"You Sampled It Wrong..."

Jay-Z vs. Black Moon [click to bread] vs. (Sample: Little Boy Blues‘ “Seed of Love”)

Jay-Z haters got all over this one, accusing him of biting beats after “P.S.A.” used the same sample as Black Moon‘s “Stay Real” that dropped five weeks earlier. Considering Jay was putting the finishing touches on his apparent swan song, I doubt he was knee deep in a Black Moon record to get sampling ideas for Just Blaze. Though it’s worth mentioning that Buckwild used the sample for the first 20 seconds or so of O.C.‘s [click to read] “Poiint O Viewz” back in ’94. But I digress, Jay and Just by a country mile here.

Jay-Z “P.S.A.,” 2003 (produced by Just Blaze)

About a year after No I.D. [click to read] laced Ghostface‘s “Metal Lungies” using a sample from Operation Breadbasket Orchestra & Choir‘s “Nobody Knows,” Buckwild used the very sample with nearly identical results for 50 Cent‘s “I Don’t Need’Em.” I prefer Buck‘s beat, it’s much more menacing, but overall Tony wins ’cause him and Sheek [click to read] rocked it hard.

Ghostface Killah “Metal Lungies,” 2004 (produced by No I.D.)

None of the producers got particularly creative here, Ice-T‘s stands out the most as they sped the sample up a few notches. Finesse gets my vote here, ’cause the hook kicks ass and he was rhyming on the monkey bars when he was 12.

Ice-T “You Played Yourself,” 1989 (produced by Afrika Islam)

MF DOOM [click to read] (as King Geedorah) vs. Nas vs. RZA [click to read] (Sample: The Whatnauts “Message From A Black Man”)

DOOM gets some major credit for rocking this one first, especially considering Nas and RZA released theirs just months apart with nearly identical titles. On the production tip Nas‘ stands out the most as its much more acoustic than the others. Surprisingly enough, he sounds the worst of the bunch as RZA kicks one of the best verses of his career and DOOM and Mr. Fantastik flat-out killing it. Tie between DOOM and RZA; I can’t call it.

King Geedorah “Anti-Matter,” 2003 (produced by MF DOOM)

Nas vs. Nas (Sample: Iron Butterfly “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”)

This one still baffles the skull. Lead singles on back to back album using the same sample, an incredibly recognizable one at that. Who does that? Nevertheless, both tracks are absolutely top notch. It is hard to go against Salaam‘s “Thief’s Theme” as it is so rugged, which is how I like my production. But will.i.am‘s [click to read] version is just so dynamic, the breakdowns, the chanting, and whatnot.

Nas “Thief’s Theme” 2004 (produced by Salaam Remi)