{"id":20120,"date":"2022-02-08T16:37:02","date_gmt":"2022-02-08T21:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/?p=20120"},"modified":"2026-01-14T15:08:54","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T20:08:54","slug":"wes-pendleton-john-smythe-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/wes-pendleton-john-smythe-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"Wes Pendleton and John Smythe on the most important aspects of sample creation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today, we\u2019re proud to feature a conversation between Wes Pendleton and John Smythe<\/a>.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The two joined the Splice family in March 2020 via the acquisition of Soul Surplus,<\/a> a sample label founded by Pendleton where Smythe worked as a sound designer. Pendleton currently works on Splice\u2019s Content Innovation team as a Strategic Project Manager, where he oversees initiatives around expanded content licensing opportunities and helps define and document Splice\u2019s approach to new content technologies. Smythe is a Senior Content Producer supporting many of the labels in the Splice Sounds library,<\/a> including Diaspora.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on for a glimpse at what life at Splice looks like for creators, the story behind Diaspora\u2019s cultural foundation, and the importance of authenticity in sample culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A shift in perspective towards the bigger picture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wes Pendleton:<\/strong> Tell me about your transition from working for Soul Surplus to coming to Splice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Smythe:<\/strong> At Splice, Soul Surplus is a six-person team, and this was my first experience working in a company this big. So taking our six departments and spreading them over what was 150 people at the time was probably the biggest thing to get used to. But I think once I learned how to see how big the team was and then slow it down, that’s when things became easier for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was essentially doing the same work, but the cool thing was being able to now contribute to more than just Soul Surplus\u2014something like Diaspora, where there are multiple genres and different packs on the same label. So with Soul Surplus, I was the artist, and with Diaspora, I’m more so like the Dr. Dre, where I\u2019m not even really producing everything, but rather just sort of overseeing everything. Every once in a while, I have my hands in a mix or I’ll be executive producing a pack. But maybe the biggest thing I learned in my first year at Splice was taking my hands off, stepping back, and being okay with overseeing everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognizing the influences and origins of sounds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pendleton:<\/strong> When it comes to creating compositions, what are your main inspirations as they pertain to Diaspora?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smythe: <\/strong>We cover so many different genres, so it\u2019s hard to name just one… Two of the first packs I worked on were Classic Riddims<\/a><\/em> and 1804: Kompa<\/em>.<\/a> Classic Riddims<\/em> is a dancehall pack in the style of the early ’80s, and at the time I was very influenced by Sister Nancy, Yellowman, Barrington Levy\u2014really that flavor of dancehall, where it didn’t quite evolve into what it became in the ’90s. It was still sort of reggae, but really being influenced by that. And with 1804<\/em>, honestly the influence is me going to Brooklyn and going to Flatbush Junction or taking a 2 train up to Church Ave and experiencing everything at the same time. That’s really Diaspora. The Labor Day Parade, being in Brooklyn on Labor Day\u2014that’s really the inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pendleton:<\/strong> Can you speak on why Diaspora is so important as a label?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smythe:<\/strong> I think Diaspora is extremely important because it not only culturally represents a lot of genres that I think are forgotten, but also represents genres that don’t get their just due. I think that listening to some of the most popular songs that we’ve heard, like \u201cShape of You\u201d or \u201cDespacito\u201d\u2014these are all taking inspiration from genres created by people who belong to the African diaspora. These are genres like dancehall, reggaeton, boogaloo\u2014like, Cardi B’s \u201cI Like It\u201d is an obvious sample of \u201cI Like It Like That.\u201d I think it’s time for people to really understand what\u2019s being sampled or being directly influenced by these genres and these cultures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n