Kendrick Lamar Sampled 'The Powerpuff Girls' in "Backseat Freestyle"

The revelation comes courtesy of producer Hit-Boy's Instagram

BY Megan LaPierrePublished Oct 26, 2021

Last week, Kendrick Lamar's landmark album good kid, m.A.A.d city celebrated its nine-year anniversary — and producer Hit-Boy is giving special props to a heroic trio of contributors to the hit single "Backseat Freestyle."

It goes without saying that "Backseat Freestyle" is one of those songs with an instantaneous visceral impact; you can't help but embody the swagger of it. And it turns out there's a special reason for that: a little sugar, spice and everything nice.

Hit-Boy shared some insight into the production process by reposting Songs & Samples' video to his own Instagram. The clip demonstrates how he slowed and pitch-shifted the '70s tune "Yo Soy Cubano" by the Chakachas — as well as the producer's incorporation of some dialogue from an episode of the Cartoon Network classic The Powerpuff Girls that aired circa' 99.

Yes, that's right — the winsome threesome of Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup can be heard on the platinum-selling "Backseat Freestyle." Who better to signify money and power?

"Don't request to work wit me if you looking for something inside the box that sounds like whatever is going on chart wise," Hit-Boy wrote in the caption of the post. "Work wit me when you wanna be creative I be sampling power puff girls an [sic] shit 😭  ask @kendricklamar."

Watch the video clip breaking down a snippet of Lamar's 2012 masterpiece below.
 
Lamar was just announced as one of the halftime performers for Super Bowl LVI. The hip-hop great also featured on Baby Keem's The Melodic Blue and revealed that his next release will be his "final TDE album."

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