Want to jump straight to the answer? Our choice for the Best Old School Hip Hop Samples is Stuck in the Old School and Stuck in the Old School 2 from ODD Samples!
With all of the passion, creativity, and sheer ingenuity involved in old school Hip Hop, there is no denying it was a turning point for music. Without sounds from Run D.M.C., Slick Rick, Beastie Boys, we wouldn’t have modern pop, rap, hip hop, or any remotely similar genre. Sometimes it is best to go back and reevaluate what it was that made those songs so great, and find ways to reincorporate them into modern beats. Now the sounds you will find are not going to be lots of synths and 808’s. In old school Hip Hop the sounds they used were either real instruments or samples of real instruments. You would hear a lot of horns, guitars, organs, and clavinets, anything that would push the rhythm and melody they would include.
What To Look For When Choosing a Old School Hip Hop Sample
One of my favorite aspects of old school Hip Hop is where the influences came from. These sounds would be from jazz, funk, R&B, even some rock. But the inspiration for the beats and songs came from other fantastic forms of music. While those are factors you should remember when you are working with old school Hip Hop samples, here are some other factors to remember.
Pricing
Sample packs are cheap. There is no denying it. When you go through a subscription to get those samples, it is even cheaper. You can purchase individual samples and pick and choose which ones you want to have in your library. I will say though that you might as well use all of your points or credits every month and just buy a random pack you find interesting, rather than wasting what you have.
Frequency of Use
Old school Hip Hop samples are so easily incorporated in modern beats and other types of music even. Using samples to criss cross genres has become a common theme and it creates some great results. Honestly, old school Hip Hop samples probably are the best for your money because of how many ways you’ll be able to use them.
Skill Level
Hip Hop samples don’t take any more skill than any other genre. It’s not a hard genre to create a basic beat with samples. Honestly the more intricate the beat, the worse it can be. Simplicity can be the king when it comes to creating the next hit.
7 Best Old School Hip Hop Samples
1. Stuck in the Old School and Stuck in the Old School 2 – ODD Samples
Who’s it for? Intermediate and above
Best for: 90’s beats
These 2 packs are full of some of the best old school sounds of the 90’s Hip Hop scene. These are the types of sounds you would get in tracks from Dr. Dre, Method Man, and Notorious B.I.G. Be ready to find nostalgia and raw instrument sounds in these 2 awesome packs.
Price –
- Available with Loopcloud subscription
- Stuck in the Old School – 101 points
- Stuck in the Old School 2 – 832 points
- Stuck in the old School 2 on Loopmasters – $32.83
What is included? Over 400 Loops and One-Shots including
- Keyboard
- Guitar
- Wind and Brass
- Double Bass
- Piano
2. Subtract – Old School Hip Hop – Origin Sound
Who’s it for? Intermediate and above
Best for: Lo Fi Vibes
This pack is the perfect example of mixing jazz and Hip Hop. Beyond just having basic drum samples and loops, there are great chord progressions included that are built to seamlessly flow together. Overall the samples are great for a rap song or a solo track with how open the instruments feel and leave the frequency range.
Price: Available with Splice subscription
What is included? 96 Loops and 105 One-Shots including
- Kicks
- Tops
- Grooves
- Bass
- FX
3. Loopcloud Drum- Classic Hip Hop EXP – Loopmasters
Who’s it for? Intermediate and above
Best for: Drums
So while the whole focus of this pack is on percussion, there are some fantastic instruments that are included in this pack. There are organs and synths perfect for any background or intro fade in. Don’t be fooled though because these drum sounds are top-notch and ready to tackle any beat your heart desires.
Price: Available with Loopcloud subscription
What is included? 147 One-Shots including
- Bass Guitar
- Synth
- Open and Closed Hi-Hat
- Guitar
- Scratch
4. Iconic Hip Hop – Epic Stock Media
Who’s it for? Intermediate and above
Best for: Old School Texture
This pack is a mashup of classic drum sounds from some of the best decades of Hip Hop. These drum sounds are perfect for making throwback beats that go to the roots of Hip Hop with groups like Run DMC.
Price: Available with Splice subscription
What is included? 223 One Shots including
- Hats
- Textures
- Claps
- Snares
- Kicks
5. Golden Blend Hip Hop – Sample Diggers
Who’s it for? Intermediate and above
Best for: Bass Lines
The overall instrumental skill showcased in this pack is off the charts. There are some of the most creative bass, organ, piano, and guitar parts I have ever heard especially in a Hip Hop samples pack. This is a great mix and feel of a mashup of Hip Hop with its forerunner, Funk.
Price:
- Available with Loopcloud Subscription
- Available on Loopmasters
What is included? 248 Loops and 201 One-Shots including
- Bass Guitar
- Vibraphone
- Wind and Brass
- Bongo
- Piano
6. Smooth FM- Classic Hip Hop Radio – Origin Sound
Who’s it for? Intermediate and above
Best for: Smooth Rap
The sounds and vibes I picked up listening through this pack, especially with the grooves and music loops, was making me think of “Big Poppa” from The Notorious B.I.G. and “It Was A Good Day” from Ice Cube. This pack from Origin Sound is a great way to reintroduce the classic R&B and Hip Hop vibes to your music.
Price: Available with Splice subscription
What is included? 148 Loops and 209 One Shots including
- Grooves
- Hats
- Bass
- Chords
- Vocals
7. Amen OG- Hip Hop Breaks – Black Octopus
Who’s it for? Intermediate and above
Best for: Drum Machine Sounds
Listening to this pack you can hear the influences. To me, it felt like I was listening to an old cassette full of loops and tracks made through classic beat machines. If that isn’t your vibe they also have all of the sounds without what they call the “Retro Sampler Tone” for a cleaner feel.
Price: $29.19
What is included? Over 100 loops and hits with and without the Retro Sampler Tone
OG’s Never Die
These sounds are from a time that wasn’t that long ago but feel so far away. Many rappers from that generation have died but their music and legacies live on. The sounds they pioneered have set up the modern world of Hip Hop, but it has also left the door open for that style to make a comeback. You don’t see older versions of music making a re-entrance into modern music very often. Look at disco, once it died everyone made sure it stayed dead. These artists were so influential and skilled in their craft that their stuff is still popular today.
If you like to work with samples and are wanting to learn about other genres and instruments, we have a plethora of articles that look at many different genres and styles of samples here.
Wanna learn about plugins to add effects to your samples? Look at our catalog of plugin reviews and comparisons here.
Jarrett is a hardcore Lover-Jazz Lover-Rock Lover-Blues Lover-just a music lover. He has the hair to match — Jarrett and provides in-depth insight into all things guitar and music engineering.