When hip-hop first started in 1973 at a party thrown by Clive Campbell, also known as DJ Kool Herc, it might have sounded different from the hip-hop we know today, but much of the groundwork has remained the same.
Herc pioneered spinning records on twin turntables to extend the drum breaks, omitting lyrics, and giving dancers and rappers time to perform. Herc's method, originally called "the Merry-Go-Round" technique, has evolved in the 50 years since it was invented.
Because this method relied on pulling from existing songs, hip-hop has been tied to the sounds of funk, jazz, and disco.
With the growth of hip-hop into a global genre, sampling has become more complicated than it was 50 years ago. Copyright law and the process of clearing samples have led to lengthy and expensive processes for artists, making sampling harder for a newer generation of rappers.