Reimagining Sample-based Hip Hop: Making Records within Records

Reimagining Sample-based Hip Hop: Making Records within Records presents the poetics of hip-hop record production and the significance of sample material in record making, providing analysis of key releases in hip-hop discography and interviews with experts from the world of Hip Hop and beyond.

Beginning with the history of hip-hop music making, this book guides the reader through the alternative techniques deployed by beat-makers to avoid the use of copyrighted samples and concludes with a consideration of the future of Hip Hop, alongside a companion album that has been created using findings from this research. Challenging previous theoretical understandings about Hip Hop, the author focuses on deconstructing sonic phenomena using his hands-on engineering expertise and in-depth musicological knowledge about record production.

With a significant emphasis on both practice and theory, Reimagining Sample-based Hip Hop will be of interest to advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers working in audio engineering, music production, hip-hop studies, and musicology.

Michail Exarchos (aka Stereo Mike) is a hip-hop musicologist and award-winning rap artist (first MTV Best Greek Act winner), with nominations for seven video music awards and an MTV Europe Music Award. He is the creative director of music innovation company RT60 Ltd., specialising in intelligent apps, and has led programmes in recording, mixing, mastering, and production at various UK institutions. Under his Stereo Mike alias, he has produced three critically acclaimed solo albums, and numerous singles for international artists on labels such as EMI, Sony, Universal, and Warner Music. Mike’s self-produced album, XLi3h, has been included in the 30 Best Greek hip-hop albums of all time.