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Eminem
For those unaware, I am a hip-hop head. For years I covered the hip-hop industry for the likes of SOHH.com, Blackvoices.com, wrote a few things for URB Magazine and even had a joint or two in Scratch Magazine and Rime Magazine when they were still doing things.
Of course during those times I was deep into gaming as well. Hip-hop and video games have always had a symbiotic relationship whether it was rappers rapping about beating each other down in NBA Live, participating in Madden and Street Fighter tournaments or actually sampling game music for their tracks. Which brings us to this list.
There isn't really a methodology to this except I researched and tried to find as many hip-hop songs that I could that sampled a video game (Thanks to HaterPlayer and the Digital Gangsters for their help!). Songs that only had soundbites, like a "Fatality!" or a Mario coin drop, weren't considered. I wanted songs where the sample played throughout. And of course the song had to be dope. Dope production and use of the sample, plus dope lyrics. Plain and simple. Am I out of line for my choices? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
DISCLAIMER: By the way, most of the songs have cursing and are not safe for work or your children's ears!!
10. YtCracker –Meganerd (Sample: Mega Man III) – ytCracker is like the ringleader for this new genre of hip-hop called Nerdcore. In 2005, he released an album called N.E.S. (Nerd Entertainment System) that sampled nothing but old Nintendo games. The song, “Meganerd,” pretty much became an anthem for “nerds” all around the world. I can’t front, I like it.
9. Bone Thugs N Harmony – Eternal (Sample: Eternal Champions) – This song was buried on Bone’s multi-platinum album, E. 1999 Eternal. You know, the album that had “Tha Crossroads” on it? Anyway, they sampled Eternal Champions, a Sega fighting game from the early 90’s that tried to capitalize on the success of Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and Fatal Fury. I don’t remember it being that good.
8. Beanie Sigel – Mac Man (Sample: Ms. Pac-Man) – Beanie Sigel’s “Mac Man,” was also an underground hit back in the late 90’s and became one of the most wanted underground singles on the streets. It was sort of an introduction of Beanie to the hip-hop world, showcasing why he was a new force to be reckoned with. And he was never sued by Namco for using the Ms. Pac-Man sample. It appeared on his 2000 debut album, The Truth, but was never released as single.
7. Smif n’ Wessun (aka Cocoa Brovas) – Super Brooklyn (Sample: Super Mario Bros. Theme) – From the start you can tell it’s from Super Mario Bros. Released in 2000 as part of the Game Over compilation, “Super Brooklyn,” was an underground hit. Smif n’ Wessun, still performing under the Cocoa Brovas moniker, used the hit to give themselves a resurgence in the hip-hop scene and it’s been one of their most requested songs on tour.
6. Lil Flip – Game Over (Sample: Ms. Pac-Man) – Back in 2003, Houston rapper Lil Flip had a monstrous hit with “Game Over,” a song that sampled Ms. Pac-Man. From the thumping beat to the hypnotic, brainwashing chant of “Flip, Flip, Flip,” in the chorus, you couldn’t get away from it for awhile. Then he was sued by Namco, the owners of Ms. Pac-Man, for a cool $10 million. It was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
5. Eminem, J-Black, Masta Ace – Hellbound (Sample: Soul Caliber) – This track was recorded right after Eminem dropped the Slim Shady LP and right before the Marshall Mathers LP was released. The Soul Caliber sample is actually called Cervantes’ Theme. It was featured on the Game Over compilation as well. As you can tell, Eminem was hungry. I have no idea where J-Black is now, but Masta Ace is still killing it with his group, eMC.
4. Tonedeff – Round Em’ Up (Sample: Kid Icarus) –The funny thing with this song, Tonedeff has disowned it. Not sure if the Kid Icarus sample was what he wanted, but it sounds good to me. It was featured on the Game Over II compilation in 2001 and after it was released, Tone said that the label manhandled the original song resulting to this song. I dug the song since day one, but Tone said this doesn’t represent his sound at all.
3. Oh No – The Ride (Sample: Castlevania III) – Oh No is one of the great producer/artists on the Stones Throw Records imprint. Thing is, I have two Oh No albums and this song isn’t on either of them. I think it was just one of Stones Throw's infamous 12”s that appeared on some obscure compilation album somewhere. What I’m impressed with is the way he flipped that Castlevania intro, too fresh. CORRECTION: Apparently the song appears on Oh No's album, The Disrupt. I guess I missed that one. Thanks Quan!
