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'Amen Break:' The Immortal Drum Beat Sampled By Everyone From N.W.A. To The Power Puff Girls

Yes, the creators were Black.

'Amen Break:' The Immortal Drum Beat Sampled By Everyone From N.W.A. To The Power Puff Girls

February 15, 2022

The most famous sample in the world – the Amen Break – is originally from The Winstons’ “Amen, Brother.” Arranged by front-man Richard Spencer and played by drummer Gregory Coleman, the 6-second sample has taken on many lives since its original recording and goes down in history as the most used sample by far.

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The Winstons

DJs led a fundraiser for the band's last member #gfmcheck gofundme March 24 Th 2015 DATE CRACKED.COM British DJs Martyn Webster and Steve Theobald started a GoFundMe for The Winstons' arranger Richard Lewis Spencer in 2015 and raised nearly $30,000 for him. Spencer said 50 years on, some young white boys that I've never met said, 'We're going to give you a gift.' It's probably one of the sweetest things that's happened to me in a long time. — Source

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The drummer died homeless CRACKED.COM In 2006 The Winstons' drummer Gregory Coleman passed away-homeless and destitute-on the streets of Atlanta. Не likely perished unaware of the immortal impact just 6 seconds of his drumming had on the entire history of music. — Source

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The band didn't know it took off til 1996 I I / I Y No M Legentary - - - Louis - - - - Special Democracy Capital - Y - GRACKED COM The Winstons' front-man and arranger, Richard Lewis Spencer, said he wasn't aware of his song's second life until a British record label contacted him in 1996, asking to buy the master tapes from him. At the time, he was working in the Washington, D.C. transit system. — Source

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Amen Brother

The band never saw a cent CRACKED.COM The Winstons received zero royalties for the use of Amen, Brother as a sample in other songs. The band was unaware of the U.S. law that any civil and criminal case must be filed within 36 months of a song being sampled. — Source

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Powerpuff Girls

It's in the Powerpuff Girls theme song CRACKED.COM In 1998 The Winstons' Amen Break was sped up and used as the basis for the Power Puff Girls theme song. For some reason, it took not one, not two, but three composers, James L. Venable, Thomas Chase, & Stephen Rucker, to compose the brief theme song. — Source

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Amen Break

The sample transcends genres W CRACKED.COM Hip-Hop is certainly not the only genre that has made use of The Winstons' funky Amen Break. Soulful singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse slowed down the sample in her 2006 hit You Know I'm No Good, and masked-up heavy metal group Slipknot used a sped-up version in Eyeless. — Source

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N.W.A

N.W.A made it huge N.W.A CRACKED.COM In 1988 The Winstons' Amen Break reached new heights when the infamous N.W.A. used it as a sample in their mega hit Straight Outta Compton. Due to its graphic lyrical content, the song was banned from many radio stations in the 198os. — Source

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Salt-N-Pepa were the first to do it CRACKED.COM The hip-hop girl group Salt-N-Pepa were the first major musicians to sample The Winstons' Amen Break. Their 1986 hit, I Desire, featured the distinctive drum beat as the group promised We're gonna bounce this beat all over the place. — Source

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It was widely disseminated via record BREAK BEATS ULTIMATE BREAKS BRAATS VOL. T. STREET SIDE A ALL REMIXED 1. MARY, MARY 2. BLACK GRASS 3. AMEN BROTHER TOPP CRACKED.COM Louis BreakBeat Lou Flores and Lenny Roberts contributed to the popularity of The Winstons' Amen Break by featuring it on one of their Ultimate Breaks & Beats records in the 198os. These records were used by DJs during rap music's formative years to create the basis of what would become famous songs. — Source

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A different song won a Grammy THE WINSTONS COLOUR HIM FATHER AMEN, BROTHER GRACKED.COM negram B.A The Winstons' one and only single, Color Him Father, sold over a million copies, received a gold record, and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B song in 1970. The A-side of the record featured the single while the B-side featured Amen, Brother. — Source

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The band didn't think much of it CRACKED.COM The Winstons' front-man and arranger, Richard Lewis Spencer, described Amen, Brother as a throwaway piece loosely based on something the band played to back Curtis Mayfield or The Impressions. In fact, the song was the band's interpretation of the gospel tune Amen popularized in 1963 by Sidney Poitier in Lilies of the Field. — Source

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Sampling

The sample is only six seconds long GRACKED.COM The most sampled song in music history-over 5000 times-is Amen, Brother by The Winstons. Recorded in 1969, drummer Gregory G.C. Coleman's 6 second drum break in the middle of the song became known as the Amen Break in the 198os. — Source

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