Best Samples: Wild Thing
One of the best samples of all-time is Tone Loc’s 1989 hit “Wild Thing” which samples Van Halen’s “Jamie’s Cryin”. The smooth combination of the familiar Van Halen rock track along with Tone Loc’s raspy rap attack propelled this dance track to #2 on the charts.
Folklore proclaims that Tone Loc did the album “Loced After Dark” as a novelty. He didn’t think it was going to be a smash hit so he didn’t bother asking Van Halen to sample the song. The first time the rock group got wind of “Wild Thing” was when Alex Van Halen heard his drums on the radio; he didn’t recognize it was “Jamie’s Cryin” until half way through the rap song when he heard his tom toms. Is this one of your favorite samples?
