There are only a handful of concerts left on the record-breaking Renaissance World Tour! Beyoncé’s Renaissance (2022) album is one of her most creative pieces yet. There’s a ton of sampling from gospel to disco with a heavy influence from the LGBT ballroom scene! Here are the samples that blew our minds while listening to the Grammy-winning album.
Suggested Reading
“I’m That Girl” (2022)- Tommy Wright III Ft. Princess Loko & Mac T-Dog “Still Pimpin” (1994)
The song “I’m That Girl” starts with the braggadocious lyrics, “Please, motherfuckers ain’t stoppin’ me,” from Tommy Wright III Ft. Princess Loko & Mac T-Dog “Still Pimpin” (1994) on loop in the background as Beyoncé says, “I pull up in these clothes, look so good. ‘Cause I’m in that ho.”
“Cozy” (2022)- DJ Lidell Townsell “Get With U” (1992)
At 48 seconds into DJ Lidell Townsell’s “Get With U” (1992) you’ll hear the familiar bass line that is on Bey’s song “Cozy.”
“Cozy” (2022)- Danube Dance ft. Kim Cooper “Unique” (1991)
“Unique, is what you are” is the opening lyrics for the song “Unique” by Danube Dance ft. Kim Cooper and is the line everybody screams when listening the “Cozy.”
“Alien Superstar” (2022)- Right Said Fred “I’m Too Sexy” (1992)
Instead of singing “I’m too sexy for my shirt,” Bey sings “I’m too classy for this world,’’ referencing the 1992 song “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred.
“Cuff It” (2022)- Teena Marie “Ooo La La La” (1988)
Queen Bey sings a few “ooo la la la’s” to kick off the TikTok hit “Cuff It”, similar to Teena Marie’s 1988 song, “Ooo La La La.”
“Energy” (2022)- Kelis “Milkshake” (2003)
Kelis stirred up some controversy with Bey and her team for using the percussion track from her iconic hit “Milkshake” due to not being aware of its use, resulting in an updated version of “Energy” no longer including the funky beat. If you have the old track then you’re a lucky one!
“Break My Soul” (2022)- Robin S. “Show Me Love” (1990)Slide Title
Beyoncé loosely sampled Robin S.’s 1990 “Show Me Love” bass line in the track “Break My Soul.”
“Break My Soul” (2022)- Big Freedia “Explode” (2014)
A couple of parts from Big Freedia’s “Explode” (2014) are sampled in “Break My Soul” including the lines, “I’m ‘bout to explode, take off this load. Unleash my belt and make it go. I’m ‘bout to explode, take off this load. Bend it, bust it open, won’t ya make it go.” Big Freedia’s lyrics, “Release ya anger, release ya mind. Release ya job, release the time. Release ya trade, release the stress. Release the love, forget the rest,” are also in Bey’s song.
“Church Girl” (2022)- DJ Jimi “Where They At” (1992)
The line in the bridge “It must be the cash ‘cause it ain’t your face” is sampled from DJ Jimi’s 1992 song “Where They At” as well as the line “Do it, baby stick it, baby” that’s also heard in “Church Girl.”
“Church Girl” (2022)- Clark Sisters “Center of Thy Will” (1981)
“Church Girl” opens with a sample of the iconic gospel group, the Clark Sisters’ song “Center of Thy Will.” Dorinda Clark spoke out about the criticism of the sample saying to fans, “Y’all leave Beyoncé alone.”
“Church Girl” (2022)- The Show Boys “Drag Rap (Triggerman)” (1986)
The commonly sampled 1986 New Orleans bounce tune “Drag Rap (Triggerman) by The Show Boys was featured in “Church Girl” for the lyrics, “She gon’ shake that ass and them pretty tig ol’ bitties (Huh).”
“Church Girl” (2022)- Lyn Collins “Think About It” (1972)
The words “You bad” are shouted at the end of each line in the chorus of “Church Girl” comes from an interpolation in Lyn Collin’s 1972 song “Think About It.”
“Heated” (2022)- Travis Garland “Where to Land” (2013)
The bass line in “Heated” is from Travis Garland’s “Where to Land.”
“America Has A Problem” (2022)- Kilo Ali “Cocaine” (1990)
One of Beyoncé’s most entertaining smash hits “America Has A Problem” is sampled from Kilo Ali’s 1990 song “America Has A Problem (Cocaine).”
“Pure/Honey” (2022)- MikeQ “Feels Like” (2011)
Beyoncé features a couple of queer artists in the song “Pure/Honey” starting with the line “cunt to the feminine, what” from HBO’s Legendary DJ MikeQ’s single, “Feel Like.”
“Pure/Honey” (2022)- Kevin Aviance “Cunty” (1996)
Drag performer Kevin Aviance’s song “Cunty” is sampled throughout the intro of “Pure/Honey” simply repeating the line “Cunty, cunt, cunt, cunt, cunt.”
“Summer Renaissance” (2022)- Donna Summer “I Feel Love” (1977)
The closing track on the album is “Summer Renaissance” and Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” from 1977 is sampled in the chorus with the repeated lyrics “Ooh, it’s so good, it’s so good.” Donna Summer is one of Beyoncé’s favorite artists, as she posted a tribute to her after her death in 2012.
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