Sampling

Sampleface Five: Kenny G Samples

Kenny G and Miles Davis

I don’t like Kenny G. That sounds like an odd admission when I’m about to write about the man but I have reasons. And those reasons are because of you. Well, not necessarily *you* but readers in general. You see, as part of our content strategy, I check what you all search for to make …

I don’t like Kenny G. That sounds like an odd admission when I’m about to write about the man but I have reasons. And those reasons are because of you. Well, not necessarily *you* but readers in general.

I never listened to Kenny G or had any contact with him, but...
I'm sorry. I-I can't go on.

You see, as part of our content strategy, I check what you all search for to make sure we keep our content relevant and informative. And every month, you find us while looking for “Kenny G mixtapes”. I have no idea why but the analytics don’t lie. What you find instead is our article on DJ Wax On’s free Night Moves jazz mixtape (where Kenny doesn’t feature).

But we assume people DO want a Kenny G mixtape for reasons unknown and while Sampleface can’t provide or find one, we can show you times when he was sampled. That’s more our thing. So here are five of his samples. Enjoy (I guess)!

Tity Boi’s Pimps feat. Bun B and Big K.R.I.T. sampled Kenny G’s Summertime feat. George Benson

2 Chainz Feat Bun B & Big Krit - Pimps (Official Video)

On paper, this looks like a weird ass coming together of sounds. But hip hop is meant to be heard, not read. This turned into a good sample choice as Big Hurt picked some good loops from Kenny’s cover – from both himself and George Benson on guitar. This might be the only time you’d see “pimps” and “Kenny G” in the same sentence.

Shlohmo’s Tomato Smash sampled Kenny G’s Hi, How Ya Doin’?

Shlohmo - Tomato Smash

This is a smooth ass flip. Shlohmo took the hook from Kenny G’s Hi, How Ya Doin’? and stripped it of any corniness, blending it with that Brainfeeder-esque style of Bitcrushing and electronic ambience.

Kitty Pryde’s Give Me Scabies sampled Kenny G’s Sentimental

Kitty Pryde - GIVE ME SCABIES

I hadn’t heard about Kitty Pryde in years until I found out she released an album just a few days ago. GrantBEATS was the man behind the sampled-beat and while it’s pretty generic – as are the comedy lyrics – it’s fitting that a sample from one of the most divisive jazz musicians would be used in a parody rap song.

Chris†††’s Brokend sampled Kenny G’s Don’t Make Me Wait for Love feat. Kenny Williams

Bandcamp link

Maybe this doesn’t sound so… bad? I can’t believe I’m even thinking it, let alone saying it. Chris†††’s Brokend looped a short phrase from Don’t Make Me Wait for Love and pitched it down to a palatable key. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Also, the cover art is hilariously bad.

Babyface’s Every Time I Close My Eyes feat. Mariah Carey and Kenny G remixed by Timbaland

Every Time I Close My Eyes (Timbaland Remix)

This isn’t a sample. But it is a remix of a song featuring Kenny. On the surface, it looks weird having Babyface and Mariah Carey, two 90s R&B icons on a track with… Kenny G. But it happened and then Timbaland remixed it and he took the sax part out. He saved us from unnecessary torture and made a good song even better. Seriously though, were there no other sax players available for the original?

Are there any KG samples you’ve heard that we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments.

Hi, it's Luke, the editor of Sampleface! Why not subscribe to my Patreon and support the blog?

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