Sampled R&B songs
One of the characteristics of R&B music is how catchy their beats can be. R&B is a genre that tends to use samples for their songs, in spite of its detractors. Some artists have even been involved in legal battles for sampling other songs, but most have done it with the original composer’s permission, and have ended with huge hits on all radio stations, worldwide. Here are some R&B songs that contain samples of other Masterpieces.
Wild Thoughts – DJ Khaled
The collaboration of DJ Khaled feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller was released on June 16, 2017, and took many people by surprise. The song has a mix of the Caribbean and urban beats, but what gets the most attention is that it samples a very well-known song, Santana’s “Maria, Maria”. Of course, Wild Thoughts has its detractors, but most people have received this sampling with a great disposition and dance to the beat of it every time it plays on the radio stations.
Feel This Moment – Pitbull
Even though this song is not R&B, Pitbull is famous for his hip/hop and rap style. However, this song he made with Christina Aguilera is definitely more of a dance song. When it played at the clubs, everyone could recognise the sample in the chorus, since it came from the 80’s hit “Take on Me” from the Norwegian band “A-ha”. Although the beat was slower than the original song, the music is the same. The band members who wrote “Take on Me” received writing credits on Pitbull’s album.
Crying in the Club – Camila Cabello
Camila Cabello is one of the hottest artists currently, and when her single “crying in the club” was released, every person who listened to it noticed that it had a sample of Christina Aguilera’s debut hit “Genie in a Bottle”. Of course, speculation and gossip started right away, but Cabello has made it very clear that this sampling is entirely legal and it pays tribute to one of her favourite female singers of all times.
Swish, Swish – Katy Perry
The song that brings together Perry and Nicki Minaj is the cherry on top of this list because it doesn’t sample one song, it samples three. The first reference is to British DJ and dance music producer Maya Jane Coles’ 2010 “Who They Say,” from which it takes the bass line. The second and third are in fact the same song, a 2000 hit from a House producer and songwriter from Atlanta named Roland Clark. The track is called “I Get Deep” and the monologue included in this song was also sampled on Fatboy Slim’s “Star 69.”
Many other artists have sampled songs, especially now in the era where the old is becoming new again, and we can’t deny that they are doing a remarkable job at honouring our favourite artists by creating new songs from these samples.
Credit: Kiki Ruiz
