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By Tracklib
End-of-Year Beat Battle with STREETRUNNER & Cavendish
Christmas comes early this year with a huge Beat Battle. Not only do we take a deep dive into the iconic archives of Cavendish Music, but we also have five pieces of studio gear to give away. Bring your best, impress Grammy-winning producer STREETRUNNER, and start off 2020 with a studio upgrade.By DannyVeekens
Interview: J-Live
J-Live is a rare breed: rapper, producer, DJ, former teacher—and he has mastered all of them. A few times backed by greats like DJ Premier, Prince Paul, Pete Rock & DJ Spinna. And other times handling production duties himself, such as on his newest release, 'At The Date Of This Writing.'By DannyVeekens
'Keyboards Wild, DJ's Smile' by Weldon Irvine
Keyboardist Weldon Irvine was not only frequently sampled (Madlib, Jay-Z, A Tribe Called Quest, Drake, et al), the jazz-funk great also embraced hip-hop himself. On top of a string of albums, he continued working with Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and even giving piano lessons to Q-Tip and Common.By Tracklib
Charlie Heat Beat Battle: The Winners
With hundreds of submissions, the heat was on. The Dionysus Records archives allowed for a wide array of sample options, ranging from garage rock to surf and rockabilly. Judge Charlie Heat hand-picked three winners, with one producer receiving the Analog Heat MKII sound processor by Elektron. And the winner is...By DannyVeekens
Tracklib Roundup September
It was quite a challenge to select only five tracks made and licensed with Tracklib. But here we are, including heavy-hitters like Young M.A and Charlie Heat and a collaboration featuring Oddisee. Diverse digging as always: ranging from a 16th century lute sample all the way to contemporary Brazilian music.By DannyVeekens
U-Dub's Use of Samples on Young M.A's New Album
Punchline after punchline, tracks by Young M.A have never been anywhere close to merciful. Her official debut album, 'Herstory In The Making', is another verbal uppercut. All without losing her controlled and smooth delivery. This time with one-third of the new album produced by her go-to-beatmaker U-Dub—with two beats including Tracklib samples.By DannyVeekens
Jams from Jamaica
The roots and riddims of Pickout can be traced back to Kingston, Jamaica in 1987. Lloyd ‘Pickout’ Dennis founded the label out of a bare necessity: to be able to release his own reggae music. From there it evolved into a three-decades-long (and counting) run in covering all kinds of reggae—chiefly dancehall, lover’s rock, roots reggae, and dub.By DannyVeekens
The Sample in Vic Mensa's 'Let U Know'
An American flag slowly turns upside down for the announcement of Vic Mensa’s new track, “Let U Know.” The national anthem gets cut off. No hand over heart, but a big middle finger to all of Vic’s naysayers, celebrating his success featuring singer Jesse Rutherford – and a Tracklib sample.By DannyVeekens
Tracklib Roundup July
This month's roundup feels like a world tour through samples. From African-inspired house to a French independent hip-hop label, and from Jamaican reggae to Chicago emcees using a Cuban sample. These are our five favorite tracks of July containing samples found and cleared through Tracklib.By DannyVeekens
Made With Tracklib: Kat Capone - Choke (Prod. KQuick)
On the verge of 'Revenge of the Dreamers III', Boston-based producer is KQuick is not only featured on that compilation as one-half of ClickNPress. Today, he released another hard-hitting track together with New York artist Kat Capone. “Choke” puts her in KQuick’s track record of producing for J. Cole, JID, Chris Brown, Bas, Nelly & others.By DannyVeekens
Made With Tracklib: ANoyd - The Mood (Prod. Statik Selektah)
Statik Selektah is on a roll. After last month’s sample-heavy ‘Gran Turismo’ with Curren$y, an album with Bun B, and albums coming up with 2 Chainz and Pro Era's CJ Fly, today there’s another one: ‘Yuck!’, a collaborative album with rapper ANoyd.By DannyVeekens
It's a Funk Family Affair
The Whole Darn Family is a seven-piece funk band out of Richmond, Virginia, whose short-lived career in the mid-70s made for a long-standing source for sampling. Take their most sampled track, ‘Seven Minutes of Funk’: new on Tracklib, but flipped before for music by Public Enemy, Jay-Z, Kool G Rap, Wu-Tang Clan, Kurtis Blow, and countless others.By DannyVeekens
Made With Tracklib: Datsunn (Interview)
Every time you hear Tracklib's soul-infused theme, you hear a beat by Datsunn. He has been crafting sample-reliant productions for over a decade now. But using samples is one thing, licensing used to be another... But Tracklib turned the tide for him, legitimizing him as a sample-based producer. Now with a vinyl release, official albums, and new opportunities.By DannyVeekens
Music Of The Sea's Infinite Soundtrack
Started in the pre-internet days, Music Of The Sea has grown into a major one-stop-shop for music publishing and licensing. Even if you have never heard of them yet, it’s likely that you have heard their music placements in films or television shows with tracks by artists like Beyonce, Chaka Khan, Kool & The Gang, The O'Jays and Solange.By DannyVeekens
Win a Placement on Inspectah Deck's New Album + Get Flown to NYC!
