Music Producers Break Down Samples Used For Big Beyoncé Hits

BEYONCE FEAT. JAY Z “CRAZY IN LOVE” SAMPLING “ARE YOU MY WOMAN? (TELL ME SO)” BY THE CHI-LITES

Here’s what Rich Harrison told AskKobie ™ about his use of The Chi-Lites sample:

“I randomly came across the Chi-Lites song in a crate of records I borrowed from a friend who deejays. I’d been thru the album playlist once or twice in the months before creating the track for “Crazy in Love”, and it didn’t stand out to me at first. You can go thru that crate or thru that playlist multiple times, and you may not hear anything helpful or that resonates until a moment that shifts your emotions. The songs don’t change, you do.”

– Rich Harrison / Producer and co-writer of “Crazy in Love feat Jay Z”

When discussing samples, AskKobie ™ made a point to credit the rich musical legacy that hails from the city of Chicago. The city is the home of Curtis Mayfield whose hits have been influential for several generations. AskKobie ™ points out that without Mayfield, we wouldn’t have falsettos by Pharrell! Mayfield grew up in Chicago’s notorious Cabrini-Green projects (location of the tv series Good Times) with a friend and high school classmate named Major Lance. Mayfield eventually helped craft the hits “Um, Um, Um, Um, Um” for Lance, who is the late father of Atlanta’s current mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Another important group out of Chicago was the Chi-Lites, who wanted to name themselves the Hi-Lites, but opted on an homage to their hometown, Chicago or the Chi, once they discovered that name was taken. Their more popular songs , “Have You Seen Her” and “Oh Girl” are played continuously on the radio and “Oh Girl” provides the perfect background in season 4 of The Sopranos when Tony goes emo-thug. When Rich Harrison found a less popular song by the group with a conga rhythm and a cascading horn arrangement they reminded him of the sounds of Go Go from his native Washington, D.C.. Those sounds also became the sonic bed for the introduction to Beyoncé as a solo artist. The rest is history.