The Samples on Charlie Heat’s ‘FIREWORKS’ Album

It’s no news that Charlie Heat knows how to find the right gems to sample. As small as Street Fighter soundbites on Kanye West’s “Facts (Charlie Heat Version)”, and as big as a Roberta Flack flip throughout last month’s “Coming Home” track by Pusha T featuring Lauryn Hill. And now finding and clearing samples through Tracklib have been added to his creative process.

”2PC” featuring 24hrs samples “Love Caught You By Surprise (Club Version)”, released in 1985 by 4th & Broadway who also released music by Womack & Womack, Millie Scott, Sly & Robbie, and hip-hop such as N.W.A., Eric B & Rakim, Run DMC, and Stereo MC’s. The track by Earl Turner was later licensed by New York-based imprint Cutting Records, who have hundreds of dance and electronic tracks on Tracklib catching digital dust, waiting to be sampled.

A more interesting story is behind the background sample on “DREAM”, for which Charlie Heat subtly used Doc Shebeleza’s “Ghets Ghetsa.” Shebeleza is a legend in the Kwaito genre, a style of music that erupted in the 90s in townships of the southern part of Africa. It merged international influences from hip-hop, house, jazz, and ragga with earlier local styles of music. Tracks such as “Kummandi La“ and his entire S’Kumfete album helped shaped the Kwaito genre, which earned Doc Shebeleza a Lifetime Achievement Award at last year’s Mzansi Kwaito House Music Awards in South Africa.

Intentionally or not, the Kwaito might have been a source of inspiration, as “DREAM” takes a left turn with an off-kilter drum pattern compared to the rest of the album. A welcome moment of relaxation between two hard-as-hell beats featuring Lil Baby, G Herbo, and Denzel Curry. Add the gospel on closing track “NEVER LOOK DOWN” and R&B vibes on “HAVE A GOOD TIME” featuring The Internet’s Syd to that, and you have a debut album showcasing Charlie Heat’s diversity as a producer. “G-g-g-good work, Charlie.”