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Kanye West's sampling: a listenable history

Jacob Kastrenakes an executive editor who oversees tech and news coverage. Since joining The Verge in 2012, he’s published 5,000+ stories and is the founding editor of the creators desk.

A listenable history of Kanye West’s samples

Kanye West’s songs have always been huge, elaborate affairs that either build off of an existing song or pick out the best parts of several others to create one coherent and cooler whole. And while West may be known for his early work with soul, his choice of samples has now made it all the way to Elton John and Bon Iver.

West’s samples are listed in his album’s liner notes, but if you search around online, you’ll find a bit of disagreement over what he grabbed from each song (sometimes lyrics, sometimes a whole tune) and whether or not there are actually other, uncredited excerpts involved — the collection below has been formed in part from those arguments. For the most part though, the samples come through loud and clear in West’s tracks, propelling each song forward. Curious just how far and wide West searches for a great tune? Look below for history on West’s sampling.

The College Dropout

We Don’t Care

Listen back to back and try to tell which song you're starting.

Samples: "I Just Wanna Stop," by The Jimmy Castor Bunch

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All Falls Down

Kanye rerecords the gorgeous hook from Lauryn Hill's song.

Samples: "Mystery of Iniquity," by Lauryn Hill

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Spaceship

Marvin Gaye's soothing tones keep Kanye's "Spaceship" down to Earth, even when things get aggressive.

Samples: "Distant Lover," by Marvin Gaye

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Jesus Walks

It's should be no surprise that Kanye turns to a choir for the booming hooks of "Jesus Walks."

Samples: "Walk With Me," by The ARC Choir; and "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go," by Curtis Mayfield

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Play Curtis Mayfield sample →

Never Let Me Down

Kanye plays off of Blackjack, and Jay Z just borrows from himself.

Samples: "Maybe It's the Power of Love," by Blackjack; and "Hovi Baby (Remix)," by Jay Z

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Play Jay Z sample →

Slow Jamz

Are you gonna jam slower than Luther Vandross?

Samples: "A House is not a Home," by Luther Vandross.

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Breathe In Breathe Out

Those horns.

Samples: "Precious Precious," by Jackie Moore

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School Spirit

Turning some serious spirit into a frat-house anthem.

Samples: "Spirit in the Dark," by Aretha Franklin

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Two Words

Movements IV and V would have been a good choice too.

Samples: "Peace and Love (Amani Na Mapenzi) – Movement III (Time)," by Mandrill

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Through the Wire

A perfect example of College Dropout's high-pitched, sped-up sampling.

Samples: "Through the Fire," by Chaka Khan

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Play sample →

Family Business

Borrowed lyrics and small samples find their way in.

Samples: "Ambitionz Az a Ridah," by 2Pac; and "Fonky Thang," by The Dells

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Play 2Pac sample →

Play The Dells sample →

Last Call

Making Kanye's "Last Call" sparkle.

Samples: "Mr. Rockefeller," by Bette Midler

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Late Registration

Wake Up Mr. West

This is not the attitude Natalie Cole had in mind.

Samples: "Someone That I Used To Love," by Natalie Cole

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Heard 'Em Say

Cole's song keeps evolving.

Samples: "Someone That I Used To Love," by Natalie Cole; and "Candy Maker," by Tommy James & The Shondells

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Play Tommy James & The Shondells sample →

Touch the Sky

Amazing in both incarnations.

Samples: "Move On Up," by Curtis Mayfield

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Gold Digger

Flipping Ray Charles' song on its head.

Samples: "I Got A Woman," by Ray Charles

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Drive Slow

You'll recognize "Wildflower" right from the start.

Samples: "Wildflower," by Hank Crawford

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My Way Home

As though this sample wasn't funky enough…

Samples: "Home Is Where the Hatred Is," by Gil Scott-Heron

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Crack Music

Wait for the horns.

Samples: "Since You Came in My Life," by New York Community Choir

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Roses

Again with the name play.

Samples: "Rosie," by Bill Withers

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Addiction

Just as catchy on its own.

Samples: "My Funny Valentine," by Etta James

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Diamonds from Sierra Leone (remix)

You probably realized where this sample came from…

Samples: "Diamonds Are Forever," by Shirley Bassey

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We Major

Kanye slows down the drums beneath his elaborate orchestration.

Samples: "Action," by Orange Krush

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Hey Mama

La la la la la…

Samples: "Today Won't Come Again," by Donal Leace

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Celebration

Aw, yeah.

Samples: "Heavenly Dream," by The Kay-Gees

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Gone

Great on its own, but a little Ye doesn't hurt either.

Samples: "It's Too Late," by Otis Redding

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Graduation

Good Morning

Graduation's sound is bigger, and so are the names on its samples.

Samples: "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," by Elton John

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Champion

Kanye borrows a catchy hook and makes it 10 times catchier.

