Friday Flips: The Sample History Behind Pusha T’s “Numbers on the Boards” Posted by Nathan S. on 04/12/13 | Filed under Production Breakdown, Pusha T, Friday Flips

Every week a new mainstream beat drops containing a sample 98% of the non-rap-nerd listening public would never recognize. So it was only right that I teamed up with my fellow rap nerds Takin Mines for our new "Friday Flips" series.

Every Friday we'll break down the production history of one of the week's "biggest" tracks. This week we tackle J. Cole's production on his new "Crunch Time" track.



Nathan S. (RefinedHype):

When Pusha T drops a new song, especially one co-produced by Kanye West, the entire world listens. So I’m sure no shortage of folks rushed to press play on Pusha Ton’s new “Numbers on the Boards” and then, when the 1:30 mark hit, started wondering what was wrong.

For reasons only Don Cannon, Ye and sweet baby jesus know, “Numbers on the Board” abruptly cuts out to sample the introduction to Jay-Z’ “In My Lifetime Vol. 1” album, the three-in-one cut "Intro/A Million & One Questions/Rhyme No More.” (For our purposes we’re obviously only concerned with the “Rhyme No More” portion of the program.)



“Rhyme No More” was one of two tracks on “Lifetime” produced by DJ Premier, the other was "Friend or Foe '98", and for the beat on “No More,” Primo dug into his crates and pulled out Isaac Hayes’ soul classic "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight." Because, you know, anytime you can include Shaft on your album, you’ve got to do it:



On a related note, when “Numbers” first dropped a lot of people were claiming it was going to appear on Pusha’s upcoming “My Name Is My Name” album, which now looks like more of an internet rumor than fact (shocking, I know). It’s hard to believe they’d go through the hassle and expense of clearing an Isaac Hayes sample for three seconds of audio, but if anyone’s going to do it, it’s Kanye.

And there you have it, that’s the tale of how a 40-year-old soul song ended up on the of this week’s most talked about rap tracks. But of course Primo wasn’t alone in his love for Isaac Hayes…

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Steez (Takin' Mines):

Isaac Hayes' "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" was actually first introduced to the rap game just a few months prior to Hova's Lifetime, Vol. 1. In fact, for Bone Thugs-n-Hormony's sophomore LP, The Art of War, DJ U-Neek was the first to use this sample, for the track "It's All Mo' Thug," which is the fifth track off disc one of the album. U-Neek's use of the sample is a pretty straight forward loop with some kicks layered underneath, unlike Premiere's rendition which is sped up and chopped up over his signature drum work, making its detection a bit more murky.

1997: Bone Thugs-n- Harmony - "It's All Mo' Thug"


To bring the focus back to Premo for a moment, I'd have to rank "Intro/A Million & One Questions/Rhyme No More" among my favorite beat change-ups, along with "I'm The Man," featuring Lil' Dap and Jeru The Damaja, off Gangstarr's third album Daily Operation (not sure who produced that.. I keed I keed) and Company Flow's "Tragedy of War (In III Parts)," (prod. by El-P) as featured on their classic 1997 Rawkus Records debut Funcrusher Plus. However, Isaac Hayes does not stand alone as one of the only original composers to have contributed to Premo's epic opus.

If we were to rewind prior to the 1:30 marker of "No More," you'd hear those bright kicks, bass stabs and piano keys originally played by R&B guru Latimore off "Let Me Go," off his 1976 release It Ain't Where You Been… It's Where You're Goin,' which would end up becoming reincarnated as Hova's highly anthemic album opener, "A Million & One Questions." Although it would take over 20 years to be discovered, who better than Premo to come along and just pluck that sample like a ripe piece of fruit and make a classic.

1976: Latimore - "Let Me Go"


Now if we're to just peel another layer back, let us remind you that "A Million & One Questions" had an evil twin brother that was released strictly as a 12-inch in '98. The first half of the record is the same, however the second half gets medieval on that ass, where Premo lifts a John Cacavas composition titled "Suspense, Approach, And Landing" from the original motion picture soundtrack to the film Airport 1975. The famed South Dakota composer/conductor is also responsible for the television scores behind Kojask, Hawaii Five-O, The Bionic Woman and Buck Rogers, and others, .

1998: Jay-Z - "A Million And One Questions" (Premiere Remix) [12" Vinyl]


For shits and giggles, here's the original sample of the transition between the beat change-up of the "Million & One Questions" remix, originally composed by Dorothy Ashby on her song "Cause I Need It," as featured on her 1969 album, Dorothy's Harp Cadet. Peep that and prepare to get your mind blown.. good night folks.

1969: Dorothy Ashby - "Cause I Need It"

See Also:  Friday Flips: The Sample History Behind J. Cole’s “Crunch Time”
See Also:  Friday Flips: The Sample History Behind French Montana’s “Freaks”