The Surprising Origins of 12 Famous Rap Songs

Sampling and remixing other artists' songs has been a staple of rap and hip-hop since the genre's origins, and it continues to this day. It's a great way for artists to pay tribute to other musicians that inspired them, and also adds a new twist on something older. Sometimes the sample becomes so well known that we forget that it came from somewhere else, so take a look at where some of the better ones are from!

Vanilla Ice

The Song: "Ice Ice Baby"

The Sample: "Under Pressure" by Queen

Nas

The Song: "Got Ur Self A Gun"

The Sample: "Woke Up This Morning" by Alabama 3

Snoop Doggy Dogg

The Song: "Who Am I (What's My Name)?"

The Sample: "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton

A Tribe Called Quest

The Song: "Can I Kick It?"

The Sample: "Walk on the Wild Side" by Lou Reed

Ice Cube

The Song: "Today Was A Good Day"

The Sample: "Footsteps in the Dark" by The Isley Brothers

Click to the next page to find out where even more famous samples come from!

Warren G

The Song: "Regulate"

The Sample: "I Keep Forgettin' " by Michael McDonald

Tupac Shakur

The Song: "California Love"

The Sample: "Woman to Woman" by Joe Cocker

Wu-Tang Clan

The Song: "Wu-Tang Clain Ain't Nuthing Ta F*** Wit"

The Sample: "Hihachi" by The Lafayette Afro Rock Band

Jay-Z

The Song: "99 Problems"

The Sample: "The Big Beat" by Billy Squier

N.W.A.

The Song: "Gangsta Gangsta"

The Sample: "Funky Worm" by The Ohio Players

P. Diddy

The Song: "Victory"

The Sample: "Going the Distance" by Bill Conti

Blackstreet

The Song: "No Diggity"

The Sample: "Grandma's Hands" by Bill Withers

Which of these samples did you know about? Let us know in the Facebook comments!