Demystifying the Difference Between Sampling & Interpolation

Sampling and Interpolation have been and will always be a part of our musical experience and dialogue, so much that there's a social media account called Sample Chief, dedicated to spotlighting some African music-related samples [and interpolation]. However, what's also become prevalent is the ‘understanding and use’ of these phenomena interchangeably when in actuality, they don't mean exactly the same.

Hence, diving to the crux of this writing. The difference between Sampling and Interpolation is reliant on the [two] copyrights that every song possesses. These two copyrights are Masters and Composition.

Masters: This encompasses the actual [finished] record that is being distributed and consumed, which is a combination of the lyrics, melody, vocals etc. It is typically owned and controlled by the artist or record label.

Composition: This encompasses the underlying melody, lyrics, notes etc of a song. This doesn’t include vocals of the artist. This is typically owned by the songwriter, producer and controlled by a publisher.

Having understood these [two] copyrights of every record, one can easily identify cases where a record bears either a Sample or Interpolation.

Sampling means REUSING a piece of a particular masters in a new song. When you sample an artist/song, it means you’re taking a part or snippet of the artists masters [read: COPY] and adding that snippet to the music that is being newly created [read: PASTE]. To be called a Sample case, RECORDING from the original song must be incorporated into the new song. 

Let’s examine some instances that typify Sampling below:

• Wanted by Tiwa Savage (2013) - Listen closely from 0:43

• World-A-Music by Ini Kamoze (1984) - Listen closely from 0:54

Anyone familiar with Tiwa Savage’s “Wanted” originally released in 2013 (off her debut album), must’ve realized the part that sings “…out in the street they call it murder” isn’t Savage’s vocal. The said vocal was sung in World-A-Music  by Jamaican reggae artist, Ini Kamoze in 1984. 

Here, you can rightly say Savage sampled Kamoze’s World-A-Music in her Wanted track. This however wouldn’t have been a Sample, if Savage had sung those exact words in her own voice (more on this below).

• Follow Follow by Falz (2019) - Listen closely from 0:15

• Zombie by Fela (1976) - Listen closely from 6:16

On playing Falz’s 2019-released Follow Follow, listening closely from 0:15, you’ll hear a part of Fela Kuti’s Zombie, just before Falz makes his way into the song. This is another instance one can rightly say Falz’s Follow Follow samples Fela’s Zombie. 

This, as well, wouldn't be a Sample case if Falz had sung Fela’s words instead.

• Wombolombo by Burna Boy (2013) - Listen closely from 0:15

• Wombo Lombo by Angelique Kidjo (1996) - Listen from start

Here, Burna Boy samples Kidjo by infusing a snippet of her 1996 smash record, Wombo Lombo in his then-new record similarly dubbed Wombolombo. This sample actually went throughout the record. 

• Let Nas Down by J Cole (2013) - Listen closely from (0:17)

• Gentleman by Fela Kuti (1973) - Listen closely from 1:10

In J Cole’s Let Nas Down, listening attentively from 0:17 seconds, bears a sample of Gentleman by Fela Kuti. The sample includes some saxophone and vocal of Fela saying “mi gbo”, a Yoruba saying that means “I can’t hear”. 

• Can’t Get Enough by J Cole ft Trey Songz (2011) - Listen from start

• Paulette by Balla Et Ses Balladins (1980) - Listen closely 0:17 and 2:45

J Cole, in Can’t Get Enough also samples Paulette by Guinean band, Balla Et Ses Balladins. The sample here is quite pronounced, as it is played throughout J Cole’s record. 

• A Million by Veronica Vega ft Quavo (2019) - Listen from start

• Ise Oluwa Ko Seni Toye by Musiliu Haruna Ishola (2000) - Listen from start

At the start of A Million, American singer Veronica Vega samples son of Legendary Nigerian Apala singer, Musiliu Haruna Ishola. Upon the audio release of A Million in June 2019 which features Quavo, a part of Migos, Vega was trailed by Nigerian entertainment lawyer Lola who ensured due clearance and allocation of royalties to Ishola before Vega was permitted to release visuals of the record.

Read this [Tweet] and this [Tweet].

It’s however important to know that before sampling an artist or releasing the record, you must seek permission [also known as License] from owners or controllers of both copyrights [masters & composition]. The artist or record label[under which the song was released] grants permission for use of the masters, while the publisher[under directive of the songwriters & producers involved] grant permission for use of the underlying composition.

However, artists often desist from sampling as seeking permission can be a rigorous process. This is primarily because Sampling typifies exploiting the TWO music copyrights.

Interpolation, on the other hand refers to when a part of a record is RECREATED in a new record - thereby sounding similar to the original. Rather than ‘pasting’ a snippet from an older record, you’re re-creating the melody, lyrics [composition] of said  record into a new one. 

