Mystic Brew's Electric Flip

Ronnie Foster's 1972 "Mystic Brew" and other jazz-funk grooves are the blueprint A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip and peers like Pete Rock used to craft definitive hip-hop anthems.

Tracklist

  1. Mystic Brew — Ronnie Foster
  2. Electric Relaxation — A Tribe Called Quest
  3. Summer Song — Ronnie Foster
  4. Award Tour — A Tribe Called Quest
  5. Everybody Loves The Sunshine — Roy Ayers Ubiquity
  6. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) — Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
  7. Stakes Is High — De La Soul
  8. Don't Cry — J Dilla

Transcript

Welcome to OffStereo. Late night session. Let's get into it.

We've got a story to unfold — let me set the frame before we drop into the music.

Mystic Brew — Ronnie Foster

In 1972, jazz organist Ronnie Foster released "Two-Headed Freap", an album that would lay down a groove destined to become a cornerstone of hip-hop. This track, "Mystic Brew", provides the iconic Hammond B3 organ melody and infectious bassline that captivated producers.

Electric Relaxation — A Tribe Called Quest

Two decades later, A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip masterfully constructed "Electric Relaxation" by transforming Foster's composition. He manipulated "Mystic Brew" by pitching the sample down two steps and speeding it up slightly, creating a definitive jazz-rap anthem. Phife Dawg recounted Q-Tip saying, "Yo, that shit is crazy, right?" when he first heard the beat.

Summer Song — Ronnie Foster

"Summer Song" further exemplifies the soulful, groovy sound from Foster's "Two-Headed Freap" album. This record, along with others from his 1970s Blue Note catalog, gained a cult following among hip-hop artists, who rediscovered them as fertile ground for samples.

Award Tour — A Tribe Called Quest

From the same "Midnight Marauders" album, "Award Tour" highlights A Tribe Called Quest's consistent prowess in crafting jazzy, sample-driven soundscapes. Q-Tip notably instructed engineer Bob Power to retain surface noise and crackles in samples, departing from cleaner sounds and deepening the album's gritty aesthetic.

Everybody Loves The Sunshine — Roy Ayers Ubiquity

Roy Ayers, a contemporary of Ronnie Foster, cultivated a similar vibraphone-driven jazz-funk sound that deeply influenced A Tribe Called Quest and the broader Native Tongues movement. "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" embodies this shared sonic palette, bridging generations through soulful grooves.

They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) — Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" stands as another masterclass in sample flipping by a peer of ATCQ. This track demonstrates the era's sophisticated art of transforming obscure jazz and soul breaks into foundational hip-hop anthems, paralleling the brilliance of the "Mystic Brew" flip.

Stakes Is High — De La Soul

Fellow Native Tongues members De La Soul continued this tradition of jazz-infused sampling with tracks like "Stakes Is High." Their evolving style maintained the cultural thread and shared aesthetic, representing the collective's commitment to digging practices and intricate beat-making inspired by groups like A Tribe Called Quest.

Don't Cry — J Dilla

The legacy of intricate beat-making, inspired by groups like A Tribe Called Quest, carried forward into the next generation with innovators like J Dilla. His track "Don't Cry" exemplifies the continued art of flipping soul and jazz samples, solidifying Blue Note jazz's enduring influence on hip-hop production and culture.

Thanks for joining us on OffStereo. The journey of a sound, from its roots to its new life, truly shows the magic of discovery in every set.

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