10 Rap Songs That Sampled Classical Music

Sample: Symphony No. 3 by Beethoven

Producer: Ant

First track of your first studio album. You're a highly sensitive, insecure white kid from Minneapolis. You crave attention, respect, you got a lot of feelings to get off your chest and a way of doing it so unique and personal it will soon give name to its own genre ("Emo Rap").

What better way of introducing your "gifted-anxious" personality to the world than summoning another tormented artist to usher you ? There's an implicit message in the sampling choice that plays to the intellectual ego-tripping of the lyrics: it takes a genius to rhyme over the music of another genius.

The result is one of Atmosphere's most slapping tracks, and one of the most popular from their early phase. Beethoven's 3rd Symphony is a loud and grandiose piece, but Ant identified just the right bit to sample for a dark and intimidating instrumental.

Superb lyricism, inspired beats, coherence between the two: it's easy to see why and how Atmosphere became one of the most acclaimed and beloved underground groups, as well as the forefront of Minnesota hip hop.

As for what the title alludes to, more than 20 years later still nobody knows.