Production Breakdown: The Convoluted Sampling History of “Bumpy’s Lament”

Now, I realize this constitutes a regrettable gap in my pop-cultural knowledge , but I haven't seen Shaft. Thus, I have no idea what Bumpy Jonas was lamenting in “Bumpy's Lament,” a track off the '71 blaxploitation classic's equally classic soundtrack. The fact that his parents named him “Bumpy,” maybe? Regardless, when I did a little research on the instantly-recognizable sample that formed the backbone of Freddie Gibbs' latest offering, Closed Sessions cut “Something New,” I quickly realized that I'd struck Production Breakdown gold – I knew those couple bars had appeared in numerous tracks, but I wouldn't have guessed just how ubiquitous it was. So hold on tight readers, it's gonna be a “Bumpy” ride. Oh man, I crack myself up.

OK, let's backtrack; what you're hearing on Freddie Gibbs' joint is not, in fact, Isaac Hayes' original. included in the film and on the soundtrack LP:



Though this version was well-used in the sampling arena, inspiring cuts like Adina Howard's “If We Make Love Tonight” and Mobb Deep's “Back at You,”



it was a later version that had the greater impact on the hip-hop game. Namely, this one, off Soul Mann & The Brothers' Shaft cover album (also released in '71).



This timely remake album was, to my knowledge, the Brothers' sole release, and this particular track is their primary claim to fame. Lil Kim was the first to flip this sample, in “Drugs,” a track off her '96 debut, Hard Core.



Even more responsible for the sample's popularity, though, was Dr. Dre, who tapped it for Hittman/Kurupt/Nate Dogg/Six-Two collab “Xxplosive,” off 2001.



Just a year later, Erykah Badu took inspiration from the same track for “Bag Lady,” the lead single off Mama's Gun” While the jazzy album version (left) was sampled from the Brothers' original cover, the hit remix (right) was actually a second-order sampling from Dre's joint.



And, last but not least, 2009 saw Solange Knowles flipping Badu's sample of Dre's sample for her cover version of the Dirty Projectors' “Stillness is the Move.”



Phew – since I'm pretty sure I've broken my record of “most videos in one column” and then some, I'll let y'all fill any whatever I've missed. Shouts to whosampled.com for a lot of the info (as usual), and to our own Nathan S. for bringing the sample to my attention!