Tracklib is about to shackle the masses with drastic rap tactics: Inspectah Deck will release the first-ever album produced entirely with Tracklib samples. The beats are made by a top-tier team of producers. As if that’s not exciting enough, hold on to your studio seat: we’re leaving one spot open for you!By DannyVeekens
Made With Tracklib: The Him - By Your Side
Dutch DJ and production duo The Him comes from the EDM-hotbed of Spinnin’ Records. The Amsterdam natives create uplifting electronic music, often built around a chopped or pitched vocal. For their track ‘By Your Side’, fellow producer Jordan Jay found a dusty 70s blues vocal on Tracklib which they together used to create an instant streaming hit.By DannyVeekens
Impeach the President : The Winners
This was our biggest Beat Battle so far and it was amazing hearing how you could flip one of the 10 most sampled songs in history. Huge thanks to everyone who participated. Grammy-winning producer Drumma Boy selected three winners out of all submitted beats. Drum roll, please…By DannyVeekens
Made With Tracklib: L7NNON - Despertadores (Prod. Papatinho)
Based in Rio de Janeiro, Papatinho is one of Brazil's biggest hip-hop producers. He puts local emcees in the limelight with his own imprint, Papatunes Records. His group ConeCrewDiretoria reaches millions of listeners, and so does his aptly-titled 'Papasessions.' One of the recurring names in these series is rapper L7NNON. Their collaborative track ‘Despertadores’ was made around an obscure soul sample off Tracklib.By DannyVeekens
Made With Tracklib: Mike Mago - Wake Up
“Boem, klatsch, kick, snare.” Not only sounds important to hip-hop and sampling, but also to Dutch DJ and producer Mike Mago: he started off as part of DJ collective Boemklatsch in the early 2000s, which later evolved into his own dance record label, BMKLTSCH RCRDS. Besides that, he now also releases tracks via electronic music powerhouse Spinnin’ Records. His new track, “Wake Up”, features a First Choice vocal sample off Tracklib.By DannyVeekens
Lugnut Brand’s Funk/Soul Trip through Time
Lugnut Brand Records was founded in 2011 by bass player Chris Lujan. Originally as an outlet to release his own music, but in the last few years, it evolved into also releasing music by other artists. Now the Pittsburg-based label includes over twenty records ranging from classic soul to afrobeat from Finland to funk from Russia.By DannyVeekens
Subliminal Psychedelic Sounds
Subliminal Sounds is a Swedish label focused on psychedelic music. Founded in 1989, the imprint fits the –surprisingly– vibrant hidden history of psych music in Sweden which commenced in the mid-60s. This edition’s free download comes from that very decade: unique psychedelic rock from 1968 to follow in the footsteps of producers like The Alchemist, Oh No & Quelle Chris.By DannyVeekens
Mannish: New Kids on the Block
Bow Wow released a debut album at the age of thirteen? Lil Pump “spent ten racks on a new chain” when he was only seventeen? *YAWN.* This new track puts it all in perspective: a Christmas track (sorry not sorry) by Mannish, a hip-hop crew of three kids aged 8, 7 and 6! Produced by Nick Fury (T.I., Nas, E-40) and Unique Beatz, with a sample off Tracklib.By DannyVeekens
Made With Tracklib: Freddie Black & Spliftout - The Black Tape
Straight from the D.I.T.C. Studios in New York, emcee Freddie Black and producer Spliftout recorded The Black Tape. All samples on the 9-track release come from Tracklib, laying the soul-heavy groundwork for an album full of bangers.By DannyVeekens
Beat Battle: Off to Brazil with Prince Paul & YB Music
Nothing beats Brazil: the good people at YB Music provided a downtempo samba track by Rodrigo Campos. Download the song for free, make a beat, and win a sample license or Tracklib credits. None other than Prince Paul is the judge this time.By DannyVeekens
Chesky Records: An Audiophile’s Adventure
Brothers David & Norman started classical and jazz audiophile label Chesky Records to release the best possible re-issues and studio recordings. One smooth jazz track which was recorded in an innovative way is now exclusively available as a free download.By DannyVeekens
Kanye West: Uncleared Samples and Trolling Drake
Earlier this year, Kanye West puzzled fans and haters alike with 'Lift Yourself'. It even sparked a feud with Drake, as Kanye offered him the beat first. An actual scoop (without the poop-diddy-whoop): both samples in “Lift Yourself” weren’t cleared–at all.By DannyVeekens
The ABC of Childhood Nostalgia
Children’s music can bring out a sense of nostalgia. Hardly anyone can resist music from the good old cereal and cartoon filled days. Even great producers such as Marley Marl and 9th Wonder are not afraid to add some Sesame to their street. To create your own - here’s an exclusive free download!By DannyVeekens
The Jazz of De La Soul's Buhloone Mindstate
De La Soul’s Buhloone Mindstate is hard to comprehend. The album is crammed with in-jokes, far-fetched references, unparalleled flows, and typical De La quirkiness. As cleverly predicted in the intro track, that’s why it did blow up but didn’t go pop. But listening to the album, one thing is easily comprehensible: the influence of jazz.By DannyVeekens
Put on your X: Who is Knowledge?
