Speaking of pop music’s archives fever, here’s an inside look at the recycling aesthetic at the heart of hip-hop production.
Watch these producers take the raw cultural materials of the past and rework them for the present.
All music is based on appropriation. Jazz musicians build motifs and solos from standards; rock bands turn out the same chords show after show. Millions of Americans danced (or winced) their way through cover band sets and DJs last weekend. Rather than dismissing sampling, then, it is better to ask: to what end is music appropriated?
This video doesn’t answer the question, but it offers a fascinating look at the process.
C.B. Crenshaw 