Behind The Sample: Lafayette Afro Rock Band - 'Darkest Light'

You've heard it before. That smoother-than-smooth horn loop is recognizable from the very onset of the first note. So indelible, you could probably hum it in your sleep. "Rump Shaker!" you call out with abandon to all decency.

Yes, I am talking about the "Rump Shaker" - that lovably tacky 1992 rap hit from Wreckx-N-Effect. It was a single that climbed to the top of the charts and caused its fair share of complaints. Afterall, the video was basically everything The Grind at the MTV Beach House wanted to be - beach babes in bikinis dancing to funky beats. It was a celebration of the simple things in life.

Wreckx-N-Effect - "Rump Shaker" (1992)


But the sexy saxophone that got all those ladies shaking dates back a heck of a lot longer than 1992!

Let's take the wayback machine to 1975 - a time when a group from New York, called Lafayette Afro Rock Band, was struggling to overcome obscurity by pursuing a career in France.

Taking cues from African rhythms and beats, Lafayette Afro Rock Band only received the widespread critical success they deserved years after disbanding. Today, the group is heralded as one of the most influential funk bands of the '70s and their music has become amongst the most heavily sampled in hip-hop. Their song, "Darkest Light", written by band member Michael McEwan, could even be regarded as one of the best break-beat samples of all time. "Why?" you may ask. Well, let me show you.

Lafayette Afro Rock Band - "Darkest Light" (1975)


But the story doesn't end there. It merely begins.

Before ever being picked up as a raunchy summer anthem, "Darkest Light" first had to undergo its most important revival.

When Public Enemy's epic album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, dropped in 1988, it forever changed the hip-hop game. The album's ingenious, biting lyrics were woven over heavy samples, including jazz and funk.

On the interlude track, "Show 'Em Whatcha Got" (via YouTube), Public Enemy take "Darkest Light" for a fresh spin. The horns loop, the bass thumps and Chuck D and Flavor Flav call out, "Public Enemy Number One" and "Show 'Em Whatcha Got!" respectively throughout.

Public Enemy's sampling of the Lafayette Afro Rock Band song created a resurgence for the classic funk band's music.

Below is a list of some other songs that have sampled "Darkest Light." For audio/video links, simply click the song titles:

• Masters at Work -- "Justa Lil' Dope" (1991)
• Kid Capri -- "The Apollo" (1991)
• N2Deep -- "Back to the Hotel" (1992)
• Heavy D & The Boys -- "You Can't See What I Can See" (1992)
• Ice Cube -- "Friday" (from the 1995 movie soundtrack)

The song received one of its most popular and high-profile samples to date on Jay-Z's massive 2006 single, "Show Me What You Got."

Besides sampling the original horn loop from Lafayette Afro Rock Band, Jay-Z invokes Flavor Flav's notorious call from Public Enemy's "Show 'Em Whatcha Got."

Now, that's what I call a sample.

Jay-Z - "Show Me What You Got" (2006)

M.I.A. - 'XXXO featuring Jay-Z'

Featuring the same bounce and rattle that made her electro-beats famous last decade, M.I.A. has returned with another shrewd crossover pitch.

In addition to the collaboration with Jay-Z, 'XXXO' features clever use of "sing-talking" and contagious riffs and chorus.

You can stream 'XXXO' below:

Song update

This Boy This Girl Lyrics Miley Cyrus	Put You On Holiday Lyrics J. Holiday
Aston Martin Music Lyrics Drake	Your Love Lyrics Nicki Minaj
Love Shop Lyrics Shontelle	All Falls Down Lyrics Jadakiss
Alejandro Lyrics Lady GaGa	You Ain't Got It Lyrics Nina Sky
Never Say Never Lyrics Justin Bieber	I Want You Lyrics Trey Songz

Get your own here.

Our Favorite Albums of 2009 (Part II)

As promised, here is Part II of Our Favorite Albums of 2009 list:


Andrew Bird - Noble Beast

From "proto-Sanskrit Minoans" to "Porto-centric Lisboans," Andrew Bird's dense lyrics occasionally read like a dissertation, but his sense of melody always pulls them back into range. His musicianship is outstanding - looping pizzicato violin with guitar and an otherworldly whistle that's enough to send shivers down your spine. Noble Beast is a pastoral record for Bird - mixing witty, alienated apocalypticism with a keen sense of belonging to the earth, its creatures and its history. Easily one of the best performers I saw this year, or any other.

