SAMPLED: Santigold - "Look At These Hoes"

by Aaron Zorgel

June 21, 2012

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SAMPLED is a recurring column that examines the skeletal production of a contemporary Rap/R&B/Hip-Hop or Pop song. From what song did the loop, sample, or chopped up vocal providing the backbone for a new interpretation originate? This week, the sample is from “Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas.

SAMPLED is a column that examines the skeletal production of a contemporary Rap/R&B/Hip-Hop or Pop song. From what song did the loop, sample, or chopped up vocal providing the backbone for a new interpretation originate? We look at the original song with some historical context, and then review the modern-day production that samples the original. For better or worse, this is the process by which a huge portion of contemporary pop music is assembled. On a weekly basis, SAMPLED aims to approach it case-by-case, and examine the dividing practice of using samples in the creation of music.

This week, the sample in question comes from “Boom Boom Pow,” by the Black Eyed Peas:

Remember 2009? It wasn’t too long ago that will.i.am began his descent into insanity, and started churning out the robotic, nonsensical space junk that was embraced commercially by millions on The E.N.D. (The Energy Never Dies). Songs like “Imma Be” and “Boom Boom Pow” are, in my mind, bookmarked as “the point of no return” for pop music’s eventual decline. Once we told will.i.am he could get away with lyrics like “Beats so big I’m steppin’ on leprechauns, shittin’ on y’all with the boom boom,” we invited a new level of mediocrity onto the radio. I’m not arguing that Monkey Business was cerebral and brilliant or anything, but The E.N.D. showed a marked devolution and a lack of respect for the listener. Either that, or will.i.am simply lost his damn mind. Maybe a little of both. According to Billboard, “Boom Boom Pow” was the 7th most popular song of the decade (“I Got A Feeling” was #5), paving the way for another decade of nonsensical, terrible music to rule the charts.

“Boom Boom Pow” was recently sampled by Santigold, in the song “Look At These Hoes” appearing on the 2012 record Master Of My Makebelieve:

If there’s one positive we can find in the creation of “Boom Boom Pow,” it might be the fact that Santigold’s producer Diplo decided to sample it on “Look At These Hoes.” The only part of the song Diplo saw fit to chop from will.i.am’s monstrosity is the first few seconds, a synthetic drone that sounds kind of like a swarm of robot bees. This sample appears during the intro of “Look At These Hoes,” and reappears during what you might call the chorus. Commercially, Santigold’s second studio album Master Of My Makebelieve is criminally under-appreciated, spending just one week on the Billboard 200 at #21. The E.N.D., on the other hand, sold 11 million copies worldwide. What a cruel, stupid world we live in.

Tags: Music, Featured, News, Black Eyed Peas, Boyz Noise, Diplo, Santigold, will.i.am

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