Questlove on the History of Sampling, From Public Enemy to Today: ‘I See AI as a Parallel to Sampling Culture’
Categoria: Musica
On the latest episode of Billboard On the Record, the multi-hyphenate talks his new Earth, Wind & Fire documentary, sampling's evolution and the birth of hip-hop.
Por Billboard | 30/09/2026
Multi-hyphenate musician Questlove has become known as the industry’s go-to music historian. Through films like Sly Lives!, Summer of Soul — and his latest on Earth, Wind & Fire , out now on HBO Max — he has created definitive accounts of some of music’s most essential voices. Arguably, he’s also kept music of the past alive through his work as a DJ and member of The Roots . Over its decades-long tenure, The Roots has both sampled the greats and been sampled themselves by artists like Drake , Kendrick Lamar , Wale , Logic and more. “Sampling works…because of the idea of a community creating something together,” he explains. Related Metro Boomin’s ‘BBL Drizzy’ Is More Than a Joke – It Could Signal the Future of Sampling Aaron Dessner Talks Longevity in the Music Industry — and His New Label With Interscope Nearly 150,000 Tracks Are Added to Streaming Services Every Day, Luminate CEO Says The practice of sampling provided the bedrock of hip-hop and dance music as the latter half of the 20th century progressed, and like many parts of recorded music history, Questlove has studied its development carefully, cataloging the influence of icons like James Brown , Kraftwerk , A Tribe Called Quest and Public Enemy on its evolution. The history of sampling, however, has not always been an easy one. From 1988-1991, Questlove says it was the “Wild West” for the practice. “No one was policing us,” says Questlove of that fertile time. But that free-wheeling period of sampling came to an end as copyright infringement litigation against artist Biz Markie led to new rules around it, creating both a logistical and financial barrier to its use. On the latest episode of Billboard On the Record, Questlove joins the video podcast to dive into the history of sampling and how new trends — like microchopping, catalog sales and generative AI — may pose new opportunities or risks to the art form. To watch this episode of Billboard On the Record , check out the YouTube video below or click here for more viewing and listening options. An edited and condensed excerpt of the conversation can also be found below. Why do you think certain artists are sampled over and over again? I think records are a metaphorical protest against time moving forward. A record captures a compelling performance — an audio picture, a Polaroid, a moment in time — and it stays with you. Sampling works because of sound and vibration, but also because of the idea of a community creating something together. If you watch The Last Dance , the story of the Chicago Bulls, you see the synergy of that team. I think that’s one of the underlying reasons we use old music to make new music. As we search for perfection, there’s always a debate about AI versus making something yourself —microwaving versus cooking a full meal. To me, there has always been magic in imperfection. There’s magic in capturing h