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It’s really hard not to gush about how proud I am of JID and Smino after seeing them completely pack out the Hollywood Palladium two nights in a row for their joint Luv Is 4ever Tour. Four years ago, I was recapping JID’s tour for DiCaprio 2, complimenting him on the creative use of cardboard standees onstage. Tuesday night (January 31), the 32-year-old Atlanta native showed command of a stage and a crowd four times that size, with little aid at all.

Likewise, catching Smino at The Fonda that same year, just a couple of months later, I noted the contrast between the smooth St. Louisan and his peers. His throwback energy really pulled a resonant string in my elder millennial heart, bringing me back to a time when a fresh triple-XL white tee was all you needed to feel fly.

This time, as I took in the size of the capacity crowd from the balcony — a vantage point for which my knees were indescribably grateful — I was awed by the enthusiasm of the concertgoers. Sure, both rappers have picked up a wealth of new fans mainly through their efforts at similarly packed (and growing) festival sets, but their audiences aren’t really primarily composed of teens anymore, either.

So to see the delight with which these late-20-somethings bounced and rocked and waved and danced and moshed was heartening. I’ve been to a lot of shows, and I can tell you, as crowds get older (especially in LA, where folks are notoriously way too cool to dance), their ardor for physical reactions to artists’ onstage movements starts to fall precipitously.

All this is a testament to the performance prowess of the co-headliners, who both balanced their hour-long sets with selections from their respective 2022 albums, The 4ever Story and Luv 4 Rent, as well as fan favorites from across their catalogs. Even more impressive was the fact that plenty of the newer material elicited as exuberant a response from the audience as the established hits.

Smino’s set, which closed the show, was especially striking because you almost wouldn’t expect his slinky, laid-back beats to play like the rollicking big-band funk of a group like The Gap Band or The Time in a live setting. But they do, which is surprising considering the stripped-down nature of his band — just a keyboardist, his producer, Kal Banx, and a drummer.

Likewise, JID was joined onstage by Christo and a keyboardist of his own, who actually played a keytar at one point — and I’m all the way here for a resurgence of that particular instrument — as JID headbanged along. Even my increasingly creaky knees couldn’t resist putting in a few minutes of jack-in-the-box-style bouncing (which I’m currently paying for; it was worth it).

Naturally, there were guest stars galore. JID’s Spillage Village co-stars Earthgang joined him for a couple of songs, while Smino’s set was graced by BJ The Chicago Kid and Westside Boogie. I even spied a few other collaborators like Buddy and Wynne milling around taking in the show from the VIP section. But the surprise of the night was when JID introduced one of his best friends, who turned out to be rock-rapper Trippie Redd.

The crowd even had a warm reception for the duo’s opener, Atlanta native Swavay, whose finale included leaving the stage to lead a swirling maelstrom of a mosh pit. Usually, when a rapper cries “open it up,” I can’t help but roll my eyes a bit at the half-hearted attempts to clear space on the floor for some mischief. Swavay got it right.

The big takeaway from the success of the evening, though, is probably how it points to the way fanbases grow these days. As much as nearly everyone in the industry frowns at the pittances DSPs pay artists for their music, in the absence of a working touring infrastructure for the past two years, streaming not only sustained middle-class acts like JID and Smino, it grew their support. They might be middle class for much longer.

The long break between tours likely also gave fans a chance to miss these artists, making their returns feel more like an event. There’s something to that, I think; in this era where it seems the only pathway to success is oversaturating the marketplace, experience is telling us that a “less is more” approach might be just as effective — so long as the quality of the product remains high.

With JID and Smino, the quality was never really in doubt. When I saw both at those smaller venues all those years ago, I knew each was a star. Although they have different approaches — JID high-energy, Smino calm — they both exude charm and charisma and polished, carefully practiced skill (how they breathe as fast as they rap, I’ll forever wonder). That’s the reason fans always want more. I already can’t wait for them to come back.

