To being with, Kanye West is a master sample architect. It’s been a well-known fact for the past 15 years now. On his latest album, The Life of Pablo, ‘Ye once again keeps the inner music nerd alive, masterfully transforming a wide-range of samples (Mr. Fingers’ “Mystery of Love,” Pastor T.L. Barrett’s “Father Stretch My Hands”) into a sonic palette that continues to get unpacked with reviews and think-pieces by the day.
But the sampled soundbites aren’t the only wide-ranging elements, as ‘Ye’s latest full-length offering also features a notable amount of credited rap interpolations.
Crediting samples are usually common practice in music, but in a world post Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams’ “Blurred Lines” fiasco (also featuring T.I.), these days it looks like extra measures have been put in place by artists and record labels to avoid such similar drama. In January 2015, after a quiet settlement over a copyright dispute, publishers for Sam Smith’s hit single “Stay With Me” gave Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne co-writing credits after acknowledging its similarities to the latter duo’s Full Moon Fever hit, “I Won’t Back Down”.
Simply put, everything from a sung note or chorus and rapped bar or hook will get properly credited these days. And that much is certain on TLOP, where not only samples, but several interpolated rap references earn a credit in the digitized liner notes. So properly dig them up, we aligned the notes and laid out the featured credits below.
“FML”
Contains An Interpolation Of: Section 25’s “Hit”
Interpolated Line: “See through the veil And forget all of your cares Throw them Throw them away… Oh, life’s a feeling Oh, the body’s a feeling”
Written By: Lawrence Cassidy, Vincent Cassidy & Paul Wiggin
Courtesy Of: LTM Songs/Mute Song
“Real Friends”
Contains An Interpolation Of: Whodini’s “Friends”
Written By: J. Hutchins & L. Smith
Referenced Line: “Friends / How many of us have them?”
Published By: Universal Music-Z Tunes LLC O/B/O Itself & Funk Groove Music Publishing
“30 Hours”
Contains An Interpolation Of: Nelly’s “E.I.”
Written By: Nelly and Jason Epperson
Interpolated Lines: “Andale, andale E.I., E.I., uh, oh…“
Published By: Jackie Frost Music (ASCAP)/ Universal Music-Mgb Songs And Jay E’s Basement (ASCAP)/ Universal Music Corporation
Contains An Interpolation Of: Nelly’s “Hot In Herre”
Written By: Nelly, Pharrell Williams, Chuck Brown
Interpolated Lines: “It’s getting hot in herre, that’s all that I know…“
Published By: Jackie Frost Music (ASCAP)/ Universal Music-MGB Songs // Ascent Music Inc./ EMI Blackwood Inc./ Nouveau Music/Songs MP / Swing T Publishing (BMI)
“Facts”
Contains An Interpolation Of: Drake & Future’s “Jumpman”
Written By: Drake, Future, Metro Boomin
Published By: EMI April Music Inc./ Sandra Gale (ASCAP) And Irving Music Inc./ Navyvadius Maximus Music / Pluto Mars Music (BMI)