There’s a common misconception around sampling in Afrobeats that needs clarification.
Over the years, artists have often drawn inspiration from other musicians’ works—whether old or new—to create fresh tracks, and Afrobeats as a genre wholeheartedly embraces this culture.
Interestingly, musical inspiration can come from a range of sources beyond just other songs. Movie scenes, motivational quotes, and even snippets of conversation can all spark new musical ideas, and vice-versa. Sampling has become the most popular term associated with this practice, though it’s often mistaken for interpolation due to their similarities.
To clarify: a sample involves directly using a snippet of an original recording in a new track. Meanwhile, an interpolation is a recreation of a song’s melody or composition, played note-for-note, without using the original audio.
For example, if you performed the melody from 2Baba’s “African Queen” in your own song, that would be an interpolation. But if you included an unedited loop from the original recording, that would be a sample.
For context, the Rema song below is a sample, where he brilliantly incorporated the 1985 jazz hit ‘Is It a Crime’ by Nigerian-British soul singer Sade Adu.
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Against this backdrop, here are popular Afrobeats songs you thought were samples but are actually interpolations
‘Sorrow, Blood & Tears’ – Fela Anikulapo Kuti, interpolated by Burna Boy on ‘Ye”Love me Jeje’ – Seyi Sodimu, interpolated by Tems on ‘Love me Jeje”Lady’ – Fela Anikulapo Kuti, interpolated by Wizkid on ‘Jaiye Jaiye”Kpolongo’ – Danfo Drivers, interpolated by Tekno on ‘Jogodo”Sawale’ – Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson, interpolated by Flavour on ‘Nwa Baby”Agogo ko ma ro’ – K1 De Ultimate, interpolated by Davido on ‘Like Dat”Esubiribiri ebomi’ – King Sunny Ade, interpolated by Mohbad on ‘Sorry”Opon Apala ti sun’ – Musiliu Haruna Ishola, interpolated by Adekunle Gold on ‘Rodo’
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