Fear of Overlooking

I can admit when I’m in the wrong, so today’s post is all about broadening yesterday’s “horror movie sampling” one. The truth of the matter is, I’m familiar with the majority of these already, but for others I dug as deep as possible to uncover more obscure examples. Which was beneficial on a personal level, as well as giving this horror-related post more validation.

The horror-sampling angle was my way of bridging a large gap between two things I’ve loved since early grade school—hip-hop and scary movies. But the intention wasn’t to put together a “definitive” list at all. Whenever the chance to champion lesser-celebrated classics such as Creepshow, Suspiria or Zombi 2 comes around, I’d be a fool to look the other way. Thus, the initial rundown focused specifically—for better or for worse—on songs that I regularly keep in the iTunes rotation; today’s epic post is concerned with stretching the ears as far as possible.

Again, if any others come to mind, definitely drop them into the comments section. Actually citing songs and their respective samples is better than just generalizing by saying that “so-and-so horrorcore act” must’ve sampled from a horror flick or three. If there’s an example out there that I don’t know about, I’m 100% dedicated to learning. And, for the record, Three 6 Mafia absolutely owns the horror-sampling market, but I wasn’t able to grab any of the mp3s (none of the ones I wanted to use are on Youtube, either). They’ve used the scores from shit like Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (“We Are Waiting”), Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings (“Mystic Stylez”) and Boogey Man (Project Pat’s “Red Rum”).

But first, one more NYC-based entry, just because I’m ashamed of myself for forgetting it yesterday…. —Matt Barone

Busta Rhymes – “Gimme Some More” (samples Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho)

Tech N9ne – “Be Warned” (samples “The Tubular Bells,” the main music heard in The Exorcist)

Tear Da Club Up Thugs – “Smoked Out” (also samples The Exorcist)

Killa Klan Kaze – “Crackin’ Jaws” (samples Don Coscarelli’s Phantasm)

Master P – “Pass Me the Green” (also jacks the Phantasm score)

Killa Klan Kaze – “Like to Get Away” (samples the theme music from HBO’s old horror anthology series Tales from the Crypt)

Quiz – “He’s Alive” (also lifts the Tales from the Crypt theme)

THE FOLLOWING ALL SAMPLE HALLOWEEN

Ice-T – “The Tower”

Tech N9ne – “Psycho Bitch”

Gangsta N-I-P – “Horror Movie Rap”

And, in conclusion….back to NYC, for one of my all-time favorite records, Sunz of Man’s “Soldiers of Darkness,” ft. Killarmy (samples the theme from the vampire series Dark Shadows (1966-1971).