“It’s policing Black music… Hip-hop was born from sampling. And now sampling is synonymous with theft”: Lizzo argues that the origins of sampling law are “racially charged”

Back in the day, when the world was still figuring out its groove, the groundbreaking art of sampling didn’t just happen overnight. So, who were the pioneers? Well, let’s turn our time machine dial to the gritty and soulful ’80s and ’90s when rappers were scribbling their verses on scraps of paper and spitting fiery rhymes into rickety microphones. Back then, samplers weren’t as sleek as they are now; they were raw, clunky machines that captured bits and pieces of soundscapes, transforming them into hip-hop gold. Why did they do it? Because back in those days, big studios were like forbidden playgrounds, locked away behind velvet ropes and inaccessible to these hungry creatives. And so, the samplers became their tools of rebellion, their weapons of choice to slice, dice, and recreate the sonic tapestry of urban life. The beats that echoed through the streets were born from grit, passion, and sheer determination to be heard.