Daily Jam - That's That

We all have our different, preferable aesthetics that we’re drawn to when listening to music, the sounds and textures that we love and that comfort us. And as often as I attempt to expand and broaden my horizons with an abundance of unique styles and genres, I always eventually come back to what I know. Whether it be layer upon layer of guitar distortion, dark and moody synthesizer tones, lo-fi, primal screaming in the garage, or awesome and obscure samples, my aesthetic has my heart. In the case of the late, great DOOM’s (formerly MF DOOM) “That’s That,” from 2009’s Born Like This LP, it’s the latter, the selected samples, music or otherwise, working seamlessly together to create just over two minutes of hip-hop perfection.

Grooving off of a sample of the song “Princess Gika,” a track by composer Galt MacDermot from the soundtrack to the 1969 film Woman Is Sweeter, “That’s That” bumps along with a sense of airiness, all the while DOOM’s raspy and stoned vocals keep things organic and grounded. Very often, a lot of hip-hop can sound too synthetic, all computer blips, manufactured notes, and vocal effects, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and can be wonderful when created by the right talented people, it feels nice to dial things back to a more naturalistic sound. DOOM’s production sounds tangible, or malleable, like something you can hold or feel. His production sounds real. And while he’s never been the most talented rapper in the world, that solid and fluid production work make him far more interesting than a lot of other cats out there. And I’m a total sucker for his stoned flow, like he just took a walloping hit off a bong before hitting the microphone.

“That’s That” is short and sweet, coming and going in just a couple of minutes, leaving you wanting another verse, but also ending with a delightful audio sample from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Man, I love random samples.

Side note: Busta Rhymes’ 1996 jam “Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check” also samples Galt MacDermot’s Woman Is Sweeter soundtrack from the song “Space.” There’s this cool sense of discovery that comes along with hearing a sample in its original composition after only knowing it in its sampled state, kind of like finding treasure or something.

Check it out below, our Daily Jam.