2. Percee P ft. Diamond D – 2 Brothers From the Gutter (Sample: Contra) – I met Percee P once when he was selling his CDs outside of Fat Beats in New York City. He was always a beast on the mic. When he finally got his deal with Stones Throw Records to release his album, Perseverance, he went all out and this song, with the legendary Diamond D, was one of the best tracks on the album. The Contra sample comes from the start screen of the game and is just looped over the beat. It’s hypnotic.
1.Random – Shadowman (Sample: Mega Man 3) – Last year Random released an entire album, Mega Ran, where he sampled a Mega Man tune in every song. I heard he was inspired by ytCracker’s N.E.S. album, but nevertheless, Shadowman was the one that stuck out to me the most. The beat is banging and Random absolutely rips it apart.
Other joints considered:
Green Lantern feat. Kool G Rap, Prinz – "We G’s" (Sample: Final Fantasy VII)
Charles Hamilton - "Where's my Genesis" (Sample: Sonic the Hedgehog)
Statik Selektah feat. Bug Shug – “Punch Out” (Sample: Mike Tyson’s Punch Out)
U.N.I. – Castlevania (Sample: Castlevania)
Jedi Mind Tricks – The Wolf (Sample: Max Payne)
Del the Funky Homosapien feat. Khaos Unique – Protoculture (Sample: Darkstalkers)
Cam’Ron – Troublemakers (Sample: Final Fantasy VII)
Comments
If you like music with video game samples, you might like my track "HiyititititiCHAAA" I sampled the kung-fu guy from the PS-2 game "Parappa the Rappa 2." You can listen to it at www.myspace.com/lowbis
Waddup Quibian, glad you enjoyed my joint at HaterPlayer. The Oh No track is from his LP, The Disrupt, solid album all-around.
Good article, but anything else ranking ahead of "Mac Man"? No way man.
I found these guys from New Jersey that sample the Tetris beat. It takes me back old school man.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY2BflhLfGM
#4 by Tonedeff is also featured on his album Hyphen. Track 12. Move In, Ride Out.
Little disappointed that Line Drop by The Extended F@mm isn't on here. It's the only hiphop version (I know of) of the Tetris tune done justice. Not just the sample, but also the speed up like in the game. It's brilliant.
How the Hell can you not mention Ambassadors Of Funks' release Super Mario Compact Disco?
There's also B.E.N.E.F.I.T's Warp to level 6-9 which samples Super Mario Bros.
I hear those all the time at my favorite club
filthyrichmond.blogspot.com
Cant say as I dont balme them I would do the same thing!
Jiff
www.datools.net.tc
Yea needs Benefit - Warp to World 6-9
You missed Magno and Spark Dawg's 'Playin Sonic' (a.k.a. 'Sonic Sega Flow' on YouTube)- it definitely deserves an honorable mention.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H5CzvSrU8M
love and peace
-cheez
Some guy nobody has ever heard of is the "ringleader" for nerdcore hiphop? Hello? Are you familiar with MC Frontalot..?
I was going to completely ignore this list unless U.N.I. was mentioned. How did that track not make the top 10?
You're forgetting "Legend" from Mighty Joseph. Madlib produced it and samples Contra. Sick beat.
Yeah, what Jeff said. I think the dude who coined the term "nerdcore hip-hop" would have more right to the title ringleader than... YtCracker?
what about the underground classic
Saafir - smart bomb?
you can listen to it here:
http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/audio/detail.asp?=Saafir-Smart-Bomb&ID=4062
Nothing from mc chris!
How about Tussin' that samples Gauntlet II!?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6-XBTHiBHY
Im fairly sure Jay-Z sampled Space Invaders for money cash ho**
Its not a theme but it was a game sound.
Benefit did a song called "Warp to Level 6-9" (or something similar) that deserves a mention.
how could you have left out non-phixion's use of the Tetris theme song in "black helicopters"? necro flipped that sample ridiculous
you're from the bay area and you left out Saafir's "smart bomb"
slippin duke!
I'm not from the Bay Area... but can you tell me what game Saafir sampled in the song?
It just has video game "sounds" but not a specific game...
I could have sworn there's a sample from NBA Jam in Snoop Dog and Pharrel's Drop it Like its Hot.
Or is it just me. Right at the end of each chorus.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTg-rW3JFeY
jedi mind tricks - "bloody tears" cleary bloody tears from castlevania, as the name implies.
DO NOT FIRE, an instrumental from Madvillain (MF DOOM + MADLIB), samples from Street Fighter II, specifically Chun Li and Dhalsim's character voices
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8rDelMZT_s
another one
BOAC "1990 NOW THEME TRANSMISSION"
(SAMPLE: THE LEGEND OF ZELDA)
2B1 RECORDS - 1997
Here via IGN: I admit, I'm not much into hip-hop or rap (has nothing to do with me being a girl. I just enjoy listening to normal remixes or orchestras of video games OST), but I enjoyed listening to all of these, basically because of the video games relation.
