The Stolen Beat That Built Hip-Hop: When a Drum Break Accidentally Became an Empire episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 14, 2026 · 14 MIN

The Stolen Beat That Built Hip-Hop: When a Drum Break Accidentally Became an Empire

from The Second Track · host Podcaster

A six-second drum solo from a forgotten 1969 funk song became the foundation for an entire genre—and nobody asked permission. We dive into how the 'Amen Break' from The Winstons was sampled thousands of times, launching hip-hop, jungle, and drum & bass, while the original drummer died broke and unknown. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A six-second drum solo from a forgotten 1969 funk song became the foundation for an entire genre—and nobody asked permission. We dive into how the 'Amen Break' from The Winstons was sampled thousands of times, launching hip-hop, jungle, and drum & bass, while the original drummer died broke and unknown.

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The Stolen Beat That Built Hip-Hop: When a Drum Break Accidentally Became an Empire

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This episode was published on June 14, 2026.

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A six-second drum solo from a forgotten 1969 funk song became the foundation for an entire genre—and nobody asked permission. We dive into how the 'Amen Break' from The Winstons was sampled thousands of times, launching hip-hop, jungle, and drum &...

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