Writers at Red Bull Music Academy have traced the origins of chipmunk soul back to Wu-Tang and house producers like Todd Terry in the mid-90s. RZA was known to pitch samples of soul songs up to hip hop tempos or speed up loops and dub drums and a bass line over them. Similarly, Tod Terry sped samples up to fit the type of dance music he was producing.
High Definition: Chipmunk Soul
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A brief history of chipmunk soul
Companion Packs
Chocolate Water
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12th & Vine
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30 Hertz
Without bass, there is no hip-hop. From boom-bap to trap and everywhere in between, hip-hop has been all about turning up those subsonic frequencies. "30 Hertz" is the quintess...
Antiquity
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From Scratch: Traditional Hip Hop
One of the most synonymous sounds with original Hip Hop is the “scratching” that a DJ would do with a record player creating an instrument in itself that is everything from r...
Deja Tru
There’s something about the way soul is infused in hip hop music. It's the soundtrack to the experiences that make our culture so unique. Soulful hip-hop is the sound of ever...
Aura Neo
The Aura Neo Pack, a compilation of soul compositions in the spirit of new school hip hop and alternative soul acts like Mac Miller, Thundercat, The Internet, and even Anders...