Samples and interpolations are some of my favourite things in music. Nothing beats hearing elements of a song you like in another song, or finding out a track you love sampled another song. That discovery alone can set off a long chain of digging. I remember listening to Cruel Santino’s “Freaky” and recognising a familiar tune. I dug deep till I found it was from Ikechukwu’s “Shobeedo.”
In the global music space, no one really does sampling like Kanye West. He’s arguably the GOAT of samples. In Nigeria, artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido have done a lot of sampling and interpolation, a testament to history’s relevance in today’s music, with past sounds continuing to shape and strongly influence the current soundscape
This is the part where I explain what samples and interpolations mean, because both terms are often wrongly used, and you don’t want to misinform people.
Sampling involves taking part of an existing sound recording and adding it to a new song. For example, a piano line or guitar riff from one recording might be directly lifted and used as a melody in a new recording, or the audio from drums or a piano might be added into a new song as the rhythm or melody. Think Kanye West’s Through the Wire (which samples Chaka Khan’s Through the Fire) or Wizkid’s Sweet Love (which samples Fela’s Shakara).
Interpolation, on the other hand, involves re-creating part of an existing musical work, not the sound recording itself. No actual audio is lifted; instead, it’s re-recorded or re-sung. A good example is Kanye West’s All Falls Down, which interpolates Lauryn Hill’s Mystery of Iniquity. Syleena Johnson re-sang it when Kanye couldn’t clear the original. Burna Boy’s Ye also interpolates elements of Fela Kuti’s Sorrow, Tears and Blood in its pre-chorus structure and cadence.
Whether it’s a sample or an interpolation, clearance is key.
- Sampling typically requires clearing two rights, the master (recording) and the publishing (songwriting).
- Interpolations don’t use the master, but you still have to clear the composition with the songwriters and publishers.
Skip this step, and you’re looking at copyright claims, lawsuits, and losing royalties.
In recent years, Nigerian artists have even faced lawsuits for using traditional songs without clearance — some settled out of court — underscoring the importance of sample rights.
It’s always special when Nigerian songs get sampled or interpolated. For old music heads, it sparks nostalgia. For younger listeners, it opens doors to discovering old gems. Within the last year or two, we’ve had some amazing Nigerian artists sample or interpolate other Nigerian artists. Here are 12 recent Nigerian tracks that prove how powerful sampling and interpolation can be:
• Future feat. Drake & Tems — “Wait For U” (2022)
Type: Sample
Producers: ATL Jacob, FNZ, 1SRAEL, Sonic Major & Tejiri
Samples Tem’s 2020 Neo Soul song “Higher”
• Mavo — “Tumo Weto” (2023)
Type: Sample
Producers: Aymix
Samples Oxlade’s hook on Show Dem Camp’s “Mine Alone”
• Tems — “Love Me Jeje” (2024)
Type: Interpolation
Producers: GuiltyBeatz & Spax
Original Reference: Re-creates / re-sings Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 hit “Love Me Jeje”.
• ID Cabasa — “Olufunmi Reimagined” (feat. Fireboy, Joeboy, BOJ, Odumodublvck) (2024)
Type: Sample
Producer: ID Cabasa
Original reference: Uses Styl-Plus’s 2003 classic “Olufunmi” with new verses.
• Olamide — “Morowore” (2024)
Type: Interpolation
Producers: Eskeez & Semzi
Original Reference: Builds on elements of Paul Play Dairo’s “Mo Wa Dupe” gospel/Highlife lineage, reworked into contemporary rap/soul.
• Phyno — “Grateful” (2024)
Type: Sample
Producer: JaySynths
Original Reference: Samples Princess Njideka’s Igbo gospel song “Kporo ya isi n ala”, blending heritage into hip-hop/rap.
• Sarz — “C’mon Look” (ft. Asake) (2024)
Type: Sample
Producer: Sarz
Original Reference: Contains a sample nod to King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall’s “Won Tun-Nna,” fused into Afrofusion production
• Asake — “Active” (ft. Travis Scott) (2024)
Type: Sample
Producers: Sarz and Mike Dean
Original Reference: References hooks from Jazzman Olofin and Adewale Ayuba’s Fuji-inspired “Raise Da Roof” (2004).
• Adekunle Gold — “Rodo” (2024)
Type: Interpolation
Producer: Chillz
Original Reference: Interpolates “Opon Apala Ti Sun”, a classic from legendary Apala musician, Musiliu Haruna Ishola.
• Ayra Starr — “Jazzy’s Song” (2024)
Type: Interpolation
Producer: P. Prime
Original Reference: Re-creates the instrumental/hook from “You Bad” by Wande Coal feat. D’banj (2009).
• Tay Iwar — “Wonderful” (2025)
Type: Sample
Producer: Tay Iwar
Original Reference: Samples Zule-Zoo’s “Necessary”, bringing Tiv culture, sounds and lyrics into play.
• Tay Iwar — “Bad Belle” (2025)
Type: Sample
Producer: Tay Iwar
Original Reference: Samples Zule-Zoo ‘Bad Belle,’ with the hook and title tipping a nod to the iconic ’90s group.
Bonus: Nigerian-to-Global Connection
• Rema — “Baby (Is It a Crime)” (2025)
Type: Sample
Producer: P. Priime
Original Reference: Directly samples Sade’s “Is It a Crime” (1985), a Nigerian artist-to-global legend cross-sample.
As far as sampling goes, this is one of the best yet from a Nigerian perspective. Rema,one of the country’s biggest artists, samples the work of Sade Adu, the Nigerian-born British legend whose music has shaped global soundscapes. The artist-to-legend cross-sample feels like a cultural full circle.
From Seyi Sodimu to Styl-Plus to Sade, these samples and interpolations show how Nigerian music is always in dialogue with its past, while shaping the future.
