Sampling & Interpolation: The differences and the benefits.

Sampling and interpolation has caused a lot of problems in the Nigerian music space. In fact, Nigerian listeners have made it a bad thing to sample. To them, to sample means to lack originality. To sample means to steal, and a thief has no business being an artist. To the average Nigerian artist, you’re less of a creative if you sample. 

The biggest victim of the sampling slander so far in the Nigerian music space is Burna Boy. A genius with a deep understanding for the art of music, he recognizes the need to keep history alive by reinventing it. Multiple times, he’s sampled legends across the world, from Toni Braxton to Fela Anikulapo Kuti. His samples are always met with criticism however, as fans believe there’s a lack of originality in his sound if he samples, not knowing that it’s the actual opposite. 

burna-boy

To sample properly is hard stuff, and only geniuses can execute this properly. In sound and music, sampling is the reuse of a portion (or sample) of a sound recording in another recording. Samples may comprise elements such as rhythm, melody, speech, or sound effects. A sample can be brief and only incorporate a single musical note or it can consist of longer portions of music (such as a drumbeat or complete melody), and may be layered, equalized, sped up or slowed down, re pitched, looped, or otherwise manipulated. 

The Big 3 – Davido, Burna Boy and Rema

Basically, to sample in music is to take a song and put it in another song, exactly or almost exactly how it was in it’s original form. The intro you hear on Last Last before Burna Boy comes in, that’s a sample. Some songs borrow rhythms from other works and infuse new lyrics into them, creating unique sounds. Other times, artists openly acknowledge the sampling in their songs, as seen in Olamide‘s “Anifowose,” or feature the original artist on the new song, like Phyno and P-Square. Olamide’s Anifowoshe sampled King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal 1 – “Orin Abode Mecca Medley” (1989)

Interpolation on the other hand refers to using a melody— or portions of a melody (often with modified lyrics)— from a previously recorded song but re-recording the melody instead of directly sampling it. 

Interpolation mostly deals with melodies. On the other hand, interpolation has become a vehicle for artists to reinterpret classic Nigerian songs, infusing them with modern twists that resonate with younger and older generations. Omah Lay’s “Damn” references and interpolates the melody and vibe of Fela Kuti’s”Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am”. Nigerian musicians have also adopted foreign song snippets to enable the global reach of their songs to a broader audience. 

This facilitates their songs’ growth and streaming numbers, boosting their royalty revenues and fan base in foreign countries. As sampling and

interpolation continue to grow and expand within the music industry, they prove Nigerian musicians’ creative ingenuity and adaptability, promoting a dynamic musical terrain that celebrates tradition while embracing innovation.

To the dearest Nigerian listener, sampling is not bad, first of all. It’s art, the expression and reinvention of it. Sampling should be appreciated and promoted when done properly, and we should encourage our artists to sample our legends even more. Secondly, it’s important to know when an artist is sampling and when he’s interpolating. It’s important to be able to tell the difference, and accurately too. Lastly, see the first point once more. 

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