Using the ACTUAL AUDIO recording from the original song.
Must Clear:
1. Master Recording (label)
2. Composition (publisher)
Example: Kendrick “Not Like Us” uses actual audio from Monk Higgins
Re-recording or re-performing elements from the original.
Must Clear:
1. Composition ONLY (publisher)
No master needed — you made new audio
Example: Shaboozey re-sang the hook from J-Kwon’s “Tipsy”
Key: Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song” is an INTERPOLATION — he re-recorded, didn’t use original audio.
Shaboozey contacted J-Kwon directly via DM before releasing the song
J-Kwon approved the use and negotiated the terms
J-Kwon receives songwriting credit on “A Bar Song”
Shaboozey gets: 19 weeks at #1 • 1 billion+ streams
J-Kwon gets: Royalties from every stream • New generation hears his work
Lesson: Always clear samples/interpolations BEFORE release. Respect creates success.
Source: Billboard Feb 2025, CBS News 2024
1. Listen to each song pair
2. Identify what was borrowed
3. Decide: SAMPLE or INTERPOLATION?
4. Explain your reasoning
Remember:
SAMPLE = actual audio used
INTERPOLATION = re-recorded
Ask: Does it sound like the SAME recording or a NEW performance?
Hip-Hop Foundation: Sampling has been central to Hip-Hop since the 1970s. It’s how producers create new art from existing music — but it must be done legally.
Source: WhoSampled.com 2024
What is the difference between a sample and an interpolation?
Give ONE example of each from today’s lesson.
Tue: What does “making it” mean? • Wed: Major vs. Indie labels • Thu: Revenue streams and math • Fri: Copyright and sampling
Next Week: Career Pathways in the Music Industry