Every week I'm going to highlight a particular group or artist who has been sampled and post some of their songs that have been sampled. This week I am covering MFSB.
MFSB (which stands for "Mother Father Sister Brother") was a pool of more than thirty resident studio musicians based at Philadelphia’s famed Sigma Sound Studios. They worked with record producers Gamble and Huff and Arranger Thom Bell. They backed up such groups as The Bluenotes, O’Jays, Stylistics, Spinners, Three Degrees, Jerry Butler, Wilson Picket, and Billy Paul. Starting in 1974, MFSB started recording for the Philadelphia International label. They released 11 albums between 1972 and 1980.MFSB have been sampled by a number of hip hop artists including De La Soul, EPMD, LL Cool J, Gangstarr, Canibus, UTFO and Main Source to mention a few. I have compiled my six favorites MFSB songs that have been sampled by Hip Hop artists for you to check out.
'Love is the message' from their 1972 album Love is the Message was sampled by EPMD on 'Its time to party', by LL Cool J on 'Def Jam in the Motherland' as well as UTFO's 'Wanna Rock'. This is a six minutes plus mellow funky joint featuring some nice strings and horns.
'Cheaper to keep her' was also on their Love is the message album and was sampled by Freestyle Fellowship on 'Hot Potato' and features a sick organ intro and some lovely horns.
'TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)' was also taken form the Love is The Message album and was used by 80s pop rap artists/dancers/actors Kid N Play on 'Gittin' Funky'.
'Something for nothing' was on their self titled 1973 album and was sampled most notably by Canibus on 'How we roll'. This is easily my favorite MFSB song, 2 minutes and 59 seconds of sick horns and striking piano.
'Family Affair' was also taken from their Self titled 1973 album and is obviously a cover version of the Sly and the Family Stones classic. Right now I can't remember who sampled this if anyone can hit me up. Anyway its a dope cover of a classic tune.
'Sunnin n Funnin' was taken from their 1976 album Summertime and was used to great effect by DJ Premier on the classic Gangstarr track 'She knows what she wants'. The track again starts off with a nice organ and later joined by some orchestral strings.
Click on the link to check out these tracks and if you like them support MFSB and check out some of their other works which are all worth your money.
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