10 Perfect Hip Hop Music Samples Of Classic Rock Songs
4. Jay-Z's Takeover - Five To One (The Doors)
Although Jay-Z had already received a degree of acclaim by this point in his career, the release of The Blueprint in 2001, solidified his status as one of the greatest artists of his generation.
This was around the time his famed beef with Nas began to take off. Long considered one of the greatest East Coast artists of the early '90s, Nas was in jeopardy of losing his title. He had a string of releases that received far less appreciation than his acclaimed debut Illmatic (1994).
The fittingly titled "Takeover" was Jay-Z's shot at the top spot. Augmented by Kanye West's exquisitely tailored backing track - which sampled both the Doors and David Bowie - Jay-Z co-ordinated a precision takedown of a number of rappers, including Nas. It sparked a long running feud with the latter, which had the effect of reigniting Nas' career.
Although Nas fired back with some equally devastating tracks, this was Jay-Z's moment of glory. It represented the young rapper rising to the top of his game, while signalling the emerging talents of Kanye, thanks to his slick use of sampling.