10 Hip Hop Songs With Surprising Samples

Without producers using samples, some of the greatest and most loved hip hop songs would never have been made. Some of the genres most recognisable tracks: the ones you've seen friends try to recite word for word over the years, wouldn't be around if it wasn't for a crazy creative genius who was willing to borrow from part of a seemingly unlinked song they love and turn it into a head-nodding banger. Most of the time, samples are pretty easy for hip hop fans to digest. In the beginning, producers would take drum beats from dusty, old jazz vinyls they'd found in whatever record store they came across or, most recently, producers figured speeding up old soul vocals would make for something fans would want to listen to. Tried and tested techniques that everyone loves and no one complains about. But what about the brave producers who went a little left field with their choices? Some of the rap songs you listen to on Spotify or your iTunes may have connections to singers you don't particularly like or even a song you've never even heard of and you probably didn't even know it. Hip hop heavyweights like A$AP Rocky, Nas and The Game have had some of their biggest hits with a helping hand from artists like Iron Butterfly, Frou Frou and Florence and the Machine. Don't worry if you're currently scratching your head because you're confused and not quite sure what an Iron Butterfly is or has to do with hip hop because all will become clear for those hip hop fans looking for some serious trivia to impress your friends with...