BandBlack radio was very much aware of KC, but they had so many hits that this song somehow got overlooked.from the chapter
- 27“You’re Gonna Need Me”Questlove’s pickDionne WarwickAfter she was with Burt Bacharach, Dionne made an album with Holland-Dozier-Holland that was her Blackest record.from the chapter
- 28DonutsJ DillaThis song was a big sample for a song on Usher’s Confessions , “Throwback,” that J Dilla then sampled for Donuts .from the chapter
- 29“Fighting Fire with Fire”Questlove’s pickthe Bar-KaysLots of us tease the Bar-Kays for being so blatantly derivative, though that was part of their plan—better for them to record their own versions of songs than have to cover originals.from the chapter
- 30“I’m Tired of Giving”Questlove’s pickthe SpinnersI remember going record shopping with my dad and seeing this on the rack near the cashier.from the chapter
- 31“It’s All Right Now”Questlove’s pickEddie HarrisWhen the Roots went to London, we had our Monday nights free, and I would go to Bar Rumba to watch Gilles Peterson spin rare soul.from the chapter
- 32“I Remember I Made You Cry”Questlove’s pickthe HeadhuntersLots of us just stopped at the Headhunters’ “God Made Me Funky” and didn’t truly investigate the follow-up.from the chapter
- 33“Sir Duke”Stevie WonderSame thing for “Sir Duke,” actually.from the chapter
- 34“Jagger the Dagger”Questlove’s pickEugene McDanielsSupposedly, Spiro T.from the chapter
- 35“The Worst Band in the World”Questlove’s pick10ccI was eventually aware of 10cc because of “The Things We Do for Love” and as the former home of Godley and Creme (videos for “Cry,” Yes’s “Leave It,” and the Police’s “Every Breath You Take,” among many others).from the chapter
- 36“Every Breath You Take”the PoliceI was eventually aware of 10cc because of “The Things We Do for Love” and as the former home of Godley and Creme (videos for “Cry,” Yes’s “Leave It,” and the Police’s “Every Breath You Take,” among many others).from the chapter
- 37“Sport”Questlove’s pickLightnin’ RodOn the original album, Kool and the Gang is the band backing Lightnin’ Rod.from the chapter
- 38“Small-Time Hustler”the DismastersI heard this first when Melle Mel covered it as “Hustler’s Convention.” But the best use is on a brilliant, obscure ’80s hip-hop single, “Small-Time Hustler,” by the Dismasters.from the chapter
- 39“A Chant for Bu”Questlove’s pickArt BlakeyThe start of A Tribe Called Quest’s “Excursions” on The Low End Theory , which is where I first heard this, is one of the most potent openings of any album.from the chapter
- 40The Low End TheoryA Tribe Called QuestThe start of A Tribe Called Quest’s “Excursions” on The Low End Theory , which is where I first heard this, is one of the most potent openings of any album.from the chapter
- 41“Gentle Smiles”Questlove’s pickGary BartzA straightforward sentiment can land too heavily if the artist doesn’t have subtlety or grace, or it can land in the sweet spot.from the chapter
- 42“Butter”A Tribe Called QuestPeople, including me, know this song from A Tribe Called Quest’s “Butter.”from the chapter