Sample Saturday: 50 Cent - Hustler’s Ambition

Welcome back to Sample Saturday, where we discuss samples from some of your favorite songs. As this segment returns there have been some minor changes to how songs are selected, now including the reader into the conversation. Do you have a song or sample you want me to talk about? You can submit your suggestions directly on The Daily Note blog or the link in my bio on Instagram.  

This week we will be discussing the sample use in 50 Cent’s single “Hustler’s Ambition” produced by B-Money from the soundtrack of the 2005 movie “Get Rich or Die Tryin.” This request was submitted by Latiqua M., you can follow her on Instagram here. Now, let’s get into the sample. 

“Hustler’s Ambition” touches on how 50 Cent is willing to do anything in order to afford the finer things in life. Clothes, jewelry, cars, and many more materialistic items are the driving motivation for a “Huster’s Ambition,” and no one will get in his way to attain this goal. Through uninhibited lyrics like,”I want the finer things in my life /So I hustle (Hustle)/Ni**a, you get in my way while I'm trying to get mine/ And I'll buck you (Buck you),” and the (bring this down).

The sample used in the song is “I Need You” by Frankie Beverly featuring Maze from the 1978 album “Golden Time of Day.” 
“I Need You” is a sensual smooth soul funk tune filled with rich a warm bassline setting the mood backed with silky vocals streaming along the melody. 

Producer B-Money brings these worlds together by taking the initial bass guitar in “I Need You,” and speeds up the tempo to create bouncy bass, adding in a kick drum to emit the rap feel. In addition to a faster tempo, B-Money takes the lyrics “Like the fire needs the air /I won't burn unless you're there, you're there,” to fill in spaces between 50 Cent’s verses and the “Ooh Ooh,” in the bridge of the song as background vocals as 50 Cent raps. 

Piecing all these elements together, B-Money intersects the avenues between soul and rap through instrumentation & lyricism of both songs to create a “let’s get this money” anthem. 

What song or sample do you want me to cover next? Send in your submissions !