If you’ve been playing the new Clipse song, “So Be It,” on repeat since their comeback album “Let God Sort Em Out” dropped, you’re not alone. The track features a sample of the 1976 song “Maza Akoulou” by Saudi Arabian singer Talal Maddah (who died in August 2000), which producer Pharrell remixed with his signature futuristic style. But the song, as we now know it, almost didn’t see the light of day. That is, until one of the legendary producer’s famous friends got involved.
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According to an interview with Audiomack founder Brian Ziosk, Clipse manager Steven Victor said it was Swizz Beatz who came through in the clutch and helped the group clear the Maddah sample for use on their project– the duo’s first in 15 years.
Victor went on to say that Swizz, who was already on his way to Saudi Arabia, told him that he would take care of everything.
“Swizz asked, ‘Why didn’t you call me about [“So Be It”]?’ I told him, ‘I did—I sent it to you.’ He said, ‘I didn’t realize it was that record. Let me handle it,’” Victor told Ziosk.
Pharrell had “So Be It Pt. II,” a version of the song without the sample, ready to go just in case they couldn’t get the deal done in time. Although the sample wasn’t cleared before the album’s July 11 release, Swizz made good on his word and Roc Nation was able to share the original version of the song with streaming services.
“He said,’‘I’ll connect with the right people in person and get it resolved.’ And that’s exactly what he did,” Victor told Ziosk.
Since it’s release, the song has received lots of love, with the official video receiving over 352,000 likes on YouTube and over 30,000 comments from hip-hop fans who can’t get enough of the latest Pharrell-Clipse collab.
“This has already gone 20x platinum in my car,” wrote someone on YouTube.
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