Samples: "Kid Charlemagne," by Steely Dan

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Stronger

There's a lot of contention over whether Kanye’s song or his sample is better. Let's just agree that they're both pretty sweet.

Samples: "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," by Daft Punk

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I Wonder

Even with a huge beat overtop of it, the tone of Siffre's song comes through loud and clear.

Samples: "My Song," by Labi Siffre

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Good Life

Slow the end of "P.Y.T" way down and you'll realize why "Good Life" sounds quite so good.

Samples: "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)," by Michael Jackson

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Barry Bonds

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Samples: "Long Red," by Mountain

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Drunk and Hot Girls

It's times like these that really make you wonder just how much music Kanye listens to.

Samples: "Sing Swan Song," by Can

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Everything I Am

Keeping it just as soulful.

Samples: "If We Can't Be Lovers," by Prince Phillip Mitchell; and "Bring the Noise," by Public Enemy

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The Glory

Nyro's lyric about studying makes for the perfect close to Graduation.

Samples: "Save the Country," by Laura Nyro; and "Long Red," by Mountain

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Play Mountain sample →

808s & Heartbreak

Heartless

808s & Heartbreak doesn't sample often. But when it does, it works.

Samples: "Ammonia Avenue," by The Alan Parsons Project

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Robocop

Great expectations, low returns.

Samples: "Kissing in the Rain," by Patrick Doyle

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Coldest Winter

A few choice lyrics.

Samples: "Memories Fade," by Tears for Fears

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Bad News

Forget the 808. This drum sample is where it's at.

Samples: "See Line Woman," by Nina Simone

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My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Dark Fantasy

There's not much higher to go than this.

Samples: "In High Places," by Mike Oldfield

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Gorgeous

Kanye recreates these 60's sounds as a garage-rock anthem driving his song forward.

Samples: "You Showed Me," by The Turtles

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Power

Huge samples, huge song.

Samples: "It's Your Thing," by Cold Grits; "Afromerica," by Continent Number 6; and "21st Century Schizoid Man," by King Crimson

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Play Cold Grits sample →

Play Continent Number 6 sample →

Play King Crimson sample →

So Appalled

A dark breakdown becomes an even darker song.

Samples: "You Are - I Am," by Manfred Mann's Earth Band

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Devil in a New Dress

Guess whose song is more romantic?

Samples: "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," by Smokey Robinson

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Runaway

Pulling out tiny pieces to spice up one massive track.

Samples: "Expo 83," by Backyard Heavies; and "Mary Jane (live)," by Rick James

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Play Rick James sample →

Hell of a Life

Yeah, this song has everything.

Samples: "She's My Baby," by Mojo Men; "Stud-Spider," by Tony Joe White; and "Iron Man," by Black Sabbath

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Play Tony Joe White sample →

Play Black Sabbath sample →

Blame Game

Here's hoping the new Aphex Twin makes an appearance in the future.

Samples: "Avril 14th," by Aphex Twin

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Lost in the World

Funk + Bon Iver + Gil Scott-Heron = amazing.

Samples: "Soul Makossa," by Manu Dibango; "Think (About It)," by Lynn Collins; "Woods," by Bon Iver; and "Comment #1," by Gil Scott-Heron

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Who Will Survive in America

It's too good to stop.

Samples: "Comment #1," by Gil Scott-Heron

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Yeezus

On Sight

Yeezus gets dark quickly. This eerie organ tune helps.

Samples: "Sermon (He'll Give Us What We Really Need)," by Holy Name of Mary Choral Family

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I Am a God

An intro too good to only use once.

Samples: "Forward Inna Dem Clothes," by Capleton; and "Are Zindagi Hai Khel," by Manna Dey, Rahul Burman, and Asha Bhosle

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Play Dey/Burman/Bhosle sample →

New Slaves

And for the epic resolution…

Samples: "Gyöngyhajú lány," by Omega

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I'm in It

More like a fever dream.

Samples: "Lately," by Lattimore

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Blood on the Leaves

Of all the controversial things on Yeezus, Kanye's repurposing of "Strange Fruit" might come out on top.

Samples: "Strange Fruit," by Nina Simone; "R U Ready," by TNGHT; and "Down for My Niggaz," by C-Murder

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Guilt Trip

A huge intro becomes a dark and booming sample.

Samples: "Chief Rocka," by Lords of the Underground; and "Blocka (Ackeejuice Rockers Remix)," by Pusha T

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Play Pusha T sample →

Sent it Up

Another song called "Memories Fade"?

Samples: "Memories Fade," by Beenie Man

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Bound 2

None of these songs are coming out on top without a Kim Kardashian music video.

Samples: "Aeroplane (Reprise)," by Wee; "Bound," by Ponderosa Twins Plus One; and "Sweet Nothin’s," by Brenda Lee

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Play Brenda Lee sample →