Beat Sampling in Kenya – Genius called Clemo

Initially I had done this long post about how there is a conflict in the music industry in Kenya, meaning there are channels of communication lacking in different segments of the industry that make it impossible to attribute claims to different stake holders. But I opted not to post that here – maybe in a separate forum or a different time. That post however had some good examples of sampled work that I think have been around the Kenyan music scene only that few people even realize that the genius around us have sampled some classic beats.

Take for instance my last two posts from Calif Records camp… The Sikupenda kwangu track and Niko poa. Both were Diana Ross samples. Clemo musta been listening to Diana – 1980 album a track called “my old piano” which is straight up a Sikupenda Kwangu sampled beat. Or take its “My house” also performed by Diana Ross however written initially by Ashford and Simpson, if you listen to it you will hear bits and pieces of Niko Poa majors classic track.

listen or watch Diana Ross My old Piano here:

listen or watch Diana Ross its my house here:

However sampling has been going on for a hot minute so this is not unusual, some of the greatest producers are the KINGS of sampling. If you look at the most prolific hiphop album of our lifetime – THE CHRONIC, almost every song was sampled. Check out the Chronic’s tracklist and samples. But its often refreshing to listen to African-esq samples, how a genius producer can take a US classic old school track and make it into something totally dynamic and GENGE inspired.

As an example let me post some work from Dr Dre’s classic albums

Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang (1992) sampled Leon Haywood’s I Want’a Do Something Freaky to You (1975):

Xxplosive (1999) sampled Isaac Hayes’s Bumpy’s Lament (1971)