Young Guru Defends Young Producers Sampling Early 2000s Hits

BYAron A.2.3K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Jerod Harris/Getty Images
Young Guru speaks onstage at The 2020 NAMM Show on January 17, 2020 in Anaheim, California.
Young Guru puts things into perspective.

From records like Kay Flock's "Shake It" to Jack Harlow's #1 single, "First Class," there's a huge surge in producers utilizing hit records from the 2000s and crafting them into modern-day bangers. Sampling remains a cornerstone of hip-hop but it seems that some have found the popularity of rehashing nostalgic hits lazy.

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Jay-Z's engineer Young Guru chimed in on the controversy on Twitter this week. In his opinion, what the producers of today are doing is no different from the techniques used in the 90s. Guru explained that he was sampling songs from the 70s during the mid-90s, so it should be fair game for the youth to sample records from the late 90s and early 2000s, especially since many of them were only kids when these songs were released. 

"In 94 we sample records that were 20 years old from 74," he tweeted. "Please stop critiquing the youth for sampling records that are from 2000 or even the 90’s. Let the youth be the youth!! You 50 trying to argue with a 20 something. Stop!!!"

Sampling hasn't died as an art form with a plethora of producers still digging through the crates to find that one sound that'll hit. However, it's quite obvious how songs like "First Class" are positioned to top the charts off of the strength of the sample.

Check out Young Guru's tweet below. Do you agree? Let us know in the comments below. 



About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
...