10 Best Rock Samples In Hip Hop
4. Walk On The Wild Side - Can I Kick It? (A Tribe Called Quest)
Lou Reed had this track to thank for introducing a new generation of 90s kids to his music.
It's a classic example of how sampling can transform what a song means for people depending on the generation they belong to.
The original Lou Reed track spoke about the weird and wonderful characters he encountered while living in New York, with references to all manner of subjects that were considered taboo during the 70s, ranging from drug use, casual sex and the transgender community.
When Q-Tip made the decision to sample the backing track, it was as if Reed had written the song for Tribe. The melody lent itself perfectly to the laid back flow of Tribe's lyrical call and response approach to rapping. The song became all about self-confidence and finding ease with one's self. Who hasn't adopted a relaxed slouch as soon as this track comes on?
Reed would also claim the royalties for this track when Tribe's record label failed to clear the track for sampling. Leaving one of their biggest songs to date paying out thousands of dollars straight into the pockets of the Velvet Underground singer.