Hip-hop beat-makers are usually unseen. Not all sample-based producers are as reclusive as the torch-bearing loop artist Madlib, but even the most prominent among them are part of the backdrop.

Sampling has been a cornerstone of hip-hop since its inception ... foundation (forming the backbone of the track’s beat and ...

Hip-hop originated in the Bronx area of New York ... giving young African Americans a platform to have their voices heard. The beat was almost always in 4/4 time, and the music often included ...