Led Zeppelin produced so many iconic songs that their catalog has become fodder for sampling. From “When the Levee Breaks” to “Kashmir,” the English rockers’ guitar riffs and driving drum lines have become a playground for more contemporary musicians to apply their own artistry to.
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While anyone who operates under the bounds of rock music cannot escape the influence of Zeppelin on their career, the R&B/hip-hop communities have made sure to fete the group in their own way. From Beyoncé to Eminem, find five songs that have sampled Led Zeppelin below.
1. “Don’t Hurt Yourself”—Beyoncé
Sampled “When the Levee Breaks”
Beyoncé was reportedly first introduced to Led Zeppelin by Mike Myers on the set of the Austin Powers’ film, Goldmember. She asked the comedian what he was listening to at the time, to which he replied, “Oh, I’m just listening to Led Zeppelin at the moment.”
“And she went, ‘I think I will listen to that Led Zeppelin,'” Myers continued. “She had never heard of it. She was so young and all the crew was like, ‘Awwww.’ Then, the next day, she was doing this (shaking head, enjoying the music) and I said, ‘What are you listening to?’ She went, ‘Led Zeppelin! They’re great!'”
It seems that moment was pivotal for Beyoncé, who later incorporated the band’s “When the Levee Breaks” into her Jack White-assisted track “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” The hard-edged track is a standout on her blockbuster album, Lemonade.
2. “Come With Me”—Puff Daddy feat. Jimmy Page
Sampled “Kashmir“
“Come With Me” is Puff Daddy’s contribution to the Godzilla film, starring Matthew Broderick. Written by Puff Daddy, the song has become one of the most memorable samples of Zeppelin in rap music.
The song recreated the 1975 Zeppelin track “Kashmir.” Jimmy Page was tapped to come to the studio and rework the iconic guitar line, earning him a featuring credit on this song.
3. “Beastie Groove”—Beastie Boys
Sampled “Black Dog“
Beastie Boys are known for their sampling. They have squeezed more than eight samples into a single track before, somehow making each one feel imperative to the end result. “Beastie Groove” is no exception.
The 1985 track makes use of Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” as well as Silver Connection’s “Get Up and Boogie,” Trouble Funk’s “Let’s Get Small” and Fairlight CMI’s “ORCH5.”
4. “Kim”—Eminem
Sampled “When the Levee Breaks“
Moving on to another “When The Levee Breaks” sample, Eminem used elements of the song in his 2000 released track, “Kim.” The track is one of the most heavily sampled Led Zeppelin songs.
“This little media favorite was actually the first official song that I wrote for the album,” Eminem said of the song in his book Angry Blonde (per Genius). “I had to complete it back in ’98 when the first album was done. I wrote this song when Kim and I weren’t together. We were broken up at the time. This was the end of 98. I remember I was watching a movie one day that inspired me to write a love song, but I didn’t want to make a corny love song. It had to be some bugged-out shit.
“Though I don’t remember what movie it was, I do remember feeling the frustration of us breaking up and having a daughter all in the mix,” he continued. “I did the vocals in one take. The mood I wanted to capture was that of an argument that me and her would have, and judging from the attention the media has given this song, you can see that’s exactly what I did… and then some.”
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
