Metaphorical Sampling: a Lo-Fi Selection of Nujabes Samples

Inspiration

Metaphorical Sampling: a Lo-Fi Selection of Nujabes Samples

It takes true art to sample like Nujabes. The Japanese producer is known as a godfather to the lo-fi aesthetic. This collection with piano loops, rare soul records, and Brazilian flips inspired by 'Modal Soul' is here to help give your beats a chillhop vibe.

Tracklib

August 22, 2024

How to Sample like Nujabes

The beatmaking of Jun Seba a.k.a. Nujabes is widely celebrated for a reason. In a video series titled Iconic Sampling Techniques Explained, producer JFilt of VerySickBeats highlights how to produce beats like Nujabes. For that, he uses the samples "Tiger Trot" by Leroi Conroy, "Face The Future" by 70s soul group Coupe De Villes, and "Angels We Have Heard on High" by David Ian and Acacia.

A Collection to Sample Like Nujabes

Explore the full collection

Japanese Sample Packs

If you want to dig deeper into Japanese samples, why not check out Bandai Namco - Ready To Flip or Weeaboo Bangers? These collections focus on Japanese music, anime, and video game soundtracks. All genres that are heavily influential in the world of lo-fi and chillhop. Even Nujabes himself composed music for anime films. Most notably for the Samurai Champloo series together with an underappreciated Japanese producer: Fat Jon.

Get Inspired by Samurai Champloo

Watch the Sample Breakdown video on "Battlecry" featuring Shing02, part of the Samurai Champloo OST. The video dissects the sample of "Emily" by The Singers Unlimited—a group famously sampled by J Dilla for a Slum Village classic. See the connections there?

The Connections Between J Dilla & Nujabes

Born two worlds apart, J Dilla and Nujabes are often mentioned in the same breath as lo-fi legends. The fact Detroit’s J Dilla and Tokyo’s Nujabes were both born on the very same day in 1974—and both passed away in the same month only four years apart—is quite peculiar. J Dilla and Nujabes are like distant brothers in beats. There are even resemblances between their sample usage and record collections. Read the article Remembering J Dilla & Nujabes Through Samples for more about that.

Remembering J Dilla & Nujabes Through Samples

Iconic hip-hop producers Nujabes and J Dilla seem like connected souls. These are the music production similarities that connect their timeless works.

Sample Breakdowns of Nujabes

Other Sample Breakdown videos include "Luv(sic) Pt. 1-3" with Shing02, "Feather" featuring CYNE's Cise Starr & Akin, and arguably the most beautiful song by Nujabes: "Reflection Eternal" with the piano and vocal flip of Noriko Kose and Kenny Rankin.

More Nujabes samples

For more samples, dig further into the sample collection inspired by Nujabes or explore some of the collections below.

Metaphorical Sampling: a Lo-Fi Selection of Nujabes Samples

How to Sample like Nujabes

Tiger Trot

Face The Future

Angels We Have Heard on High

A Collection to Sample Like Nujabes

Himalaya

A Ballad

Make It Happen

Winds of Love

Lover And A Friend

Public Art

Apesar do Frio

Thoughts of Gold

Sophia

Shanghai Caper

Something You Really Want

Lament

Não Lugares

Come le nuvole del nord

Divertimento

Milan By Night