Round Em Up, somehow, was the one I enjoyed most. He somehow ... "rhythmed" with the Kid Icarus' sample, or maybe because Kid Icarus' original music is awesome like that. And the Meganerd, yes.
I'm disappointed, though — Nobody covered Zelda, at all? Even the first? Because, that's the Zelda with the most iconic themes. One can spawn tens of songs out of Zelda's originals. I've heard endless remixes, there must have been a decent hip-hop/rap sample of it.
All in all, thanks for putting this up, and for the extra ones down there (Cam'Ron's and One-Winged Angel, though? Er, yeah, I didn't want to know about that. Heh.)
You also missed Diplo "Rhythm" which sampled Platoon from the Gameboy
Terra Firma - Mental Flight (Final Fantasy 10 Sample) really good track.
www.myspace.com/deadbs
Check me out for more video game themed remixes, the only one I currently have up there is World of Warcraft, but I have dozens done and ready to let the world hear including Zelda, Castlevania, Final Fantasy, etc! Please add me and spread the word
Listen Dude...You Forgot The People Under The Stairs- Gamin On Ya...I Typed Some Lyrics In From The Song And Couldnt Find The Song...I Looked For The Song For Like An Hour...An Hour!!!...Finally Found It...Well Peace...Im About To Swoop Up Toadstool
Quibian Salazar-Moreno
Video Game Examiner.............IDIOT!
Hey does anyone know any other the other game samples used in any of the other songs from "Game Over" or "Game Over II". Thanks if you can help.
I personally like the Statik Selektah Punch out one. I have fond memories of Little Mac's training. If any DJs like this kind of stuff they should cop the video game break record hxxp://www.undergroundhiphop.com/store/detail.asp?UPC=YOS3100LP
Good work :)
Also, another good one is
Red Tempa - Back to reality
www.myspace.com/redtempaslk
Stab Calloway did an awesome version of the wonderboy 3 theme a while back, might still be on his hip hop beat selling site.
www.Beatsweeper.com
Download Hip Hop, Rap, R&B Beats & Instrumentals - High Quality Beats For Urban Music Artists.
dont know what the samples from but on guilty simpsons "ode to the ghetto" joint hes got a track on there that sounds hella like its from a vid game. talks about how his cousin plays for the utah jazz 2 (ronnie brewer) dope stuff
and yea DMX used castlevania for the song stop bein greedy....listen to the melody
I like the new team teamwork remix of Clipse Virginia with the Legend of Zelda "lost woods" beat. Hard as a coffin nail.
Thanks for sharing this
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what about Pastor Troy-Champion, another great Zelda tune
I think there's nothing wrong with taking good samples from video games, to put lyrics to it. But c'mon there are some tunes out there that should not be touched by anybody outside of ocremix and that's only because the musicians of ocremix are also gamers and they're going to treat the source material with the love and respect it deserves. Rappers just want a cool sound but could care less about ruining a great theme with their own selfishness. I guess what I'm saying is certain things should be sacred and certain games fall under that category. Mega Man, Metroid, Ninja Gaiden, Zelda and especially Castlevania and Final Fantasy and not just because of it's source material but because the ppl who actually made these soundtracks were ten times more talented than ANY rapper. Take the Kukeiha club, the ppl who did the Castlevania soundtracks, they actually created an entirely new sound for the NES when they made the Castlevania games and Koji Kondo, one of Nintendo's main composers, Nobuo Uematsu are absolutely brilliant musicians and it seems like a slap in the face to let some rappers defile their timeless classics with hip-hop songs when they, themselves have no respect for the source material. If you feel I'm wrong, I welcome you to email me at justindrysdale92@yahoo.com and we can discuss our varying opinions. Oh and one more thing, the editor, a so-called professional writer and I suppose somewhat of a gamer, well you spelled SC wrong, it's Calibur NOT caliber. jus sayin..
hip-hop artists cannot be gamers ?
we should listen to metal or harcrock music (like 80% of ocremixes) to be a real gamer ?
hip-hop artists by definition don't treat the source material with respect ?
how can you tell that an amateur of ocremix has always respect for the source material, and an hip-hop artist not ?
I think that you know nothing about hip-hop music and its history. Try to watch the documentary "scratch" by doug pray http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0143861/
You got the song wrong for Hellbound it is called "sacrifice"
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