Hip-hop has always been about individuality, defining your own corner of the genre with a style so specific to each artist that it becomes nearly impossible to duplicate. The art of sample searching works similarly, as some of the most memorable samples were unearthed from deep pockets in pop culture. Some samples, though, are just too good to be used once, too iconic not to be flipped every which way by Hip-hop’s legends. In 1976, the great Roy Ayers released a song so naturally catchy it was bound to become a hit, yet so mystifying and ethereal that producers could see themselves in its gentle nature, like a puddle reflecting an image of them.
“Everybody Loves the Sunshine” is one of Ayers’s most recognizable releases under his Roy Ayers Ubiquity umbrella, and a favorite sample in Hip-hop. Since it appeared on an album of the same name, it has been sampled over 200 times, including only a few months ago on “Cruel Summers Bring FIRE LIFE!!” from De La Soul’s 2025 LP, Cabin In The Sky. The soulful jazz classic has launched itself into the Hip-hop pantheon, and we’re spending this week’s Golden Age Thursday celebrating. Below, you can hear Ayers’s original composition and how the likes of Common and Joey Bada$$ kept the spirit of the classic alive.
Original Sample: Roy Ayers – “Everybody Loves The Sunshine”
Produced by Roy Ayers & Maurice Green
De La Soul – “Cruel Summers Bring FIRE LIFE!!” (Feat. Yukimi)
Produced by Posdnuos & Trugoy the Dove
Common – “Book of Life”
Produced by No I.D.
Joey Bada$$ – “Shine”
Produced by Statik Selektah
