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7NEWS
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
The most sampled song in history is one you've never heard of
You've heard it in everything from N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton to UK rave anthems and video game soundtracks. But chances are, you've never heard the original song. In 1969, a now-obscure American soul group called The Winstons released a B-side titled Amen, Brother. Buried within it — at around the 1.26 mark — is a six-second drum solo that would become the most sampled audio clip in music history. Known as Amen Break, the beat has appeared in more than 6,000 tracks — and continues to be sampled more than five decades later. From hip hop to jungle, drum and bass and breakcore, Amen Break has not only formed the rhythmic backbone of entire genres, but also traced the evolution of sampling and the blurred lines of musical ownership. A beat born from turntables For artist and producer Alexander Burnett — the frontman of Sparkadia and the creative force behind records by Thelma Plum, Hayden James and Flight Facilities — Amen Break's appeal goes beyond nostalgia. 'In the early '80s, DJs started to use two turntables to loop the same drum sections from records — which created a groove for MCs to rap over,' he told 'These drum loops or 'breaks' were used as a tool to create a new musical work with new lyrics and melody over the top.' Amen Break — played by the late drummer Gregory Coleman — became a go-to for crate-digging producers thanks to its explosive snap and gritty texture. 'It has the right swing, energy and grit,' Burnett said. 'If you drop it into a session sped up, the song already sounds like UK jungle or drum and bass. If slowed down, it becomes '90s hip hop.' From underground to global chart domination The break's earliest high-profile use came in the 1980s, with inclusion in tracks by pioneers such as Mantronix and N.W.A. N.W.A's title track Straight Outta Compton is renowned for heralding the arrival of West Coast hip hop and Dr Dre's signature sound; a blueprint still emulated today. From there, the sample exploded across the UK rave scene of the '90s. Producers like Goldie, Roni Size and Shy FX chopped and flipped the beat into high-energy soundscapes that defined jungle and drum and bass. It has since popped up in everything from Mantronix's King Of The Beat to David Bowie 's Little Wonder and Oasis 's D'You Know What I Mean?. It's also featured in TV shows Futurama and Top Gear and the the video game Grand Theft Auto. Originality, ownership and the sampling debate Despite its ubiquity, Amen, Brother's creators saw almost no financial return. Neither frontman and copyright holder Richard L. Spencer nor drummer Gregory C. Coleman received royalties or sample clearance fees during their lifetimes. Coleman died in 2006, never seeing compensation for the solo that would define entire genres. Spencer, who called the sample's use 'plagiarism', chose not to pursue legal action; but fans didn't forget. In 2015, British DJ Martyn Webster launched a crowdfunding campaign titled The Winstons Amen Breakbeat Gesture, urging fans to give back. It raised more than £24,000 ($45,600), which was presented to Spencer in a public show of thanks. 'Copyright has historically been about melody and lyrics rather than rhythm,' Burnett said. 'That being said, the drum break has created so many incredible new works, so there should be compensation.' 'On the other hand, many of the original artists who sampled it may not have had the means to use the break if they had to pay compensation up front. I'd like to think we have the technology to address this issue moving forward in 2025.' A legacy beyond one track While Amen Break is the most famous, it's not the only revered loop. The Incredible Bongo Band's Apache (1973) delivered a tribal, bongo-heavy groove that became a hip hop staple, sampled by everyone from Sugarhill Gang to Missy Elliott, Nas and M.I.A. James Brown's Funky Drummer (1970), featuring Clyde Stubblefield's solo, has been looped in classics like Public Enemy's Fight The Power, Dr Dre's Let Me Ride and George Michael's Freedom! '90. But Amen Break stands alone: a six-second mistake-turned-masterpiece from a forgotten B-side, now the most sampled piece of music ever recorded.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fraudulent GoFundMe for singer Angie Stone taken down
ATLANTA - A fraudulent GoFundMe campaign claiming to support the legacy of Grammy-nominated singer Angie Stone has been shut down after raising more than $12,000. According to TMZ, the fundraiser, created by an individual using the name "Lenda Peers," has been removed, and all donations have been refunded. What they're saying GoFundMe confirmed that the organizer has been banned from any future fundraising on its platform. In a statement given to TMZ, the company emphasized its zero-tolerance policy for misuse, stating it "takes swift action against those who seek to take advantage of the generosity of our community." The platform also reassured donors that all contributions are protected and that it closely monitors campaigns for fraudulent activity. What we know Stone, 63, was killed last weekend in a crash while returning to Atlanta after a performance in Montgomery, Alabama. She was traveling in a Sprinter van with several others when the accident occurred. Stone was the only person who died in the crash. RELATED: Angie Stone, Grammy-nominated R&B singer, dies in car crash Her family has announced plans for a public memorial in Atlanta, as well as a smaller funeral service in Columbia, South Carolina, where she was born. Details will be provided in the future. RELATED: R&B soul singer Angie Stone remembered by Atlanta friends for powerful vocals, kind spirit The backstory A pioneer in R&B and hip-hop, Stone was a member of the all-female rap trio The Sequence, known for their 1979 hit "Funk You Up." She later joined the music groups Mantronix and Vertical Hold and provided backing vocals for Lenny Kravitz's fifth studio album in 1998. Beyond music, Stone also had an acting career. She made her film debut in the 2002 comedy The Hot Chick and starred as Big Mama Morton in the Broadway musical Chicago in 2003. She also appeared in "Ride Along" in 2014 with Kevin Hart and Ice Cube and had several small TV roles. Additionally, she appeared on "Celebrity Fit Club" in 2006. In 2021, she received the Soul Music Icon Award at the Black Music Honors. Most recently, in 2024, she was the featured vocalist on Damon Little's "No Stressing." Stone recorded 10 studio albums during her career. Her most recent album, "Love Language," was released in 2023, according to New York Times. Stone lived in Stockbridge, where she was honored by the Stockbridge City Council on Monday night. She is survived by her two children, Diamond and Michael. RELATED: Stockbridge honors singer Angie Stone after her death in highway crash
