History of the 'Amen break' Video

The 'Amen break' is a sampled drum loop, extraordinarily prevalent in modern electronic music. It can be used to provide a rhythmic background for another instrument to solo over.

This fascinating, brilliant 20-minute video narrates the history of the "Amen Break," a six-second drum sample from the b-side of a chart-topping single from 1969. This sample was used extensively in early hip hop and sample-based music, and became the basis for drum-and-bass and jungle music -- a six-second clip that spawned several entire subcultures. Nate Harrison's 2004 video is a meditation on the ownership of culture, the nature of art and creativity, and the history of a remarkable music clip.

For more extensive information on the 'Amen break' visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A8819832