You'll Hear It The Jazz Samples That Built Hip Hop
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Oct 13, 2025 Diallo Riddle, co-host of One Song and a talented writer/producer, dives deep into the intersection of jazz and hip hop. He discusses how iconic samples, like Lou Donaldson's drum grooves, shaped major hip hop tracks. The conversation covers the nuances between sampling and interpolation, reveals why some jazz musicians remain unpaid, and celebrates how sampling introduces listeners to lesser-known jazz gems. Riddle also highlights how hip hop has revived the careers of jazz legends, illustrating its profound impact on musical evolution.
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Sample vs Interpolation Defined
- A sample is reuse of recorded material while an interpolation is a replayed performance of a composition.
- Producers often heavily transform samples (pitch, tempo, chop) so they become new sounds.
Drum Tone Makes A Sample Staple
- Lou Donaldson's Ode To Billy Joe groove (with Idris Muhammad) became a go-to drum break for hip hop producers.
- Engineers like Rudy Van Gelder and distinct drum tones made certain jazz grooves easy to sample cleanly.
Heath Brothers' Deep-Cut Riches
- Diallo describes how the Heath Brothers' Smilin' Billy Sweet Part 2 has been sampled in many classics and