03.Jun.2009 Techno in Hip Hop

I’ve mentioned this in this past, but more lately, I’ve been noticing Techno’s growing influence on Hip-Hop. Maybe techno is the wrong word, I think electronica or electronic music is better. Regardless it seems that more and more of the mainstream Hip-Hop artists are using electronic elements for their beats. I think it’s all been slowly coming for a long time. It could have started with Kanye sampling Daft Punk for Stronger, or even Rihanna and T.I. with Live Your Life – that sampled the OZONE song Dragostea din Tei, better known as Numa Numa. That said, it’s clear that electronica has made its mark on Hip-Hop.  With each new Flo Rida song that hits the charts – note how I said hit and not climb- our favorite dance songs of old are being snatched up and turned into awful remakes. He took Blue by Eiffel 65 and made Sugar and You Spin Me Round by Dead or Alive (also from meatspin.com) and made Right Round, ugh. Pitbull has done the same, but to a much less painful degree. He sampled Calabria by Enur for his song The Anthem, as well as sampling 75 Street Brazil for his new song I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho). All these samplings have lead to a changing sound in Hip-Hop. Even original songs now have a serious electronic and synth influence.

Since we’re all about fresh gravy here, I figured I’d share with you all the newest Pitbull song Calle Ocho and a new Sean Kingston song Fire Burning, which doesn’t sample anything – a great example of an original beat with electronic influence- but if you drop out Kingston’s vocals you could have a serious house jam.

Download: I Know You Wante Me (Calle Ocho) – Pitbull

Download: Fire Burning – Sean Kingston