The Second Track

The Drum Break That Built Hip-Hop: Six Seconds That Changed Everything

Episode Summary

A forgotten funk drummer's six-second solo became the most sampled break in music history, launching hip-hop and reshaping popular music forever. We dig into how James Brown's 'Funky Drummer' went from B-side filler to the rhythmic DNA of countless classics, and why one perfect break beat still sounds better than anything a computer can create.