Bob James – (1974) One
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Pianist and composer Bob James is perhaps the most sampled jazz musician in hip-hop history. Pieces from his now-famous compositions like “Nautilus” and “Take Me to the Mardi Gras” have been endlessly loaded into MPCs, SP-1200s, and various other sampling devices for over two decades. And those loops and chops shape the sound of some of the greatest rap records ever, like Ghostface Killah’s Wu banger “Daytona 500” and Warren G and Nate Dogg’s West Coast classic “Regulate.” And those are just two of hundreds. Scroll through Bob’s WhoSampled page, and you’ll find the names and sounds of groundbreaking tracks by Run-DMC, Gang Starr, Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, Main Source, Slick Rick, and countless other well-known rap acts. They all recognized Bob’s genius and chose his music to be incorporated into their sample-based hip-hop masterpieces.
But what is it about Bob James's compositions that makes his catalog so appealing to sample-based hip-hop producers? For our first edition of Sample Stories, we reached out to Bob to find out the answer—and much more. In this candid interview, Bob tells us the details behind the making of his most-sampled track, “Nautilus,” and pinpoints what elements of the recording he believes attracted hip-hop producers to sample it. He also discusses his own personal history with hip-hop artists who have sampled his work, from his legal battles with DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince and Arrested Development, to his eye-opening relationship with X-Ecutioners DJ Rob Swift. Plus, Bob discusses the evolution of the licensing process, reveals his appreciation for hip-hop and his attachment to its legacy, and shares his true feelings about artists who sample his work.
