#stezo

Steve Williams better known as Stezo died April 29, 2020

Out of 252 recorded uses of this on WhoSampled, only eight instances (3%) sampled it for reasons other than drums. Those eight? Stezo, TLC, Capitol AK, The Avalanches, Luke Vibert, Mazzi with Soul Purpose, and Trent Taylor (twice!) used it for either more than drums, sound effects, hooks / riffs, or vocals. The other 244 entries? Drums drums drums. It’s not The Winstons “amen break” (’69) or Skull Snaps’ “It’s A New Day” (’73), but “Hihache” stands as one of the most sampled drum beds in existence. Formerly called The Bobby Boyd Congress, the Lafayette Afro Rock Band later moved to France for two years before returning to New York City / Long Island to create Soul Makossa (1973) and Malik (1974). With what “culture” Long Island currently has (cue laugh track), no one has ever mentioned the impact they’ve made here as much as they talk about My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields residing here, too.

Stezo (3/10/68-4/29/20)

RIP

Stezo - Bop Ya Headz

Stezo - To the Max

1989 | Crazy Noise