Hip hop music has always had a way of getting into my head. Now what I’m talking about is the entire spectrum of hip hop itself. From gangster rap to the back packers and from those conscious rappers to the guys that speak strictly on money and bitches. Even the aspiring under grounders that always felt it necessary to roam Telegraph Avenue pedaling their bedroom produced four track masterpieces. I’ve always appreciated every aspect that the music had to offer whether it was the lyrics, the beats, the cuts over the breaks creating the perfect hook. But it’s the breaks themselves that always have had my heart. I spent a huge chunk of my teenage years collecting records as a DJ which eventually led me to producing music. With me it was always a hobby and never became a profession but even though it never went past the hobby stage for me it gave me something bigger than a career… A deep rooted love of hip hop production and the appreciation of even the shortest most bare bones break (not the actual samples themselves but a breakdown in the track) put into any track. I decided to share a few of my favorite breaks from all my years put in as a loyal hip hop head. Here are 3 breaks that I hope you can enjoy and come to love as much as I do!
The ghetto boys – Mind playing tricks on me
At the end of Bushwick Bills verse just before the record fades out the first sample from “Hung up on my baby” kicks back in minus the vocals, minus the bass and minus the percussion. Just the beautiful sounds of Isaac Hayes sped up over four bars and nothing else. The worn sound of the source materiel tell me that someone listen to their mom or pops drop the needle on this cut on numerous occasions. I would like to say thanks to Isaac Hayes for making it all possible may he rest in peace. And to whoever exposed John Okuribido to this track I say thank you because my life is that much better because of it.
Blahzay Blahzay – Pain I feel
This one comes at the end of the track too. It kicks in at the 3:39 mark and rides out for four bars also. We get the drums, the bass, some ambience and what sounds like a party horn. What else does a true hip hop track need? Well how bout Large Professor letting us know “You don’t know the pain I feel” with PF Cuttin doing what else but cutting up the hook which proclaims “Cause there’s all these weak rappers steady making hits fuck that!”. Oh Channel Live thank you for such a great sample! What’s funny is I feel like the hook for this track describes the state of the industry right now.
Dilated Peoples – Pay Attention
So this one drops at the 2:41 mark and rides out for the next seconds with nothing more than an Ahmad Jamal sample over some low level chanting. Layer that with DJ Babu cutting up The Mad Scientist by who else but Large Professor and you got yourself one hell of a break. This track itself is a perfect example of why Dilated Peoples is one of my all time favorite groups.
Writing this just reminds of how much I love hip hop and how important a part of my life it was and always will be!
Jason Burum
Toho Red stole my milk money 