Stormy Daniels is back in the news, for two reasons. For one, the Manhattan criminal investigation into Donald Trump allegedly authorizing hush money to be paid to her over their alleged affair is back on. The big guy ain’t happy about that — so unhappy that he wound up accidentally admitting that their affair, which Daniels says she did not enjoy, really did happen. So there’s that, and then there’s this: She also has a new gay dating show.

As per The Daily Beast, the Trump-Stormy news arrived right as OUTtv was set to air the maiden episode of For the Love of DILFs, a reality dating show with a pretty solid hook: It pairs five young “Himbos” with five older “DILFs.” Strapping, Red Bull-fueled partiers get to bop about a place called “DILF Mansion” with a bunch of set-in-their-ways older dudes. There are briefcases with underwear. And there’s its host saying things like, “I’m your host, Stormy Daniels, and I was brought here by Doctor DILF.”

It’s a novel concept but is it any good? The Daily Beast critic seems to think so:

At long last, some wicked genius has tapped into what reality dating shows have always needed: pure slapstick energy. Watching these men bungle around a mansion, getting into petty fights, and trying to pretend like they’ve arrived there for love and not hot orgiastic sex is so beyond enthralling that I was legitimately devastated when I finished the last of the three episodes provided for press.

Slapstick and someone who’s probably slept with a president? Sounds better than crusty old The Bachelor. New episodes of For the Love of DILFs drop on OUTtv every Tuesday.

(Via The Daily Beast)

The countdown for Beyoncé‘s Renaissance World Tour is underway. As fans across North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom scrape together their general tickets or possibly VIP packages, the question on everyone’s mind is what songs she will perform.

As confirmed by the singer’s private Dubai concert and her epic Coachella performance in 2018, every Beyoncé concert setlist features a mixture of her most recent project with sprinkles of her past musical release. However, the tricky part is that the Ivy Park boss has been in the music industry since the tender age of 15. Beyoncé has a total of seven studios, three compilations, and five live albums to her name; before even adding her projects as part of the group Destiny’s Child, there are just too many tracks to choose from.

A great place to start is the Renaissance tracklist itself. The album has received praise for the way it was flawlessly sequenced. So, it is safe to say each of those tracks will be played live in the appearance in which they appear on the album in addition to a few fan-favorite songs, including “Naughty Girl,” “Drunk In Love,” “Diva,” and “Flawless,” with a mixture of songs she’s inspired by. Maybe a few Teena Marie songs as she is sampled throughout the album.

See the Renaissance tracklist below.

1. “I’m That Girl”
2. “Cozy”
3. “Alien Superstar”
4. “Cuff It”
5. “Energy”
6. “Break My Soul”
7. “Church Girl”
8. “Plastic Off The Sofa”
9. “Virgo’s Groove”
10. “Move”
11. “Heated”
12. “Thique”
13. “All Up In Your Mind”
14. “America Has A Problem”
15. “Pure/Honey”

Conservative laughingstock George Santos is making a new promise to his constituents: He’s going to stop lying about stuff.

The New York congressman has made headlines for all the wrong reasons recently as story after story emerged proving he falsified key details about his life and his campaign. So far, we’ve learned that Santos likely lied about where he went to college, his collegiate volleyball career, his Jewish heritage, his grandparents surviving the Holocaust, his mother surviving 9/11, his drag queen era in Brazil, stealing donations from a dying dog’s GoFundMe, and how his election campaign was financed.

It’s that last fib that’s gotten him in trouble with the DOJ and FEC, which might be the reason for his new stance on the value of integrity. Santos told One America News Network Tuesday that he plans to speak the truth and nothing but the truth from here on out.

“I’ve learned my lesson,” he said via New York Daily News. “I can guarantee you that from now on anything, everything is always going to be above board.”

Of course, he also had to add that pretty much everything he’s ever said was already “above board” but now it’s going to be looming so high there’ll be no need to question his moral compass. “It’s largely always been aboveboard,” he continued. “I’m just gonna go the extra step now to double-check, cross-reference everything.”

