One of the most sampled tracks ever produced is James Brown’s ‘Funky Drummer’. For years producers across a spectrum of all genres sampled the famous break in their tracks, but unfortunately earlier this week Clyde Stubblefield, The Funky Drummer, passed away.
James Brown counts him in to the most important twenty seconds of Clyde’s career and from then on his legacy started.
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Stubblefield was influenced by the industry town built around him. Although he’s recognised for the most famous drum break in the world Stubblefield himself wasn’t a fan of the original track, “I didn’t like the song; I still don’t really get off on it,” He told Paste Magazine.
Clyde’s career will forever be marked in the legacy books, here in memory of ‘The Funky Drummer’ we take a look at ten famous Hip Hop records that cut, chopped or just plain sampled those notorious twenty seconds.
Public Enemy – 1988 – Fight The Power
N.W.A – 1988 – Fuck The Police
RUN DMC – 1988 – Run’s House
Big Daddy Kane – 1989 – Mortal Combat
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – 1989 – Jazzy’s Groove
2 Live Crew – 1989 – Coolin’
LL Cool J – 1990 – Mama Said Knock You Out
Dr Dre – 1992 – Let Me Ride
A Tribe Called Quest – 1996 – Motivators
Nas – 2002 – Get Down