Questlove Breaks Down the Educational Value of Sampling on Instagram

As music continues to progress, the art of sampling is becoming more and more obsolete. What was once considered a transcendent way of producing beats has now morphed into an archaic method shunned by producers. This past weekend, Questlove of The Roots chimed in on the importance of sampling on Instagram and why it shouldn't be overlooked in this day in age.

“What these greedy lawyers and corporate leeches don’t comprehend is that sampling is an education AND it gives back,” Questlove wrote. “…I get enlightened with more great music and the label gets another investment in its product from me 40 years after its release."

While on his way home from spinning at his Bowl Train show in Brooklyn, New York, he heard a familiar tune on the radio. The song sparked his interest and caused him to Shazam the record. Intrigued by the flawless sample, Quest purchased an entire copy of the album.

“This is when music is beautiful. It isn’t beautiful when you don’t reinvest in your crops for real,” he continued. “Label and Publishing House presidents if you meet hip hop halfway….it’ll do you some good!!!”

Considering that sampling is very expensive, many artists have strayed away from the concept of implementing those flavorful sounds onto their projects. Still, a plethora of successful artists have dipped their hands into the pool of sampling and came out triumphant like Jay Z and Kanye West. It'll be interesting to see over the next couple of years whether artists will continue to rely on heavy samples or just original instrumentation. Check out Quest's post below.

This is what's beautiful about hip hop. And this is what I wish publishers and record labels realized. By making sampling unobtainable and only an option for the rich (let's face it: Ye & Hov the only cats who can afford samples in hip hop) but what these greedy lawyers and corporate leeches don't comprehend is that sampling is an education AND it gives back. Driving home from #BowlTrain & I hear on #WRTI jazz a song and in its last seconds I hear a familiar sample. I Shazam it and I COPPED THE ORIGINAL ---actually entire album. I get enlightened with more great music and the label@gets another investment in its product from me 40 years after its release. This is when music is beautiful. It isn't beautiful when you don't REINVEST IN your crops for real Label and Publishing House presidents of you meet hip hop half way....it'll do you some good!!!

A video posted by Questlove Gomez (@questlove) on Sep 9, 2016 at 12:25am PDT

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