Ahhh yes, the old “double-check, cross-reference” whether your mother died when the Twin Towers fell. Who hasn’t had to go back and jog their memory about that before?

Santos’ newfound candor might not save him from federal probes into where his campaign received its finances last year — he’s made three different claims about where the hundreds of thousands of dollars in question originated — or get him off the hook for all of the previous tales he’s spun, but we’re sure that won’t stop him from hoping it will.

(Via New York Daily News)

The past couple of weeks has been eventful for Britney Spears. Last week, she called out fans who contacted police to perform a wellness check on the former pop star after she deleted her Instagram; after confirming on Twitter that she’s “alive and well,” she chastised the unknown persons who called the police, saying they weren’t “real fans.”

This week, she directed her ire toward actor Alyssa Milano after Milano tweeted “someone please go check on Britney Spears” over the holidays. “This definitely feels like a form of bullying,” Spears shot back on Instagram last night. “Ladies, we are supposed to be rooting for one another not pulling one another down!”

(For what it’s worth, she’s right; this form of bullying is called “concern trolling.” A prime example would be the people who make fatphobic comments about Lizzo under the guise of “concern” for her health, when it’s fairly clear that she’s in better health than most of her critics.)

Now, according to TMZ, Milano hopes to make amends, reaching out privately to apologize today.

Spears’ fans, many of whom argued against her conservatorship, which they saw as unfair, clearly need to get their story straight; either she’s of sound mind and doesn’t need to be watched over like a hawk, or they actually do agree with her father that she’s mentally and emotionally incapable of taking care of herself. Right now, it seems as though they want it both ways, but you can’t eat your cake and keep it too.

Yes, we know it’s hard to believe January is already over but if there’s something to look forward to, it’s the newest releases coming from K-pop in February.

January brought us songs that are already fighting to become some or our favorite songs and albums for our year-ender lists. From NewJeans‘ OMG to NCT 127‘s repackaged album Ay-Yo (check out our interview), to even TWICE‘s second pre-release English single “Moonlight Sunrise,” last month’s releases have set the tone on what’s to come for the rest of the year. So who knows what February entails.

Without further ado, here are the top releases to look forward to this month.

Epik High – Strawberry

They may not be exactly K-Pop, but Epik High’s status in the industry deserves a place on this list. After being on the road last year and seeing fans in real life, Epik High forgot about contemplating taking a break. Set to release on February 1, the trio’s Strawberry EP symbolizes the group’s direction towards a fresh, vibrant sound. The newest EP houses two lead singles — “Catch” featuring Hwasa of Mamamoo, and “On My Way” featuring Jackson Wang.

Seventeen BSS – 1st Single-Album ‘Second Wind’

Arguably the biggest release of the month goes to SEVENTEEN’s subunit BSS, short for BooSeokSoon, consisting of members Boo Seungkwan, DK, and Hoshi. The single-album, releasing on February 6, features the unit’s collaborations with Korean rapper Lee Youngji and Peder Elias.

KEY – The 2nd Album Repackage “Killer”

The concepts from Key continue to deliver. Following the success of Gasoline last year, Key is celebrating Valentine’s Day Eve with his repackaged album including a leading single of the same name — “Killer.”

STAYC – Teddy Bear

After days of cryptic posts of random strangers saying “teddy bear,” High Up Entertainment confirms STAYC’s first project of the year. Though there may not be any more information yet, besides the name of the single-album, everyone knows it’s going down with STAYC on Valentine’s Day.

TripleS – 1st Album: Assemble

One of the trending K-pop girl groups from last year are set to finally make their highly-anticipated debut and unveil their full potential with their first studio album on February 13. The 24-member girl group under ModHaus will reportedly promote 10 of the 24 members for this round of promotions.

TRI.BE. – 2nd Mini-Album [W.A.Y]

Short for “We Are Young,” TRI.BE’s second EP, [W.A.Y], will drop on Valentine’s Day (February 14). The project will consist of five new tracks including the lead single of the same name.

