So much of hip-hop is built on the notion of creating something from something. Call it covering, call it borrowing, call it sampling, but don't call it unoriginal. For decades, samples have helped musicians turn some of greatest hits into even greater hits.
Fugees are no exception to this. They built upon this legacy, The samples and covers included on 1996's The Score range everywhere from The Delphonics to Enya -- and yet they’re seamlessly woven together to create a distinct, singular album.
In the Season 13 finale, host Jill Hopkins heads to the operating room to dissect three songs off The Score that best embody the art of the sample and the depth of knowledge the Fugees brought to the studio: "Zealots", "The Score", and "Ready or Not".
Surrounding Jill at the table with scalpels and insight are Ruffhouse Records co-founders Chris Schwartz and Joe Nicolo; rapper Psalm One; and music journalist Insanul Ahmed. Together, they discuss why certain bits were used, why whole songs were sometimes included, and how the Fugees turned existing classics into their own -- read: completely new -- classics.
Original music by Tony Piazza.