10. Travi$ Scott - "Mamacita" (produced by Travi$ Scott, Metro Boomin, and DJ Dahi)
Teaming up with drum expert DJ Dahi and breakout trap producer Metro Boomin, Travi$ made sure that "Mamacita" exceeded expectations. You probably recognize the eerily familiar guitar pick - it was also used in Pusha T's "Nosetalgia." In an interview with Sway, Scotty said that he hated the drums in Pusha's track and wanted to perfect the aesthetic - he delivered9. Freddie Gibbs - "Harold's" (produced by Madlib)
Rappers love food and Gangsta Gibbs is no exception. This reminiscent track is complimented by a warm, soulful beat by way of a Rose Royce sample that's just as filling as Harold's fried chicken8. Kendrick Lamar - "i" (produced by Rahki)
Although many were offput by the only single Kendrick released in 2014, it quickly became one of the top songs of the year. The song in general served as a positive flashback to the funk/r&b era, when artists sang more about emotion than the braggadocio content that is prevalent in today's mainstream music
The beat did nothing but accentuate this concept, by incorporating The Isley Brothers' classic song, "Who's That Lady." Rahki brought in a crew of live musicians to re-play parts of the song, threw in a vintage-sounding drum loop, and added in a bass solo from frequent Kendrick collaborator Thundercat to complete the anthem of positivity7. Hudson Mohawke - "Chimes" (produced by Hudson Mohawke)
This cut from Hudson Mohawke was the 2014 version of “Blood On The Leaves”. After the success of its Apple commercial, Apple decided to make the default ringtone in the iPhone 6, but this caused the phones to bend and was never included in the final design! The blaring horns and bass make this the perfect song to do just about anything to: skydive, take illicit substances, fall in love - whatever tickles your fancy6. PRhyme - "Wishin'" (produced by DJ Premier)
Four different beats, God knows how many samples, and unlike the recent emergence of "Kanye & 20 other people" tracks, the legendary DJ Premier holds the production down on his own. Although Primo is known for sampling an abundance of artists, “Wishin’” and the rest of PRhyme only samples music from the catalogue of Adrian Younge (aka the guy who does crazy film soundtracks and records with Ghostface Killah). This track is full of old school boom bap drums, guitar riffs, scratches, and works its way from fast to slow, and back to full throttle with Royce & Common flowing over every inch. It’s the type of beat to hype you up, and make you ready to catch a body on a Tuesday night5. Ras Kass - "H20" (produced by Apollo Brown)
Simply put, Apollo Brown is one of the best samplers out there. On “H20” he effortlessly chopped Freda Payne’s “The Way We Were,” splicing vocals and combining the soulful bliss with deep kicks and a distinct snare. Although all of Blasphemy was constructed in a similar manner, “H20” was our favorite solely because it blends with the song content flawlessly, creating a quenching elixir. If you’re thirsty for soulful hip-hop, this beat will leave you refreshed4. Flying Lotus - "Never Catch Me" (produced by Flying Lotus)
The comeback of King Kendrick Lamar occurs here with a perfect mesh from a flurry of genres, one that can only be executed from the unique Flying Lotus. The eerie synths give us a touch of the afterlife, and coupled with the delicate piano keys it aligns perfectly with the music video. A set of heart racing drums is flawlessly added to keep the tempo up for Kendrick while providing a callback for fans to the good old Section.80 days. If Kendrick’s rhymes don’t melt your mind midway through the track, you’ll make it to Thundercat’s jaw-dropping bass solo, which should take you on a psychedelic out of body experience between the Sun and the Moon before gracefully hitting the repeat button a thousand times3. Pusha T - "Lunch Money" (produced by Kanye West and Charlie Heat)
As of recent, King Push and G.O.O.D. Music founder Kanye West have whipped up a unique sound that’s sure to inspire generations to come. Ye in particular has displayed a hunger to reinvent himself, continuously displaying that he can continue to set trends in hip-hop
Unlike typical instrumentals, this one is carried solely by the sample - Jean-Jacques Perrey's "E.V.A." This clears the way for Pusha's flawless cadence, leading to a dope track overall. In the words of Hova, “Kanyeezy you did it again, you a genius!”2. Drake - "0 to 100/The Catch Up" (produced by Boi-1da, Frank Dukes, 40, and Nineteen85)
Drake got a hit out of this beat in more than one way - he reportedly stole the beat from Diddy, which led to a brawl that ended up sending Drizzy to the ER. Can we really blame him for using it though? This beat is DOPE! Once the song took the internet by storm, it was obvious that the beat was primarily responsible for its success. In fact, several notable artists such as Joel Ortiz, Meek Mill and Juicy J released their own remixes
As far as the production goes, the main portion was sampled from composer Frank Dukes’ “Vibez,” a song that was featured one of his clearance-free sample packs. Although Boi-1da’s contributions were minimal, the banging drum pattern perfectly offsets the smooth melody. Young producers should heed this - you can find a hit sample anywhere!1. Rick Ross - "Sanctified" (produced by DJ Mustard, Kanye West, and Mike Dean)
With the stellar year that LA native DJ Mustard has had, it's only fitting that his collaboration with Kanye West and Mike Dean, "Sanctified," would be #1 on our list
The part that had everybody talking was Betty Wright's prayer hands emoji-evoking intro - a bit that nearly everyone thought had been sampled. Contrary to popular belief, Mike Dean composed her parts and brought her in to record specifically for this song - no samples were used!
Another fun fact - Kanye's only role in the production was slowing the instrumental down. However, this would prove crucial to its success - the track originated an entirely new sound that would later be replicated in the two producers' second collaboration, Big Sean's "I Don't Fuck With You."