LIMELIGHT – Debut EP “LOVE & HAPPINESS”

It’s pretty cool to debut on Valentine’s Day. It’s a flex only some can have. LIMELIGHT being one of them. Dropping their first EP, the trio from 143 Entertainment will unveil their music video to their lead single “Honesty” on February 14.

JAYB – Special CD [Season Hiatus]

After concluding 2022 with various projects and concerts, GOT7’s leader JAYB will release a special album. Pre-orders of the album were previously held last month from January 11 to 24 ahead of its February 15 release.

The Boyz – The 8th Mini-Album

Well-versed in their storytelling, The Boyz returns with their eighth EP. Though no further detail has been provided, a cryptic teaser that shows a darker side of the group’s lore is captured in its concept teaser.

Ted Cruz can’t read the room, but when it comes to winter storms, he can’t win, either. Nearly two years ago, he made the mind-crushing decision to flee to sunny Cancun during a devastating ice storm while his constituents froze. His pet poodle even looked dejected to be left behind, and it remains unlikely that Ted will ever be able to live this down. For good reason.

If you try to leap into his mind, though — scary, I know — you can guess the dilemma. Should he ignore storms and face further accusations of not caring about the fine residents of Texas, or should he tweet about them and risk another roasting? That aborted trip to Cancun will always haunt him, and in the end, Ted kind-of took the coward’s way out. He tweeted about the current storm that has left at least 200,000 Texans without power, yet Ted notably chose not to do so on the main “Ted Cruz” account that sees most of his Twitter participation.

Instead, he hopped over to his “Senator Ted Cruz” handle, where he tried to tweet like a concerned lawmaker. “Most Texans woke up to freezing rain and sleet that will continue throughout the day. Please follow all local warnings,” Cruz wrote. “Stay inside, warm, and off the roads if possible. Follow @TxDOT and @TDEM for the latest conditions.”

Nope, that’s not gonna fly when people are without power and suffering. Not that Ted could fix the issue by himself, but Texas has had a few years to mull over the bad idea of being entirely independent of other states’ power grids. The roasting began.

Some jokes will never get old.

These days, music nostalgia is showing up in more ways than one. As recording stars like Lady Gaga have older songs finding success in the present day, others like Gwen Stefani are considering reuniting with her former bandmates after years of being on a hiatus. But, between the sheer force that is TikTok sounds and the professional pressures recording artists feel to obtain commercial success, when monitoring the Billboard Hot 100 charts, it is hard not to come across a few dozen songs that aren’t flooded with easily recognizable samples.

Many music purists argue that sampling is a creative cop-out, but when intentionally done, sampling is one of the easiest ways to reintroduce legacy acts into music’s forever-changing ecosystem. For some artists (or their estates), it can prove lucrative.

The world of music theory and overall music production is vast, so a few terms need to be defined to add context to this list. “Sample” as a term is often thrown around loosely, but to clarify in terms of this list: Generally put, there are two things people mean when they use the term. A true “sample” is using part of an original recording, whether it’s clipped, slowed, sped up, or played in reverse. Meanwhile, interpolation is the reproduction of an element of the original recording, such as quoting lyrics or having musicians replay melodic elements of the underlying instrumental. For a breakdown, check out Uproxx’s interview with Naima Cochrane.

With tens of thousands of songs to choose from, the songs selected for this list adhered to a strict set of qualifying factors. First, all samples that appear on the songs listed below must be billed to a Black recording artist’s discography (across the diaspora). Next, the newer song, which includes the older sample, must have been released in the last 20 years (2003 and beyond). Next, cover songs were not considered. Finally, the songs on this list were screened for quality control metrics, including the creative way the sample was used, how prominent the featured sample is integrated into the newer song, and the overall quality of the newer song. These samples were verified by WhoSampled.com’s online database.

So, without further ado, here are the best uses of samples (over the last 20 years) in alphabetical order according to the artist.

