5 songs by Robert Flack, which every hip-hop head should know

Robert Flack was one in every of my favorite singers, so there’s a little bit of poetry (for me) in regards to the undeniable fact that I received a message about her death – she died on February 24, 2025 – in school from one in every of my students on the Howard University while discussing the duty of reviewing music.

Flack is after all a member of the legendary list of institution graduates. This news about Flack allowed the category to briefly discuss a few of her songs and for me to debate how vital black music was. As you may expect, not all my students knew that they knew her music (or that she graduated from Howard University), but when the song “Killing Me Softly” was mentioned, a collective head followed. I mean, it’s Robert’s flack.

I used to be late for Flack’s recognition. Sure, I knew her songs, but I didn’t know her songs. Only after I got to Morehouse College and really began musical education (mainly by digging boxes seeking songs that laid the premise of a lot of my favorite hip-hop records), I’ll understand how much I loved her voice and her contribution to music. That is why, after I had the chance to fulfill her in Washington, while I together I managed the legendary jazz place, the Czech cave, I used to be next to me after I had the chance to discuss with her, even briefly. Flack was not there to perform that evening, however the presentation of her nephew, who performed just a few nights, but she just had the chance to discuss with her and tell her how much I used to be a fan, it was a memory that I actually have been cultivating since then.

Flack’s departure will rightly result in many tributes and (hopefully) discussion about its catalog. Her work with Donna Hathaway, whom she met after they were each students on the Howard University, is one in every of my favorites. The very first thing I used to be fascinated about when my student shared the news was that a few of my favorite albums are the premise of a few of my favorite hip-hop songs-some of which were huge and/or groundbreaking hits for artists who tried it. As a tribute and a nod in the best way her music inspired PO generations, listed here are five albums that sampled songs from Roberta Flack, which every hip-hop head should know.

1. “Killing Me Softly with His Song” (from the album “Killing Me Softly” from 1973)

Each hip-hop list that pays tribute to Robert Flack could run (and end) from the Fugees flip-flop of her groundbreaking hit “Killing me softly with his song”. Fugees version, “Killing me gently with your song” Probably chargeable for the success of the second album “The Score” is the point of interest of the album, and Lauryn Hill sings over a straightforward drum loop with light bass, which plays in the entire song; Wykelef puts the space infrequently with “once or twice”. The Flack Record gained a brand new life because of this version, just like the breakthrough jam Frankie Beverly, “Before and Let Go”, saw a brand new life when Beyoncé discussed his historical performance in Coachella in 2018.

2. “Be Real Black for Me” (from the album Flack and Hathaway from 1972 “Robert Flack & Donny Hathaway”)

As soon because the piano keys start on this album, you possibly can recognize them as a sample of Scarface hits, “On my block” From his classic album from 2002 “The Fix”. You can stop there, but that may mean that you’ll miss absolutely the MasterClinic of Harmony, which Flack and Hathaway introduced during three minutes and thirty -four seconds. I feel I ever call something perfect, but this song … is ideal.

3. “Gone Away” (from the album from 1970 “Chapter two”)

“Gone Away” is an not noticeable selection that can ensure, probably the most important song 2006 (!!!!!) – “What do you know” Author: Atlanta Rapper, Ti is inconspicuous, because to listen to the part used for the sample, you could hearken to the entire song (I assume the producer of DJ Toom). To hear the part that was downloaded to the hit song of Ti from his album “King”, you could hearken to the two:51 sign, after which hearken to the tip of 5 minutes of the song to listen to the facility of the break used for the only Atlanta Trapper. This is an incredible find from an incredible album that created successful over thirty -five years later.

4. “Hey, this is not a way to say goodbye” (from the album “First Take” from 1969)

Like the song Ti “What You Know”, a producer of the song who tried it – Lil Kim’s “Queen B …” – I needed to hearken to a very good way and with the intention of pulling the sample out of this album. Flack, who played the piano on the album, played a fast riff on the 1:51 sign, which is so funny that Carlos producers “Six July” Broadady and Nashie Myrick probably didn’t have a selection but to make a record of it; Just a few seconds from one in every of Flack’s albums was a hip-hop classic.

5. “Born To Love” (from the album Flack and Pebo Bryson from 1982 “Born To Love”)

Nasira Jones fans, higher often known as us, probably immediately recognize the sample. “Born To Love” opens with a drum and a guitar riff, which is the premise of the song NAS “2. childhood” From his album from 2001, “Stillmatic”, produced by the legendary Hip-Hop producer, DJ of the Prime Minister. The sample, short and sweet, was enough to construct your complete record and was made for perfection. However, the Song of Flack and Bryson should be heard all the best way; Their voices mix perfectly, creating hearing impressions which can be price reviewing.

Rest by virtue of Robert Flack.