A drum break from "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss; a sax sampled from “Catch A Groove” by 70s funk band Juice; an unidentified piano loop. All together on a 12" by emcee Knowledge, who is shrouded in mystery–with "Put On Your X" being his only release.By DannyVeekens
ZZ Hill: From Nobody to Somebody
“You've been trippin' around, uptown / Wooin' some fancy clown.” DOOM wrote everything for Madvillain’s “Fancy Clown” around a ZZ Hill sample. In a similar vein, hip-hop/jazz outfit Hocus Pocus built their "Mr Tout Le Monde" around another hook by the 70s/80s blues singer.By DannyVeekens
From a Funk Jam to 'The 900 Number'
From the original funk track by ‘Soul Sister #1’ to a breakbeat track, and from Public Enemy raising fists with “Anti-Nigger Machine” to DJ Kool starting parties with “Let Me Clear My Throat”. The horn sampled for “The 900 Number” by New York producer The 45 King took on many shapes.By DannyVeekens
‘New Old Soul’ from deep inside the Colemine
‘Authenticity’ has been an important keyword in the retro-soul revival of this decade. And so it is for Colemine Records. For over 10 years now, funk soul brothers Terry & Bob Cole have been digging into a gold mine of authentic ‘New Old Soul’. Such as "Tiger Trot" by Leroi Conroy, exclusively available for free via Tracklib.By fimpen
Remembering Aretha Through Samples
Sadly, one of the greatest voices in history moved on yesterday. Aretha Franklin’s music has been sampled in hundreds of songs. Here are 10 of our favorite tracks that samples Aretha’s iconic voice. Rest in Peace to the Queen of Soul. Your voice and music will live on forever.By Oskar
Be our first Beat Battle Champion
We’re very proud to announce the first ever online Tracklib Beat Battle. And you have the chance to make history as our first ever battle winner, get your beats promoted by us and win great prizes. It’s pretty simple. All you have to do is download our two free tracks, cook up something great and share it on Instagram.By DannyVeekens
When the Needle hits the Philly Groove
After nearly fifty years, never-before-heard stems and master tracks are now released from the Philly Groove vaults. Classic soul ready for sampling – for the first time ever. To get into the groove, there’s an exclusive free download of “You Don’t Know What You’re Doing” by Sound Experience.By DannyVeekens
5 Different Ways of Sampling Claude Debussy
Sure, sampling a French pianist from the 19th century grounded in Impressionism isn’t the sexiest thing to mention in your Soundcloud-description. But make no mistake: there’s a lot of ways to cook up something solid with the work of a pianist and composer like Claude Debussy.By Oskar
Who are the Lusitanian Ghosts?
As we continue our travels around the world, it's time to introduce a modern folk-rock record with both indie songwriting and traditional Portuguese chordophone instruments. Here are these unique instruments in a whole new creative universe - ready for sampling via Tracklib.By DannyVeekens
Sampling beyond Shaolin: China Record Corporation
Wu-Tang Clan has shown how Chinese influences can perfectly blend in with hip-hop culture. To step in RZA’s footsteps, “Dragon Boat” by He Shufeng is now available as free download for Tracklib members. The track was a best-kept secret within Chinese borders for over half a century.By jeremyklewicki