Drake’s Uncle Is Sampled on Kanye West’s “No More Parties in L.A.”
Over the weekend, Kanye West recaptured the hip-hop world's attention with "No More Parties in L.A.," his second single in as many weeks. And while fans were excited that the song paired him for the first time with Kendrick Lamar and Madlib, there's another artist's work embedded in there: that of Larry Graham, frontman of Graham Central Station, one-time bassist for Sly and the Family Stone and uncle to Drake.
First pointed out by Noisey, a sample from Graham's "Stand Up and Shout About Love" appears in the sixth minute of "No More Parties in L.A." It's unclear whether the element was added by West and his team, or if it was included in the Madlib original, which West reportedly bought from the Oxnard, Calif. legend in 2009.
"Stand Up and Shout About Love" was included in Graham's "One in a Million You" single, which topped Billboard's R&B charts (and hit #9 overall) in 1980. The family connection was first pointed out in 2010, when the Vancouver-based interviewer Nardwuar asked Drake about Larry in an interview.
While it's uncertain whether "Parties" will appear on Kanye's forthcoming seventh solo album, that record finally has a release date. Swish will hit stores on Feb. 11, more than two and a half years after West's last offering, Yeezus. He previously released "Real Friends," which was subsequently remixed by Erykah Badu.
Below, listen to the original version of Larry Graham's song, and watch footage of Kanye working on "Parties" in Italy.
See New Music Releases for January 2016