You know the saying love at first site? Well, I’m a love at first listen kind of guy and it’s the beat that usually pulls me in on a song. And when I first listened to Gang Starr’s classic Moment of Truth album back in 1998 it was the very last song on that album that really caught me. Before we get any further, there were plenty of bangers on that album. But, the last song on the album, “In Memory Of…” spoke to me in a way that none of the other songs did. DJ Premier was always one of my favorite producers for his early Gang Starr and Jeru work but “In Memory Of…” might be my favorite beat of his and it all starts with the sample he used.

The following year, I was fully immersed in West Coast Underground Hip Hop and I bought the Beneath the Surface compilation because of the amazing features and because I knew that OD (aka Omid) was an amazing producer. The beats on that album were so fresh and as I made my way through the album, I once again heard the sample that Preemo had looped the year before on “In Memory Of….” The song “(in)sense” featured a group by the name of Onomatopoeia which consisted of Vixen (aka my first hip hop crush), Slant with the dope flow (btw, did you know that Slant is Snoop’s manager?!), and Puzoozoo Watt. I’m still on the lookout for that debut album from Onomatopoeia and while I’ll probably never get it, at least I have “(in)sense” and the joy it brings to my ears.

What do “In Memory Of…” and “(in)sense” have in common? Because really it’s the sample that brought me in right? They both sampled 1966’s “Here That Rainy Day” from The Paul Horn Quintet. Such a beautiful song! Below you’ll find all 3 songs… Hope you all enjoy these as much as I do!