So, just in case you’re new to the game, it turns out that a lot of your favorite rap songs are really made out of other people’s songs, but now they have rap over them! Some people (mostly lawyers) call it stealing, others call it sampling. There are a few who call it audio collagery. But I made them up. The point is, people use old songs to make new songs, and sometimes both songs are good! Imagine that. But don’t believe me! See for yourself!

By the way, if any of you out there are “cool psychic record guys” whose knowledge of which group sampled what is surpassed only by your collection of original 45’s used by Cut Chemist on “Lesson 4″…first, way to go, guy. Second, I ain’t that. I got some originals, and some re-presses, and some comps. My crates don’t discriminate. I collect good songs. So without further ado, here’s some of those.

This is a fun pair. The rap song is “Rain or Shine” by the Outsidaz, who, despite having close ties to talent like Busta Rhymes, the Fugees, and Eminem, never really managed to break out like they should.

The source material is a favorite of mine, Brenda Russell’s gloriously pre-AutoTune “A Little Bit of Love”. You may recognize this music from another, more famous song by…oh, you know who it’s by.

This next couple is alright, too. The rap song, “Just Another Case” is courtesy of Cru, a group that was around for a second back in ‘97. Hot beat, plus Slick Rick is on it! Shiiiit. I don’t think they were the last to use this sample, either…

The source for this one is called “The World Is A Place” by Rhythm. Or so I read here on the record I got it off. Some cool/weird shit. Dig it.

Our last pairing is well-known. The rap song is “Public Enemy No. 1″, my favorite cut off the first Public Enemy album. People forget that Chuck D was really one of the great all time rappers. He dominated. This song kills me still…

And of course, the famous source is the J.B.s’ “Blow Your Head”, the definitive proof that James Brown and company were hip-hop before hip-hop was hip-hop.

So hot. This track has been used on a bunch of songs, lots of other people have blogged on and on about it…so check their sites for all that. Don’t look at me. I really just wanted to put up some old PE, which we all probably need more of in our lives.

That’s all for now, friends. Will there be more to come? Who can say…stranger things have happened. We’ll just have to wait and see.