The 10 James Brown Songs Rappers Love to Sample

The Godfather of Soul has contributed much to hip hop.

The 10 James Brown Songs Rappers Love to Sample - James Brown is both a musical legend and innovator. And when it comes to hip hop, there may be no one out there who wasn't himself an MC, DJ or b-boy who has had a greater impact on the culture. In addition to his vocals serving as a template for rap flows, the singer's songs have been sampled more than any, according to WhoSampled. Here are 10 that rappers love to use. (Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images) 

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The 10 James Brown Songs Rappers Love to Sample - James Brown is both a musical legend and innovator. And when it comes to hip hop, there may be no one out there who wasn't himself an MC, DJ or b-boy who has had a greater impact on the culture. In addition to his vocals serving as a template for rap flows, the singer's songs have been sampled more than any, according to WhoSampled. Here are 10 that rappers love to use. (Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images) 

"Funky Drummer" - James Brown's 1970 release "Funky Drummer" is one of the most sampled songs of all time, as the drums in particular have been used for decades. Songs by everyone from Dr. Dre ("Let Me Ride") to Nas ("Get Down") to Public Enemy ("Fight the Power") have borrowed sounds from the record. (Photo: Polydor Records)

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"Funky Drummer" - James Brown's 1970 release "Funky Drummer" is one of the most sampled songs of all time, as the drums in particular have been used for decades. Songs by everyone from Dr. Dre ("Let Me Ride") to Nas ("Get Down") to Public Enemy ("Fight the Power") have borrowed sounds from the record. (Photo: Polydor Records)

"Funky President" - Kanye West must really be a fan of James Brown's "Funky President." Yeezy has sampled the 1974 released multiple times, including on "Live Fast, Die Young," "Clique" and "New God Flow." It's also been sampled in classics like Eric B. & Rakim's "Eric B. Is President" and N.W.A's "Fuck Tha Police."(Photo: Polydor Records) 

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"Funky President" - Kanye West must really be a fan of James Brown's "Funky President." Yeezy has sampled the 1974 released multiple times, including on "Live Fast, Die Young," "Clique" and "New God Flow." It's also been sampled in classics like Eric B. & Rakim's "Eric B. Is President" and N.W.A's "Fuck Tha Police."(Photo: Polydor Records) 

"The Payback" - Though "The Payback" sounds like it could be the title of a rap song, it's really just one that's been sampled often in rap songs. The 1973 James Brown release has been used in everything from Joe Budden's "Pump It Up" to 2Pac's "Souljah's Revenge."(Photo: Polydor Records) 

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"The Payback" - Though "The Payback" sounds like it could be the title of a rap song, it's really just one that's been sampled often in rap songs. The 1973 James Brown release has been used in everything from Joe Budden's "Pump It Up" to 2Pac's "Souljah's Revenge."(Photo: Polydor Records) 

"Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" - James Brown's 1970 anthem "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" became a staple sample for many cuts in the 1980s, including Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise," Big Daddy Kane's "Set It Off" and Boogie Down Production's "South Bronx."(Photo: Polydor Records) 

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"Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" - James Brown's 1970 anthem "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved" became a staple sample for many cuts in the 1980s, including Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise," Big Daddy Kane's "Set It Off" and Boogie Down Production's "South Bronx."(Photo: Polydor Records) 

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Feelin' Like a Sex Machine - With this new version of his band (now dubbed the J.B.s), James Brown cut the biggest single of this ensemble, "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine" in 1970. Where James's previous songs prominently featured a horn section, this cut centers on the rhythm created by Catfish's guitar, Bootsy's bass and drummer Jabo Starks's infectious beat. While the Pacemakers's time with the J.B.s lasts only a year, the union produces classics, including "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing'" and "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved." (Photo: Polydor Records)

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"Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine" - Yet another James Brown classic, "Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine," has been sampled time and again in hip hop by everyone from Vanilla Ice ("Go Ill") to Slick Rick ("I Shouldn't Have Done It").(Photo: Polydor Records) 

Say It Loud - While James Brown's influence grows, he is criticized by militant Black leaders like H. Rap Brown for not taking a firm stance on issues of Black empowerment. In response to his critics, the music legend writes and records the classic anthem "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" in the summer of 1968. The hit becomes a rallying cry for the new Black Power movement anchoring within Black America and the song is credited with helping completely shift the term for African-Americans from Negro to Black.   (Photo: Polydor Records)

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"Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" - The lyrical themes of James Brown's "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" have served as a template for many a rapper, but so too have the sonics. The 1968 release has been sampled for Cypress Hill's "Insane in the Brain," Ice Cube's "Jackin' for Beats" and plenty more. (Photo: Polydor Records) 

"Hot Pants" - James Brown's 1971 single "Hot Pants" was sampled by Gang Starr for "2 Steps Ahead," EPMD on "Hit Squad Heist" and others including MC Hammer.(Photo: Polydor Records) 

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"Hot Pants" - James Brown's 1971 single "Hot Pants" was sampled by Gang Starr for "2 Steps Ahead," EPMD on "Hit Squad Heist" and others including MC Hammer.(Photo: Polydor Records) 

"Get Up Offa That Thing" - Like many of his songs, James Brown's "Get Up Offa That Thing" has had a lengthy career of being sampled, dating back to the 1980s with songs like Public Enemy's "Rebel Without a Pause" to more recent cuts like "Fish/Boppin B---h" by Tyler, the Creator. (Photo: Polydor Records) 

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"Get Up Offa That Thing" - Like many of his songs, James Brown's "Get Up Offa That Thing" has had a lengthy career of being sampled, dating back to the 1980s with songs like Public Enemy's "Rebel Without a Pause" to more recent cuts like "Fish/Boppin B---h" by Tyler, the Creator. (Photo: Polydor Records) 

"Get on the Good Foot" - From Big Daddy Kane's "Raw" to Mystikal's "Hit Me" and Kool Moe Dee's "Death Blow," James Brown's "Get on the Good Foot" has shown a diversity of possibilities when it's sampled. (Photo: Polydor Records) 

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"Get on the Good Foot" - From Big Daddy Kane's "Raw" to Mystikal's "Hit Me" and Kool Moe Dee's "Death Blow," James Brown's "Get on the Good Foot" has shown a diversity of possibilities when it's sampled. (Photo: Polydor Records) 

"My Thang" - The 1974 release "My Thang" is yet another example of the diversity of a James Brown sample, as Big L rapped over an interpolation of it on 1995's "Street Struck," and a decade and a half later, when Jay Z and Kanye West did their thing on "Gotta Have It."(Photo: Polydor Records) 

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"My Thang" - The 1974 release "My Thang" is yet another example of the diversity of a James Brown sample, as Big L rapped over an interpolation of it on 1995's "Street Struck," and a decade and a half later, when Jay Z and Kanye West did their thing on "Gotta Have It."(Photo: Polydor Records)