50 Cent – “21 Questions” feat. Nate Dogg

Before 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) became a dominant force behind some of today’s popular television programming, he ran the rap music charts. His debut studio album, Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ is considered by many rap critics to be one of the most impactful hip-hop debut projects of all time. Jackson is no stranger to sampling or being sampled, but his song “21 Questions” stands head and shoulders above all others. On “21 Questions,” Jackson’s use of the instrumentation of Barry White’s 1978 song “It’s Only Love Doing Its Thing” is thoroughly blended across the song, serving as the ideal backdrop to the gangster love song.

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie – “Look Back At It”

Bronx rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie is one of the leaders of New York’s music scene within the new school. A Boogie acknowledges his heightened status by lending his platform to his home state’s rising acts, including Lola Brooke. The rapper has a string of popular songs, including “Drowning” and “Jungle,” but none stand out quite like “Look Back At It.” What makes the song so irresistible? Michael Jackson. Both Michael Jackson’s 1991 song “Remember The Time” and 2001’s “You Rock My World” were sampled in this track.

Beyoncé – “Naughty Girl”

Beyoncé, affectionately referred to by super fans as Queen Bey, is a music veteran (as she reminds us in the lyric, “since 15 in my stilettos, been struttin’ in this game” heard on “Diva”). The Houston native serves as an inspiration to many of today’s musicians. However, as seen on her latest album, Renaissance, she also finds inspiration in other musicians. In “Summer Renaissance,” she samples Donna Summer’s 1977 song “I Feel Love,” but this wasn’t the first time the Ivy Park boss pulled in music for Summer.

On her debut solo album, Dangerously In Love, she also sampled the late pop superstar on the single “Naughty Girl.” The sensual song pulls from Summer’s 1975 song “Love to Love You Baby,” a masterclass on how to reuse and remix a wildly popular song while respecting the original artist’s work. Honorable mention to Beyoncé’s song “Church Girl,” which samples The Clark Sisters’ 1981 song “The Center of Thy Will.”

Burna Boy – “Last Last”

Last year, international acts dominated the American music market. One of those acts near the front of the pack was none other than Burna Boy. The self-proclaimed African Giant has a strong hold on the West African music space as a native of Nigeria. The musician did see success in countries outside of the continent, but with the release of his single, “Last Last,” his international fame was cemented. The song samples Toni Braxton’s 200o song “He Wasn’t Man Enough.” With just a few vocal adlibs from Toni and under 30 seconds of Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins’ original production, Burna and his frequent collaborator Chopstix reimagined the beloved R&B track with a fresh Afrobeat perspective.

Cardi B – “Bickenhead”

On her debut album Invasion Of Privacy, Cardi brings in quite of few iconic samples. Her strongest display of sampling is heard on the smash single “I Like It,” featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin. However, because the sample used is Pete Rodríguez’s 1966 song “I Like It Like That (A Mi Me Gusta Asi),” it won’t make this list as Rodríguez does not identify as Afro-Latino. But her song “Bickenhead,” also on the album, is certainly a close second. The song samples Oscar Award-winning rapper Project Pat (of Three 6 Mafia). Pat’s 2001 song “Chickenhead” featuring La Chat served as the inspiration behind Cardi B’s track.

Childish Gambino – “Redbone”

A prime example of Donald Glover’s (also professionally known as Childish Gambino) homage to past artists is his 2016 song “Redbone.” The song has been featured in nearly every industry adjunct to music, including television, film, and video games. But what do you expect when funk legend Bootsy Collins is involved? The track interpolates elements of the 1976 song “I’d Rather Be With You” by Bootsy’s Rubber Band.

Chris Brown – “She Ain’t You”

On “She Ain’t You,” Chris Brown walked a creative tightrope, showing love to Michael Jackson, one of his biggest inspirations, while making the track his own. The song samples SWV’s 1992 song “Right Here (Human Nature Remix),” which is also a sample of Michael Jackson’s 1982 song “Human Nature.” While the harmonies and instrumentation remained the same, Brown took the right creative liberties to make it his own.