Here, VOCALS from the older record are not incorporated into the new one that's being created. This phenomenon is however prevalent in the music industry - arguably more than sampling.

We examine some instances that typify Interpolation below:

• Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ by Micheal Jackson (1982)- Listen closely from 4:44

• Soul Makossa by Manu Dibango (1972) - Listen closely from 0:08

Soul Makossa by Manu Dibango (who died of coronavirus complications in March) was composed for the 1972 African Nations’ Cup. Years later, Micheal Jackson went ahead to interpolate a part of the song; the popular chant, mama-say-mama-say-ma-makossa  in his 1982 record, Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ [initially without Dibango’s permission]. 

As evident, MJ didn’t use a part of Dibango’s recording [masters], instead he recreated the melody and lyrics [composition] in Dibango’s record. Here, we can rightly say Jackson interpolated Dibango - not ‘sampled’.

In 2007, Rihanna later went ahead to SAMPLE Micheal Jackson’s Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin', with permission from Jackson but without permission from Dibango, who remains the original copyright owner of the chant; which resulted in Dibango suing both Rihanna and Jackson.

(Listen to Don’t Stop the Music by Rihanna (2007) - Listen to [background vocals] closely from 1:02)

• Anybody by Burna Boy (2019) - 

• We We by Angelique Kidjo (1992) - Listen from closely 0:25

In June 2019, Burna Boy released Anybody, ahead of his African Giant album, which sparked conversations about a supposed ‘sample’ of one of Kidjo’s records. Understanding interpolation is recognizing that Burna Boy recreated some melodies from Kidjo’s 1992-released We We, as opposed to using Kidjo’s original record in Anybody, like he did with his 2013-released Wombolombo.

• Mbube by Solomon Linda (1939)

• Wimoweh by The Weavers (1950)

• The Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens (1961) [re: Disney’s Lion King]

In 1939, South African singer, Solomon Linda recorded Mbube in Zulu meaning ‘Lion’ under Gallo Record Company, South Africa's oldest record company, where Black Coffee just acquired a stake in. In 1950, New York band, The Weavers made an interpolated rendition of Mbube dubbed, Wimoweh. 

In 1961, another New York band, The Tokens released an English [pop] version of Wimoweh dubbed The Lion Sleeps Tonight which rocketed to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and later became one of the soundtracks on Disney’s 1994-released animation, The Lion King. The animation was re-released in 2019, with The Lion Sleeps Tonight now sung by Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen.

Mbube is however linked to a sad controversy pertaining it's ownership and royalties - how Linda died a pauper despite American heavyweights like Disney making millions off his work. This story has since been remade into a Netflix original titled The Lion's Share released in May 2019.

• Freak Me by Ciara (2018) - Listen closely from 0:47

• Before Nko by Tiwa Savage (2015) - Listen closely from 0:37

In 2018, Ciara teamed up with Tekno to release Freak Me, which interpolates Before Nko, by Tiwa Savage, a record off her sophomore album RED released in 2015. 

Here, you’ll realize Ciara recreated “...I won’t tell nobody how you freak my body” in her own voice and melody, as opposed to cutting that part from Savage’s record and adding to hers. This is a clear case of interpolation. At the time, there was a slight uproar upon release of this record due to claims that Ciara didn’t seek due permission prior. 

Bonus: Girlie O by Patoranking ft Tiwa Savage (0:43) and BamBam by Chaka Demus & Pliers (3:18).

For Interpolation, artists only need to get permission from owners of the Composition or their Publisher, as Interpolation exploits ONE music copyright, which entails using just melody or lyrics - no vocals, making it relatively easier to get permission than when sampling a record.

There's no statutory fee for clearing Samples or Interpolation. It’s dependent on the rightsholder as it can go just as high or low. Some could ask for an upfront fee and a percentage of royalties from the new creation. Before sampling or interpolating a track, it's important to ensure that your T’s are well crossed and I’s, well dotted, else it could spell some issue that might cost you a lifetime revenue. Once you release a song where you sampled or interpolated an artist without their permission, you have no bargaining chip towards the financial and legal repercussions that you’ll be faced with, as you’ll be at their mercy. 

Lastly, note that clearing a Sample or Interpolation doesn’t always give artists carte blanche (i.e. unrestricted permission) to use the song just anyhow and/or everywhere. Most rights holders issue permission per time/purpose. For instance, if you get permission to release a song as a single. And you later decide to have it in your album, you might need to get another approval and vice versa. If you want to use the same song for sync, you might need to get another approval and so it goes.

A relatable instance is Rihanna sampling that part of MJ’s record - without MJ seeking permission from Dibango, who is the original copyright holder of that chant. Ideally, before MJ [or his estate] grants any permission for use of that chant, they must first seek permission from Dibango’s team.

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