Marvin Gaye in the studio.
Photo by Gems/Redferns via Getty Images
In Hip-Hop and Beyond: Marvin Gaye [Playlist]
Celebrating the symphonic afterglow of Marvin Gaye.
Though he passed nearly 40 years ago, Marvin Gaye is one of the few soul luminaries to mold eras of music (and the laws governing it) well beyond his stay.
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In fact, sampling has afforded Gaye an uncommon afterlife, in which he is both patron saint of Hitsville and reaper of stale borrowing. As modern song quoting standards continue to blur the lines between creatively safe and flagrantly unoriginal, Gaye's sampling legacy remains a contentious case study. And his estate has proven more than willing to test and defend the licensing system with a collegiate vigor.
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Not to ruffle any ongoing litigation, but we're reviving our In Hip-Hop and Beyond series to put one up for the undying impact of the late Motown marvel. One that touches every tier and style of sound — from Madonna to Drake to Pharrell to J Dilla to Three 6 Mafia to Kanye West — and offers a boundless palette of soulful symphonies with which to construct new and ferociously funky futures.
Raise a glass for the late Marvin Gaye with our latest installment of In Hip-Hop and Beyond below. Hit the link to subscribe to Okayplayer's Spotify channel to comb through previous episodes of the playlist series.
