The Most Sampled Song You Probably Don’t Know (But Definitely Heard)
You might have caught this beat in N.W.A’s Straight Outta Compton, UK rave bangers, or even your favourite video games. But here’s the kicker — chances are, you’ve never actually heard the original.
Back in 1969, an American soul group you’ve probably never heard of — The Winstons — dropped a B-side called Amen, Brother. Buried in it at exactly 1 minute 26 seconds is a six-second drum solo, now famous as the Amen Break.
This tiny drum loop has been sampled over 6,000 times in tracks spanning hip hop, jungle, drum and bass, breakcore — you name it. And five decades later, producers still dig it out of crates like a precious fossil.
Why’s It Such a Big Deal?
Alexander Burnett — frontman of Sparkadia and producer for the likes of Thelma Plum — reckons it’s the perfect storm of energy and grit.
“It has the right swing, energy, and grit. Speed it up and you’re in UK jungle territory. Slow it down, and it’s ’90s hip hop gold.”
Back in the ’80s, DJs started looping drum breaks using two turntables — a trick that gave MCs a fresh beat to rap over. Amen Break was a goldmine for producers hungry for a raw, punchy rhythm
From Underground Gems to Global Smash Hits
The Amen Break hit big in the ’80s with legends like Mantronix and N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton alone put the beat on the map in West Coast hip hop.
Then came the ’90s UK rave explosion, where producers like Goldie and Roni Size chopped it into high-energy soundscapes that defined entire genres like jungle and drum and bass.
And it’s popped up everywhere — from David Bowie’s Little Wonder and Oasis’s D’You Know What I Mean? to video games like Grand Theft Auto and TV shows Futurama and Top Gear.
The Amen Break Impact at a Glance
| Aspect | Details | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Year Released | 1969 | 7NEWS |
| Original Artist | The Winstons | Getty Images |
| Drum Solo Length | 6 seconds (at 1:26 mark) | Ethan Hein Blog |
| Number of Samples | 6,000+ tracks across genres | Ethan Hein Blog |
| Genres Influenced | Hip hop, jungle, drum and bass, breakcore | 7NEWS |
| Notable Users | N.W.A, Mantronix, Goldie, Roni Size, David Bowie, Oasis | Various sources |
| Royalties to Creators | None during their lifetimes | 7NEWS |
| Crowdfunding Raised | £24,000 (~$45,600 AUD) for Richard Spencer | GoFundMe Campaig |
The Not-So-Golden Side of Sampling
Here’s the ugly truth — neither drummer Gregory Coleman nor frontman Richard L. Spencer saw a cent from the billions of plays of that little drum solo. Coleman died in 2006, and Spencer called the whole thing “plagiarism.” But legal fights were never pursued.
Thankfully, fans stepped in. In 2015, British DJ Martyn Webster crowdfunded more than £24,000 to thank Spencer, showing that while the music might be everywhere, respect for its originators took a bit longer to catch on
The Future Beat
Burnett reckons technology could finally solve this age-old problem of fair pay for sampled rhythms.
Other Legendary Breaks You Should Know
Amen Break isn’t the only classic drum loop. The Incredible Bongo Band’s Apache and James Brown’s Funky Drummer also shaped hip hop’s backbone.
But Amen Break? That six-second “mistake” from a forgotten B-side is the king of sampling — a true Aussie (and global) music legend.
