Art is a product of work that existed before it
Contemporary art is a mosaic of the artworks that existed before it. This statement isn’t meant to undermine the inventiveness and creativity of artists. However, it is important to note that artists do not exist within a vacuum. Naturally, artists are inspired by others, often regardless of the medium used. This inspiration shapes the work they create.
For example, the critically acclaimed playwright Jonathan Larson based his cult classic musical, Rent, loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera, La bohème. This opera was based on the book Scenes de la vie de bohèmeby Henri Murger. Similarly, the Broadway musical Spring Awakening was based on a nineteenth-century German play with the same title and plot, which proved to be eerily relevant even a century later. I’m sure I don’t need to cite the inspiration for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar. The genealogy of many contemporary plays, movies, paintings, and literature follows similar patterns. It makes sense; it is valuable to reference and build from older art pieces. This practice allows artists to reimagine a concept or draw parallels between historical events and our contemporary culture.
Despite the value and commonplace nature of the practice, it is evidently controversial. This is especially true in music. Sampling–the repurposing of pre-existing music or other audio clips–is a practice that is heavily critiqued. Artists who use samples are often characterised as plagiariser or unoriginal. In fact, before 2014, songs containing samples could not win a Song of the Year award at the Grammys, illustrating the contentious nature of the practice.
Critiques of sampling are not entirely unfounded; samples should be authorised and properly credited for ethical and legal reasons. Beyond legal considerations, stylistically, sampling may feel lazy when it’s not used creatively. In these instances, the sample operates like a gimmick, carrying the song with its nostalgic value rather than the inventiveness of the newer artist’s work.
However, a lack of creativity amongst some should not contaminate the practice; repurposing an old song is not indicative of bad artistry. Hip-hop, rap, and R&B have been shaped by their inventive uses of samples. In Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock’s single, “Money Trees,” producer DJ Dahi clipped Beach House’s song, “Silver Soul.” The clip of this song was then reversed, slowed down, and an additional sample was added over. This became the beat of the critically acclaimed rap song. Adding the sample also provided thematic value. While the songs differ in their subject focus, they converge on their exploration of despair and melancholy, and Dahi used this to shape the song’s ambience. Much of the appeal of this sample comes from the intentionality that went into repurposing Beach House’s work. It wasn’t a gimmick. DJ Dahi transformed the sample into something new while remaining true to the original message.
Another iconic sample is “Ready or Not” by the Fugees. Sampling the Delfonics’ 1968 song of the same title, the Fugees kept their lyrical basis for the chorus and built from there. They added rap verses and a trap beat, staying true to their brand. While you can still see the homage to the Delfonics, the Fugees added a nineties charm and re-invented this classic.
Despite the controversy surrounding the practice, sampling has revolutionised the way artists can build from their predecessors. There is so much value and creativity which can emerge from the use of a sample when done right. Hip-hop, R&B, and rap are evidence of this.
