The Bridge: Sampler’s Delight
Chris Molanphy talks to hip-hop journalist Mosi Reeves about Chic, the Sugarhill Gang, and disco and rap’s parallel histories.
[This edition of my Hit Parade—“The Bridge” bonus series is available to Slate Plus subscribers only. A link to the episode show page is below. To sign up for Plus—and tell Slate that Hit Parade sent you!—visit slate.com/hitparadeplus.]
In this mini-episode of Hit Parade, host Chris Molanphy is first joined by “The Bridge” producer Asha Saluja to answer some listener mail. Find out the connection between Chic, Diana Ross and Star Wars!
Next, Chris is joined by hip-hop journalist Mosi Reeves to discuss one particular storyline from the latest episode of Hit Parade: the immortal bassline from Chic’s “Good Times,” which was sampled in hip-hop’s first smash hit “Rapper’s Delight.” Mosi provides a brief history of sampling in rap, from the early interpolation of disco recordings to the legal disputes that eventually changed the rules of the game.
Finally, Chris quizzes a Slate Plus listener with some music trivia, gives her a chance to turn the tables on him, and previews next month’s full-length episode. Slate Plus members can sign up for a chance to be our trivia contestant on a future episode here.
Podcast production by Asha Saluja.