Sampling has been an integral part of hip-hop for decades. It's one of the genre's main foundations. When a producer uses a portion of an already existing song for a new record, the sample turns the track into a whole new experience for the listener.

This article has been handpicked from the Okayplayer editorial archives and included in our Hip Hop 50 collection as a noteworthy inclusion to the genre's rich and diverse narrative. The article has been edited for context to ensure its accuracy and relevance.