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Hello beautiful person, welcome back to the blog.
My name is Chu and today we’ll be making a beat like the song “Jimmy Cooks” from Drake's most recent project, “Honestly, Nevermind.”
I’m not going to waste your time because we have a lot to cover.
So let’s just jump right in.
The first important part of all this is to understand the structure of Jimmy Cooks.
The beat is actually 2 in 1.
So let’s focus on the first section for now, and then will get to the switch up later.
Jimmy Cooks intros with a Phonk-esque sample which comes from Playa Fly’s “Just Awaken Shaken” which released in 1995.
To mimic this, I found a sample on Tracklib that was similar by using the search parameters on the “all tracks” page.
I ended up using the song “Like You” by… Kock D Zel (Lol prime name choice, wow).
The next thing we needed was some kind of horn sample.
In Jimmy Cooks, there’s a sax (at least I think it’s a sax) that plays throughout the entire song.
With some research, I found out that this sample comes from a song called “You Were Good” by Brook Benton and it was released in 1976.
So back to Tracklibs “All tracks” page I went to enter even more search parameters in order to find the perfect sample.
I actually could not find anything here, and almost gave up on this entire video all together.
But, Tracklib being the literal clutch machine that it is, had a crate just for horn samples.
It was as if God HIMSELF wanted me to finish this video.
After a bit of digging, I found this - “I’ll show you the way” by Norman Feels.
It was like genuine magic when I heard this because I knew this beat was a wrap from here.
And that’s gotta be the main reason I love Tracklib.
They ALWAYS have something I can work with.
They are the world’s first and only online record store.
They have over 100,000 pre-cleared songs for you to sample right now, including pieces from artists like Isaac Hayes, The Meditations, and Louis Armstrong.
This means you can log into Tracklib and find a real sample to work with in minutes, which is insanely dope.
Using these search parameters, I could filter for songs that were exactly the vibe I was looking for.
Later when I release or place this beat made in the tutorial, I or the artist can go one step further and CLEAR the sample for only 50 USD.
Actually, since 90% of Tracklib’s samples are in the C Category, they can be cleared for just 50 USD each and will allow 2-20% revenue share!
This is a really convenient way to find and clear samples , especially when you compare it to the traditional method of paying anywhere from 5k to 200k USD, drafting many contracts, and going through countless lawyers over an excruciatingly long time.
From experience, I know how difficult this can be.
Therefore, I know Tracklib can save ANY musician from tons of stress and hassle.
Tracklib has given me a special link where you can access their entire platform for 30 days at NO COST.
Huge thank you to the wonderful people over at Tracklib for sponsoring this post and making this DOPE content possible.
So, next, I just had to take some time to key match the samples.
The Sax actually carries the whole melody in Jimmy Cooks, and the vox is pretty much just the intro.
But there are 8 bars right at the beginning where both samples are playing together at the same time.
I pitched my samples to the same key so that I could imitate a similar vibe in my own beat.
Next, I made a simple drum bounce.
Jimmy Cooks also has a very cool bassline. Honestly, it's the most characteristic part of the beat to me.
I laid down my own bass line using Repro-1.
After a bit of mixing, our first beat was done.
Now, we can move on to the second part.
This is the part of the beat where 21 Savage comes in, and, to the best of my knowledge, it isn't a sample.
It really just seems like a switch to a super hard beat, so I wanted to copy that.
I just imagined that I was making a dark melodic banger for 21 savage.
First, I found a sample form my boy Jaz Omens Frequencies pack.
If you don't know who Jaz Omen is, check him out - he’s a literal deity.
Next, I made an insane 808 pattern.
My goal really was to be extra - like i even named the pattern “go crazy” lol
I did this because something similar happens when the beat switches on Jimmy Cooks.
It's just the melody and 808 for a few bars and the sub is going mad the whole time - definitely my style of production.
From there I was done.
I literally just copied over the drum pattern from the first half of the beat, because that’s what it sounds like they did in Jimmy cooks.
It sounds like they used the same drums but just pitched them down to match 21’s darkness.
I hope you learned Something valuable from this.
I think it’s fucking stretch to call "Honestly, Nevermind" 'boring'.
Think Drake is at a point where he can't do anything right, no matter how hard he tries.
So hes done trying to please everyone and is focused on making music that he’s passionate about.
And to be honest, he’s still doing numbers while he’s at it.
Can you really hate it?
I mean, yuo can.
But should you?
Anyways.
Until next time.
Stay happy.
Stay healthy.
And always be creating.
Just make sure it's.
Dope Content Only.
I love you.
And I'll see you soon.
Peace.
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