NPR Series: The Formula: Season 1 https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=822013650 See music through a mastermind's eye. en Copyright 2024 NPR - For Personal Use Only Story API Shim 1.2.24 Tue, 01 Apr 2025 06:17:31 -0400 https://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/primary/npr_generic_image_300.jpg?s=200 NPR Series: The Formula: Season 1 https://www.npr.org/series/822013650/the-formula I'll Give My Love If You Return It To Me: Babyface And The Bonds Of Collaboration The songwriter who defined '90s R&B has been getting his due lately, but more than his melodies, it's his ability to understand collaborators — so often women — that marks him as an icon of the genre. Sat, 02 May 2020 08:42:05 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/05/02/848959321/salaam-remi-sampling-babyface-danyel-smith https://www.npr.org/2020/05/02/848959321/salaam-remi-sampling-babyface-danyel-smith Yours Truly, he produced'/>

The songwriter who defined '90s R&B has been getting his due lately, but more than his melodies, it's his ability to understand collaborators — so often women — that marks him as an icon of the genre.

(Image credit: Ringo Chiu)

]]> Danyel Smith Salaam Remi On Sampling For Nas and Amy Winehouse Unlike most super producers, Salaam Remi doesn't have an identifiable sound of his own. He's better known for mining a sound from each act he works with that, in turn, becomes their signature sound. Sat, 02 May 2020 08:41:37 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/05/02/849076752/salaam-remi-sampling-amy-winehouse-nas-apache-marvin-gaye-tammi-terrell https://www.npr.org/2020/05/02/849076752/salaam-remi-sampling-amy-winehouse-nas-apache-marvin-gaye-tammi-terrell

Unlike most super producers, Salaam Remi doesn't have an identifiable sound of his own. He's better known for mining a sound from each act he works with that, in turn, becomes their signature sound.

]]> Sampling Ain't Dead: Hip-Hop Producers Break Down The Formula NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael breaks down what he learned making The Formula, a video series in which five of hip-hop's best producers discuss the alchemy of sampling. Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:27:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/04/30/848488734/sampling-aint-dead-hip-hop-producers-break-down-the-formula https://www.npr.org/2020/04/30/848488734/sampling-aint-dead-hip-hop-producers-break-down-the-formula

NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael breaks down what he learned making The Formula, a video series in which five of hip-hop's best producers discuss the alchemy of sampling.

]]> Rodney Carmichael DJ Premier's Sonic Inspiration In Three Samples DJ Premier is a purist at heart. Watch the producer unpack samples inspired by the feelings he got from his parents' record collection that led to classic beats for Gang Starr and Biggie. Sat, 25 Apr 2020 09:01:50 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/04/25/831876144/dj-premier-inspiration-samples-biggie-kick-in-the-door-gang-starr https://www.npr.org/2020/04/25/831876144/dj-premier-inspiration-samples-biggie-kick-in-the-door-gang-starr . He picks samples based on feeling and the beats he creates from them are all about honoring that vibe. That lineage has played out from his parents record collection growing up in Houston to his own expansive discography over the last 30 years.'/>

DJ Premier is a purist at heart. Watch the producer unpack samples inspired by the feelings he got from his parents' record collection that led to classic beats for Gang Starr and Biggie.

]]> Because You're Mine: Searching For The Children Of Screamin' Jay Hawkins His signature song, "I Put A Spell On You," has a long legacy on its own and in songs that sample it. But Hawkins' dying wish for his dozens of children to meet created a new chapter in his story. Sat, 25 Apr 2020 08:58:27 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/04/25/843552317/dj-premier-sampling-screamin-jay-hawkins-hanif-abdurraqib https://www.npr.org/2020/04/25/843552317/dj-premier-sampling-screamin-jay-hawkins-hanif-abdurraqib

His signature song, "I Put A Spell On You," has a long legacy on its own and in songs that sample it. But Hawkins' dying wish for his dozens of children to meet created a new chapter in his story.

