Kanye West's 10 Greatest Samples Of All-Time
3. Walk With Me – The ARC Choir
Despite having a huge collection of well-known hits, for casual fans of West's music, it is easy to overlook the level of inspiration he draws from gospel music.
Whilst this is becoming more obvious, especially with the release of 2016's The Life of Pablo and his acclaimed Sunday Service performance at 2019's Coachella, these influences can be seen all the way back to his first releases.
This is perhaps best illustrated by his choice of sample for Jesus Walks, the penultimate single of his debut album The College Dropout.
The song, which helped bring mainstream attention to the lesser-known genre of Christian hip-hop, features a sample from the Harlem-based Addicts Rehabilitation Centre Choir's Walk With Me.
Whilst this was definitely a bold move for West's fledgling career, the song provides a perfect choral backdrop for his powerful words, allowing him to reconcile his desire for success in the music industry with his Christian faith.
Following its release, the track was received with universal critical acclaim, with many praising the track's sonic boldness and West's bravery to embrace his faith on a mainstream hip-hop record.
In addition to winning the award for Best Rap Song at the 2005 Grammy Awards, the song also earned places on various music publication's 'Best of the 2000s' lists.