If you were paying attention to music at all between 2000 and 2005, you probably heard some familiar sounds in Tory Lanez' new mixtape Chixtape 4. Every song on the project features a musical reference to rap and R&B's recent past, including some of the biggest radio hits of the time period. As he did with Brownstone's "If You Love Me," on "Say It," Tory uses the source material as a jumping off point to create his own modern interpretation of the samples, bringing about nostalgia from those familiar with the records he's paying tribute to, as well as providing a history lesson to younger audiences.
Samples included on the project that we didn't get to come from Chingy, Destiny's Child, Ginuwine, and more. You can find five of the most memorable samples (which should take you on a trip down memory lane) by clicking through the gallery above.
Fat Joe - What's Luv
Fat Joe - "What's Luv?" Feat. Ashanti (2001)
Fat Joe's 2002 single "What's Luv?" was the biggest hit of the Bronx rapper's career, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Born in 1992, Tory Lanez would have been 10 years old when the song was playing on the radio, and anyone who's around the same age should have a certain nostalgia for the track. The beat on Tory's "What's Luv" is a modern interpretation of the original instrumental, which itself took notes from Tupac's posthumous Lil Mo collab "N*ggaz Nature." Tory takes a more R&B-leaning approach to the track, eventually going back and forth with the original hook performed by Ashanti and Ja Rule, which will be familiar to anyone who heard the album version, but may be a surprise to those who know it only from its single release, where Joe performed Ja's part of the chorus.
Ignition
R. Kelly's "Ignition" and "Ignition (Remix)" (2002)
Though the remix gained far more recognition, anyone who's listened to R. Kelly's Chocolate Factory knows that parts 1 and 2 of the song play best back to back, and Tory Lanez flip of both songs on "Ignition" banks on that dynamic, opening with vocals from the slow jam-y first part, before jumping to the immortal "Bounce, bounce, bounce," from the remix later on, at which point Tory interpolates some of the melodies from the hit while maintaining the crawling tempo of the lesser known version.
I Need A Girl Part 2
P. Diddy's "I Need a Girl Pt. 2" Feat. Mario Winans, Ginuwine and Loon (2002)
Sticking with samples largely taken from the early 00s, Tory reaches back to P. Diddy's We Invented The Remix on "Need A Girl." While the age-old debate of "I Need A Girl Pt. 1" vs. "I Need A Girl Pt. 2" was never settled, Tory may have cast his vote with his Pt. 2-sampling track. Once again, he slows things down, holding on to the memorable guitar riff, as well as manipulating Ginuwine and Mario Winan's hook. Consider this the unofficial "I Need A Girl Pt. 3."
Pretty Ricky - "Grind On Me" (2005)
Tory Lanez sets the tone for his new mixtape with the first track, "Slow Grind," which liberally samples Pretty Ricky's "Grind On Me." Using the same chord progression and sampling the hook from the explicit version of the track ("Grind With Me" was the one that played on radio), Tory and Jacquees pay tribute to the Miami-based group, filtering the hit to fit within their late-night R&B style. While anyone who grew up through the mid-00s will remember the song, which peaked at #7 on the Hot 100, it also had its very own Vine craze not too long ago, so even the young'n's can vibe to this one.
Just A Friend
Mario - "Just A Friend 2002" (2002)
Mario's "Just A Friend 2002," was itself an interpolation of Biz Markie's classic 1989 single, but Tory Lanez has updated it once again for 2017. Much like his successful "Say It," single, Tory effectively uses the vocals from Mario's track as a filtered choir of backing vocalists for his own hook, carving out his own melody to contrast it.