Andrew Bird - "Anonanimal"



The Dead Weather - Horehound

Jack White and friends bring blues back to rock in this made-for-headphones LP. Distortion and reverb dominate this guitar-heavy voyage. Although the album can meander aimlessly in parts - albeit only briefly - the record provides a wonderful trad-rock alternative to the lo-fi songcraft that currently dominates much of the day.

Watch the video to: The Dead Weather - "I Cut Like A Buffalo"
Watch the video to: The Dead Weather - "Treat Me Like Your Mother"




Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3

While many have dismissed it as a lesser album than his original masterpiece, there is no doubt that Jay-Z still holds his reigning title on The Blueprint 3. It's a massive album, with all-star collaborations, including Alicia Keys, Timbaland and Rihanna. While anything but an underground hit, it would be hard to deny an album of such proportions the success it's received. "Empire State of Mind" is Jay's ode to NYC - calling himself the "new Sinatra." On "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-tune)," he carves a tombstone for phony rappers and the studio-enhanced vocals that have dominated the radio in the last part of the decade. Jay-Z never caters to pop culture. He sets the trends himself.

Watch the video to: Jay-Z - "Empire State of Mind" (feat. Alicia Keys)
Watch the video and read our review to: Jay-Z - "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)"



Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

This French band has been writing catchy tunes for years, but hadn't seemed to be fully embraced stateside until the release of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. The songs "1901" and "Lizstomania" received considerable exposure on tv ads and beyond all year. "Love Like a Sunset" is an epic for the band - a largely instrumental arrangement that builds to a prog-pop crescendo and back down, like an homage to "Baba O'Riley". The band was ripe for the attention in '09 and certainly stood out as one of the more deserving alternative pop records of the year.

Watch the video to: Phoenix - "1901"
Watch the video to: Phoenix - "Lisztomania"



Passion Pit - Manners

Some of the most hyperactive party tunes of the year were also some of the most thoughtfully-crafted, dark and self-searching, and this record serves as evidence. Passion Pit's first proper LP is chock full of indie electronic dance jams and falsetto funk. It's incredibly poppy and fun, but the underlying production value and emotionally earnest lyrics make it more than just a batch of disposable singles.



Passion Pit - "The Reeling"



In case you missed it, go back to Part I of Our Favorite Albums of 2009!

Jay-Z - 'Death of Auto-Tune'

Jay-Z takes it back to the golden age of jazz in his newest single and corresponding music video. As it's title suggests, 'Death of Auto-Tune' is a verbal backlash against hip-hop's current addiction to the now ubiquitous studio recording feature.

Attempting to single-handedly save rap, Jay-Z masterfully mixes in soulful clarinet with a sonic drum beat--in other words, he goes old school. And as always, Jay-Z reproves his lyrical genius with such zingers as:

You rappers singing too much, get back to rap you T-Paining too much.

and:

I know we facing a recession, but the music y’all making going make it the Great Depression.

The video also features a couple of cameos from a couple of well-known actors and athletes. But I'll let you watch the video on your own to find out who the guests turn out to be.

Watch 'Death of Auto-Tune' below:

Jay-Z |MTV Music

New Music

Pretty Girls Lyrics Wale	Sos Lyrics Jordin Sparks
Please Don't Leave Me Lyrics Pink	Gone Too Soon Lyrics Usher
Problems Lyrics Twista	Human Nature Lyrics Michael Jackson
Stripper Lyrics Shortyo	Break Your Little Heart Lyrics All Time Low
Who's Loving You Lyrics Jackson 5	Sunshine Lyrics Ne-Yo

Get your own here.

Jaydiohead: The Jay-Z/Radiohead Mash-Ups

First it was Jay-Z and The Beatles. And only a few months ago, Coldplay released a more flavorful Jay-Z version of 'Lost,' which in turn inspired Viva La Hova, the Jay-Z/Coldplay mash-ups. Now, DJ Minty Fresh has added yet another mash to the Jay-Z/(insert rock band here) repertoire.

Jaydiohead, as the name suggests, is Jay-Z + Radiohead. The mixtape is brilliantly put together, and is currently rocking my iPod. You can check out Jaydiohead's official site here. From there, you can download the mixes for yourself.

Below, find the full stream to the entire compilation: