Aretha Franklin: 8 Times Hip-Hop Artists Sampled Her Music
Today the late Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin would have been 77-years-old.
The 18-time Grammy Award winner passed away last year at the age of 76. Her authenticity and relentless passion for music is what helped catapult the soul singer into stardom causing her iconic influence to transcend genres. From Slum Village and Kanye West to Yasiin Bey and Rapsody, hip-hop artists have celebrated the legend by sampling her music, over the years. Listen to a handful of hip-hop songs that have sampled the Queen of Soul below.
Slum Village’s “Selfish” sample’s Franklin’s “Call Me”.
The track comes from the Detroit group’s 2004 album, Detroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit).
Kanye West’s “School Spirit” samples Franklin’s “Spirit in the Dark.”
The track comes from West’s debut album, The College Dropout, which was released in 2004.
Yasiin Bey’s “Ms. Fat Booty” samples Franklin’s “One Step Ahead.”
The track is the first single from Bey’s 1999 album Black on Both Sides.
Rapsody’s “Laila’s Wisdom” samples Franklin’s “Young, Gifted, and Black.”
The track derives from Rapsody’s second studio album of the same title, which dropped in 2017.
Outkast’s “Jazzy Belle” samples Franklin’s “Rock Steady.”
The track is the third single from the hip-hop duo’s second studio album, ATLiens, which was released in 1996.
The Fugee’s “Some Seek Stardom” samples Franklin’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”
The song comes from The Fugee’s 1994 debut album Blunted On Reality.
Lupe Fiasco’s “We Love You” sample’s Franklin’s “Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do).”
The track features British rapper Sway.
Nas’ “Rise & Fall” samples Franklin’s “A Song For You.”
The song is an unreleased track that hit the internet around 2001.
Glennisha Morgan is a Detroit-bred multimedia journalist and writer. She writes about intersectionality, hip-hop, pop culture, queer issues, race, feminism, and her truth. Follow her on Twitter @GlennishaMorgan