City Girls – “Twerk” feat. Cardi B

Quality Control’s dynamic duo City Girls entered the rap scene like a bull in a china shop, wrecking sh*t. Thanks to some brilliant music choices, the group has carved a lane for themselves. As proud Liberty City representatives, they’ve paid homage to Florida greats like Luke and Trina in their music. But their strongest sample to date is undisputedly heard in their song, “Twerk,” featuring Cardi B. Pulling in samples from both James Brown’s 1976 song “Get Up Offa That Thing” and Choppa’s 2003 song “Choppa Style,” no dance floor has been safe since its release. Their 2018 song “Take Yo Man,” which samples Salt-N-Pepa’s 1986 song “I’ll Take Your Man,” and Jacki-O’s 2004 song “Fine,” deserves an honorable mention.

Coi Leray – “Players”

Coi’s latest single, “Players,” highlights her knowledge of hip-hop’s roots. The track samples Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five’s 1982 song “The Message.” With assistance from TikTok’s flourishing mashup culture, Coi’s song has gained a life of its own. The strongest of those remixes comes from DJ Smallz 732. DJ Smallz 732’s Jersey club mashup showcases just how tapped in Coi is, as she quickly embraced the TikTok, going back to her home state to film an accompanying music video.

Drake – “Nice For What”

Drake is the king of embracing new artists and sounds. So much so, that critics consider his acceptance of every new trend serves as a detriment. But when it works, it works. Drizzy pulls inspiration from all around the globe into his music, but his best use of a sample to this day features American recording artists. Lauryn Hill’s 1998 song “Ex-Factor” serves as the sample foundation for Drake’s “Nice For What,” while the Big Tymers’ 2000 song “Get Your Roll On” is the cherry on top.

Fat Joe, DJ Khaled, and Amorphous – “Sunshine (The Light)”

Before he found a passion for media commentating or ever thought to write a book, Fat Joe was one of the Bronx’s biggest rappers. Over his decorated career, the Terror Squad head honcho had the pick of the liter when it came to guest features. However, sometimes instead of the artist picking a well-known collaborator, it’s important to work with newer acts. When DJ and producer Amorphous’ mashup of Rihanna’s 2016 song “Kiss It Better” and Luther Vandross’ 1981 song “Never Too Much” became a viral smash, Fat Joe knew he had to act. Bringing in DJ Khaled, the trio pumped out Fat Joe’s song “Sunshine (The Light),” his best incorporation of a sample in his music to date.

French Montana – “Pop That” feat. Lil Wayne, Drake, and Rick Ross

The Moroccan-American rapper has a string of smash songs, but the crown may have to go to his song “Pop That,” featuring Lil Wayne, Drake, and Rick Ross. The song was everywhere, which made it difficult to escape, but why would you want to? The remixes to the track also hit, especially the Jersey Club version. The song samples Luke’s 1992 song “I Wanna Rock” and Tyga’s 2011 song “Lap Dance,” which made it the ultimate strip club anthem.

Future – “Mask Off”

Atlanta native Future is a strange case when it comes to sampling. Although his 2018 guest verse on Jay Rock’s song “King’s Dead” featuring Kendrick Lamar and James Blake became a running joke across social media due to his quote from Juicy J’s 1993 song “Slob On My Knob,” in his song “Mask Off,” his use of Carlton Williams’ 1976 song “Prison Song” is without a doubt great.

Kanye West – “Through The Wire”

In recent times, Kanye West has been as cuddly as a porcupine. But before he was viewed as public enemy number one, West was a highly sought-after producer even before he had a smash single to his name. With his unique ear for music, West has almost always incorporated samples of all varieties into his own solo music as well as the work he’s produced for others. Of those multiple dozen uses of samples, his debut single, “Through The Wire,” which samples Chaka Khan’s 1984 song “Through The Fire” and OutKast’s 1993 song “Player’s Ball,” edges out all others by a thin margin.

