Three 6 Mafia's influence in hip-hop runs deeper than some people may think. The Memphis group didn't just make classic songs that captured specific moments in the uprising Dirty South rap—they also inspired generations to come with their signature Southern slick talk and wildly catchy beats. Not to mention "Hard Out Here For A Pimp," which won an Oscar for Best Original Song.
Obviously major hits like "Poppin' My Collar" and "Stay Fly" will forever stand alone as classic records but the group's entire catalog—from Mystic Stylez to Watch What U Wish…—will survive through new artists using hip-hop's oldest method appreciation: sampling.
Most recently, Tupelo, Miss. duo Rae Sremmurd sampled Three 6's "Side 2 Side" on their new song "Powerglide." The imminent hit is reinvigorated by Mike WiLL Made-It's rapid fire hi-hats but keeps the same iconic strings that made "Side 2 Side"—as DJ Paul says on the original track—the perfect "dance song for all thugs in the club that don't dance."
Some artists sample entire instrumentals, some artists sample just hooks while others sample as little as one bar. But not matter the size the sample, that gritty, gangster groove Three 6 Mafia is captured on every song.
There have been hundreds instances where artists have sampled Three 6 Mafia in attempts to create their own unique moments in hip-hop history—some have obviously been better than others. XXL combed through the array sampled songs and found 20 tracks that sample and tribute Three 6 in the best way possible.