*Smokey Robinson shared his views on music sampling in a new interview with the R&B Money podcast, revealing that he embraces it and welcomes artists using his work.
The music icon expressed his admiration for those who sample his music, explaining that he finds it flattering and sees it as a tribute to his art. The conversation included a moment where Robinson reflected on hearing D’Angelo’s version of his hit song “Cruisin’” for the first time, noting his appreciation for contemporary artists’ reinterpretations of his classics.
“D’Angelo’s my little brother. I love him,” Robinson said. “What did I think when I heard it? I thought, ‘Yippee, ooh great,'” he added.
“That’s the same thing I think of when I hear anybody doing any of my songs. As a songwriter, I hope that happens all the time,” Robinson continued.
The Motown legend noted that D’Angelo’s rendition left him “flabbergasted.”
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Robinson also explained during the interview why he feels honored when artists sample his music.
“I know when the kids started to sample music, people would come to me, ‘Hey man, they sampled your music.’ No, sample all of mine. Sample every song I every wrote in my life. When you sample it, that says to me, that out of all the billion songs that are on earth… you chose one of mine to incorporate into your music? Thank you.”
The R&B cooner dismissed the concerns of artists who dislike having their work sampled, calling them “fools.”
“First of all, it’s flattery. And you’re also going to earn some money, so why would you protest that?”
Watch the conversation via the Instagram clip below. Smokey’s remarks about “Cruisin’” and sampling begin at the 36-minute mark.
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