Kehlani – “In My Feelings”

Singer Kehlani is another example of a singer that often pulls in vibrant blasts from R&B’s past in their work. Before Kehlani had several studio albums to their name, their mixtape releases made a huge impact not only in R&B music but rap as well. However, speaking of their studio albums, Kehlani will often seek out guest verses from more veteran singers, but on “In My Feelings,” they stuck to good ole classic sampling. The breakout single samples one of R&B music’s most celebrated groups New Edition. The track samples their 1988 song “If It Isn’t Love.”

Kendrick Lamar – “King Kunta”

Then there’s Kendrick Lamar. The Compton native’s usage of samples has earned him not only multiple Grammy Awards but a Pulitzer Prize. As a mentee of Dr. Dre, the king of sampling in hip-hop, Kendrick has laser focus when it comes to finding the perfect song to complement his art. His intricate blending of these researched references displays his deep knowledge of music across genres. There are several honorable mentions you could make, but let’s just stick with his 2018 song “King Kunta,” which contains six samples (most notable being Curtis Mayfield’s 1974 song “Kung Fu,” James Brown’s 1973 song “The Payback,” and Ahmad’s 1994 song “We Want The Funk”).

J. Cole – “G.O.M.D.”

Across his decade-plus career, J. Cole has experimented with several sounds all while paying homage to some of music’s heavyweights. So, Cole has quite a few great sample honorable mentions, including his use of Hubert Laws’ 1972 song “No More” on Cole’s 2013 song “Power Trip” featuring Miguel. Also, his use of Fela Kuti and the Afrika ’70s’ 1973 song “Gentleman” and Nas’ 1999 song “Nas Is Like” in his 2013 song “Let Nas Down” can’t go ignored. But his strongest sample use can be heard in his song “G.O.M.D.,” which samples Branford Marsalis’ 1992 song “Berta, Berta.”

Jennifer Lopez – “All I Have” feat. LL Cool J

At this point in time, Jennifer Lopez is probably more known for her filmography than her music, but initially entering the acting world playing the late Selena Quintanilla Pérez, Lopez is no stranger to using art to pay homage to another musician. Her song “All I Have” featuring LL Cool J may not be her most popular song, but is certainly her best use of a sample. The track samples Debra Laws’ 1981 song “Very Special.”

Lucky Daye – “Over”

Although his discography is still growing, the singer does have a few standout uses of samples. The best of those showings hands down is heard in his song “Over.” Sampling Musiq Soulchild’s 2002 song “Halfcrazy,” Daye pours his all into the track, and it certainly paid off. Honorable mention to his 2020 song “Shoulda” featuring Babyface. The track samples Toni Braxton’s 1992 song “Love Should Brought You Home,” also produced by Babyface.

Nelly – “Dilemma” feat. Kelly Rowland

Featuring Kelly Rowland, “Dilemma” was inescapable in the early 2000s, and that hasn’t changed in all these years. Thanks to Gen Z’s obsession with the song, Nelly found himself occupying the top trending sounds on the application for quite a while. The song samples legendary vocalist Patti LaBelle’s 1983 song “Love, Need and Want You” as well as D-Train’s 1986 song “Misunderstanding.”

Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl”

Nicki earned her first solo No. 1 with “Super Freaky Girl.” The song samples the late Rick James’ 1981 song “Super Freak.” Throughout the track, James’ vocals are weaved in and out as Minaj does what she does best. The song also features James’ addictive funk instrumentation. This isn’t the first time Minaj has used a sample in this way; her 2014 song “Anaconda,” which samples Sir Mix-a-Lot’s 1992 song “Baby Got Back,” follows the same format.

Saweetie – “Tap In”

In just a few short years, Bay Area representative Saweetie rose to prominence. Her keen marketing skills and vibrant personality online quickly earned her a dedicated social media following. Known as to go-to musician influencer, Saweetie has become the face of several brand deals and advertisements. But the face of her town area belongs to rappers Too Short and E-40. As a way to pay homage to her standing grounds and Too Short, in her song “Tap In” she samples Short’s 2006 song “Blow The Whistle.”

