Who Used the Sample Best?

It happens all the time in Hiphop, but lately there has been a noticeable spate of rap songs using the same sample with barely a distinction between the beats created.

The sampled song in question is Derrick Harriott's "Message From a Black Man," and in the past four years, it has been flipped by King Geedorah aka MF Doom, Mos Def, RZA, NaS, and now, surprisingly, Young Buck.

But the question is who used it best?

I'm not necessarily talking about lyrics or the song as a whole package, but the beat -- whose beat knocks the hardest?

The versions by Mos, RZA and Buck are all very similar. Perhaps even the same.

But the version done by NaS has a cool little bridge in the middle, giving the track a little more flavor then the others.

But it's Doom's beat, produced by his beat-making alter ego, Metal Fingers, that prevails sonically. The drums are a little harder than the others', and Doom chops up the beat, and sounds like he's having fun playing around with the beat machine, complete with cutting and scratching throughout.

And although I said it's not about the lyrics, Doom's version features two hot verses by Mr. Fantastik, which only enhances the song as a whole.

Here are the songs in the order in which they were released:

King Geedorah: Anti-Matter Feat. Mr. Fantastik, from 2004's Take Me To Your Leader

Mos Def: Undeniable -- From 2006's Tru3 Magic

RZA as Bobby Digital: You Can't Stop Me Now Feat. Inspectah Deck, from 2008's Digi Snacks

NaS: You Can't Stop Us Now Feat. Eban Thomas, from 2008's Untitled

Young Buck: Soundscan, random song released this week

Which is the best?

Bobby Digital Digi Snacks Review

Despite the millions of Wu-Tang Clan fans in existence, myself included, enthusiasm for the seminal and classic group is at an all-time low.

The consensus is that there is only one single Wu-Tang representative -- one-ninth, if you will -- keeping the nine-man group's legacy alive.

The last Wu-Tang album, 8 Diagrams, was a poor showing that was met by equally as poor album sales, providing the final nail in the group's coffin.

The release of 8 Diagrams was overshadowed by publicly-aired infighting and dissatisfaction with founding member RZA's new sonic direction.

Although he claims there is no longer any beef, RZA obviously ignored the complaints and has continued musically right where he left off on 8 Diagrams for his new album, RZA as Bobby Digital: Digi Snacks.

In Digi Snacks, the third installment of Bobby Digital albums, RZA keeps with his alter ego's theme of the fast life and sexual exploits.

Only this time around, RZA depicts the maturation of Bobby -- who has on previous albums shown personal growth, going from committing "domestic violence" to acknowledging his "sickness" -- as an ongoing process.

On Digi Snacks, Bobby still has the same confidence as the brazen thug introduced to the world back in 1998 on "RZA as Bobby Digital," but the years of street life have helped to put many things in their proper perspective.

Any true Wu-Tang and RZA fan should have no problem enjoying this album, but it may take a few more listens than normal to fully appreciate this album, as the intricacy of the music can some times be distracting when trying to follow RZA's complicated lyrics buried in even further complicated rhyme schemes.

My personal favorites include, but of course are not limited to, "Try Ya Ya Ya," "Good Night," "Put Your Guns Down," and especially the untitled "Bonus Track" -- the lone track that is reminiscent of that original Wu-Tang sound.

Below is the video for Digi Snack's lead single, "You Can't Stop Me Now," featuring Inspectah Deck. Following that is a video of RZA discussing the dissension in the ranks surrounding the recording of 8 Diagrams.