Billboard On The Record

How Sampling Changed the Music Industry w/ Questlove

September 30, 2026·1h 15m
Episode Description from the Publisher

Sampling has shaped some of the most influential music of the last 50 years — and Questlove has been there for much of its evolution. The musician and music historian joins Billboard’s Kristin Robinson on Billboard On The Record for a conversation about his Earth, Wind & Fire documentary — Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World) — the history of sampling and his work as a music historian. From the lawsuit against Biz Markie, which made sampling more difficult and expensive, to AI-generated crate digging and the surge of catalog sales, Questlove shares his insight into sampling’s evolution and how it changed the music business. Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record. Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin. Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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