Summer Walker – “Come Thru” feat. Usher

Summer Walker is one of R&B music’s most impactful acts. Although she feels that she is often overlooked by award shows, that hasn’t stopped R&B lovers from running her streaming numbers through the roof, landing on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for weeks at a time. On her debut studio album, Over It, the single “Come Thru” featuring Usher, Walker, and producer London On Da Track created magic. The song shows how to blend legacy acts with rookie talent with integrity. “Come Thru” samples Usher’s 1997 song “You Make Me Wanna.”

Wale – “Break Up Song”

Wale is the uncrowned king of sampling in rap music. The DMV-representer has found a way to incorporate some of his favorite artists into his music beyond guest features. From his meteoric mixtape run to his studio releases, Wale never passes up on the opportunity to incorporate a sample of some sort in his music. His 2010 song “Break Up Song,” samples Stevie Wonder’s 1980 song “All I Do.”

Usher – “Throwback” feat. Jadakiss

Casual music fans without knowledge of R&B may only recognize the singer Usher from his viral “watch this” gif pulled from his appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series. But for avid lovers of the genre, the Atlanta native is one of the sound’s leading voices. Usher has already appeared on this list as a featured artist on Summer Walker’s song “Come Thru,” as the track sampled his 1997 song “You Make Me Wanna.” But, Mr. Raymond has a few notable samples sprinkled throughout his discography. His 2004 song “Throwback” featuring Jadakiss, however, is arguably the most creative use of one. On the song, Dionne Warwick’s 1973 song “You’re Gonna Need Me” serves as the track’s anchor.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

For years, there have been rumors that Dolly Parton was a secret producer on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series that became a massive genre hit in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Well, it’s no longer a mystery. While appearing on The Tonight Show, Buffy star Sarah Michelle Gellar confirmed to Jimmy Fallon that the iconic singer played a silent role in the show’s breakout success. Not only that, but Parton was a fan of the vampire-slaying series and its star, which Gellar was not prepared for at the time.

Via Gizmodo:

“Little known fact, the legend Dolly Parton was a producer,” Gellar revealed on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. “And you know, we never saw her. We’d get Christmas gifts in the beginning that would have our name and I would think, ‘She doesn’t know who I am.’ And then one day somebody asked her about it and she complimented the show and my performance. And I was like ‘Oh, I can die now. Dolly Parton knows who I am and thinks I’m good.’ Her partner was Sandy Gallin and they produced Buffy.”

Of course, producing shows like Buffy is just the kind of benevolent person that Dolly Parton loves to be. Case in point: The iconic singer helped put up money to develop a coronavirus vaccine and was heralded as a saint when it turned out she backed the Moderna vaccine that, along with Pfizer, helped turn the tide of the pandemic. Is there anything Dolly can’t do? We’d probably believe it if someone said she could levitate.

(Via Gizmodo)

Rap fans haven’t seen Quavo perform since the death of his brother-in-arms Takeoff, who was shot and killed last Halloween. He’ll make his return to the stage this Sunday, during the 2023 Grammys; fittingly, he’ll do so to pay tribute to Takeoff during the ceremony’s “In Memoriam” segment. He’s billed to perform his emotive song “Without You” along with contemporary worship group Maverick City Music.

The Recording Academy announced the performers this afternoon. In addition to Quavo, the lineup includes Bonnie Raitt, who will sing “Songbird” for Christine McVie with Mick Fleetwood and Sheryl Crow, and Kacey Musgraves, who will perform “Coal Miner’s Daughter” in tribute to Loretta Lynn.

The 2023 Grammys are set to air live at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET on Sunday, February 5 from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The show will be hosted by Trevor Noah in his third outing in the role, with presenters to include Cardi B, Olivia Rodrigo, and Shania Twain, among others. You can see the full list of nominations here.

Despite curtailing his musical activity in the wake of Takeoff’s death, Quavo was recently seen enjoying the College Football Playoff National Championship game, which his Georgia Bulldogs won handily against the TCU Horned Frogs.