]]> Hanif Abdurraqib Kendrick Lamar's 'Money Trees' Is A Time Machine A song from the rapper's landmark album <em>good kid, m.A.A.d city, </em>produced by DJ Dahi,<em> </em>is built around an atmospheric sample. For one writer, it's a portal back to a night out in L.A. in 2015. Sat, 18 Apr 2020 09:00:53 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/04/18/837268674/dj-dahi-jeff-weiss-sampling-pusha-t-kendrick-lamar-money-trees https://www.npr.org/2020/04/18/837268674/dj-dahi-jeff-weiss-sampling-pusha-t-kendrick-lamar-money-trees good kid, m.A.A.d city, is a song "that consumes the oxygen and alters the ultra-violet," writes Jeff Weiss.'/>

A song from the rapper's landmark album good kid, m.A.A.d city, produced by DJ Dahi, is built around an atmospheric sample. For one writer, it's a portal back to a night out in L.A. in 2015.

(Image credit: Imeh Akpanudosen)

]]> Jeff Weiss DJ Dahi Unpacks His Spiritual Samples for Pusha T and Kendrick Lamar When DJ Dahi reverses samples — or alters his voice — to produce hits for the likes of Pusha T, Kendrick Lamar or Childish Gambino, it's a ministry of texture and sound. Sat, 18 Apr 2020 09:00:53 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/04/18/836983776/dj-dahi-unpacks-his-spiritual-samples-for-pusha-t-and-kendrick-lamar https://www.npr.org/2020/04/18/836983776/dj-dahi-unpacks-his-spiritual-samples-for-pusha-t-and-kendrick-lamar

When DJ Dahi reverses samples — or alters his voice — to produce hits for the likes of Pusha T, Kendrick Lamar or Childish Gambino, it's a ministry of texture and sound.

]]> Kendrick Lamar Thinks Like A Jazz Musician The rapper behind the Pulitzer Prize-winning album <em>DAMN. </em>helps hip-hop evolve by tapping into the restless spirit of jazz, a trait on display in the shifting song "DUCKWORTH.," produced by 9th Wonder. Tue, 07 Apr 2020 12:40:32 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/04/07/828115972/kendrick-lamar-thinks-like-a-jazz-musician https://www.npr.org/2020/04/07/828115972/kendrick-lamar-thinks-like-a-jazz-musician To Pimp A Butterfly wore its jazz influence on its sleeve, 2017's DAMN. displays Lamar's deep investment in the way jazz can evolve.'/>

The rapper behind the Pulitzer Prize-winning album DAMN. helps hip-hop evolve by tapping into the restless spirit of jazz, a trait on display in the shifting song "DUCKWORTH.," produced by 9th Wonder.

(Image credit: Valerie Macon)

]]> Marcus J. Moore 9th Wonder Breaks Down His Beats For Kendrick Lamar's 'Duckworth.' Watch hip-hop producer 9th Wonder break down the three beats he composed that all went into a single song from Kendrick Lamar's Pulitzer-winning album,<em> DAMN.</em> Tue, 07 Apr 2020 11:41:59 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/04/07/825949896/9th-wonder-breaks-down-his-beats-for-kendrick-lamars-duckworth https://www.npr.org/2020/04/07/825949896/9th-wonder-breaks-down-his-beats-for-kendrick-lamars-duckworth

Watch hip-hop producer 9th Wonder break down the three beats he composed that all went into a single song from Kendrick Lamar's Pulitzer-winning album, DAMN.

]]> 'I Hate You, Man': Questlove On Just Blaze's Maddening Genius The Roots drummer and <em>Tonight Show </em>bandleader picks apart exactly why fellow producer Just Blaze's talent for finding and flipping samples in unexpected combinations is both inspiring and infuriating. Tue, 31 Mar 2020 12:05:10 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2020/03/31/823993877/questlove-just-blaze-producer-sampling-maddening-genius https://www.npr.org/2020/03/31/823993877/questlove-just-blaze-producer-sampling-maddening-genius

The Roots drummer and Tonight Show bandleader picks apart exactly why fellow producer Just Blaze's talent for finding and flipping samples in unexpected combinations is both inspiring and infuriating.

]]> Questlove