Hip hop song with oriental beat full#

Rakim – ‘Addictive’ (2002) Sample: Lata Mangeshkar – ‘Thoda Resham Lagta Hai’ It resulted in the track breaking into the 2002-2003 top 10 Billboard ‘Hot Rap Singles’, taking the eighth spot.Īdditionally, the sprinkling of sitar throughout ‘React’ introduced thousands to a new blueprint of sampling success. The switch between the two languages was daring for its time but proved to be rejuvenating for hip hop. Sermon proceeds to reply to the lyric with: Used as the main component of the hook, we hear Meena’s evocative tone that instantly reminds us of classical Hindi sounds.

However, what propelled this track into the limelight was the respect given to the Hindi vocals of Meena Kapoor.Įven though ‘React’ only samples one lyric from ‘Chandi Ka Badan’, it has its own time to shine. Sermon was allowed to create a refreshing song. It did spectacularly at the 1964 Filmfare Awards, winning ‘Best Music’. ‘Chandi Ka Badan’ is from the 1963 movie, Taj Mahal. The underlayer of strings, intoxicating chorus’ and impactful bars were lyrical yet you could still dance to them. Produced by the iconic Just Blaze, the song encompasses all the qualities that made this period of rap so innovative. In December 2002, legendary rapper Erick Sermon released ‘React’, which transformed the template of sampling Bollywood songs. Erick Sermon ft Redman – ‘React’ (2002) Sample: Asha Bhosle, Manna Dey, Meena Kapoor and Mohammed Rafi – ‘Chandi Ka Badan’ Whilst the track requires multiple listens because of its structure and innovative qualities, there is no doubt that this song was ahead of its time.

However, the beautiful richness of ‘Raga Puriya Dhanashri’ adds a welcomed calmness. The sharp lyricism and the high-voltage atmosphere is overwhelming at times.

Hip hop song with oriental beat full#

Once ‘The Fire In Which You Burn’ is in full flow, Ravi Shankar’s sitar takes over.Īlthough the jumpy instrumental is experimental, the musicality of Shankar shines. It entices the listener to engage with the metaphorical wordplay that is on display. The hip hop track starts with a choppy beat and irregular drums and the inclusion of record scratches encompasses the sounds of old school hip hop.Īs soon as the rap starts, ‘Raga Puriya Dhanashri’ slowly creeps into the undertones of the track. ‘The Fire In Which You Burn’ samples the great Ravi Shankar and his impeccable ‘Raga Puriya Dhanashri’ (1954). Hip hop trio Company Flow joined forces with American rappers Breeze Brewin and J-Treds for this unorthodox fusion of hip hop and South Asian instrumentation. Breeze Brewin & J-Treds – ‘The Fire In Which You Burn’ (1997) Sample: Ravi Shankar – ‘Raga Puriya Dhanashri’ The trance-like beat was transcended by the production of GZA, who propelled the instrumentation towards a traditional hip hop sound.Īdditionally, the clearcut vocals from hip hop powerhouses, Ghostface Killah, Killah Priest and RZA gave that extra thrust of culture. Using synthetic drops and western loop cycles, the original sample was fresh for its time. Their psychedelic funk theme song of the 1975 Hindi thriller, Dharmatma, provides the foundation of GZA’s iconic song. ‘4th Chamber’ is an example of this rarity as GZA calls upon the legendary compositions of Indian duo Kalyanji-Anandji.

One of the reasons for this is GZA’s exploration of South Asian music samples, something, which is rare to find in his catalogue. His solo album, Liquid Swords (1995), is widely regarded as a masterpiece. As one of the oldest members and co-founders of hip hop royalty, Wu-Tang Clan, GZA is highly respected within the music industry,