The verdict
Documented Sampling History
A real, living, named rightsholder — Renee Scroggins — retains the rights, and has publicly voiced frustration over historical non-payment; treat it as a genuine request, not a casual ask.
Sampled 500+ times
Used by independents?
Yes — used by MF DOOM, J Dilla and Big Daddy Kane (independent acts), among 500+ tracks — much of it uncleared, per ESG’s own account.
Get the Audio
Streaming isn't enough to sample from — you need an actual file
Discogs
Original 1981 ESG EP (99 Records / Factory)
Collector's Copies
Original pressings, rare editions, and audiophile reissues
Soul Jazz Records
2000 reissue: 'A South Bronx Story' anthology (UK) — a legitimate copy without hunting an original pressing
Quick Facts
Released1981
AlbumESG (EP)
GenrePost-Punk, No Wave, Funk
Label99 Records (US) / Factory Records (UK)
ProducerMartin Hannett
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
Renee Scroggins — retains the rights to ESG's music and publishing
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
Has it been sampled?
Sampled 500+ times (Wikipedia: 'over 560'; AllMusic: 'several hundred'); notable users include The Notorious B.I.G., MF DOOM, Wu-Tang Clan, and J Dilla
Do they allow sampling?
No documented open policy — a real, motivated rightsholder exists who has voiced ongoing frustration with historical unauthorized use; treat this as a genuine request to someone who cares about proper compensation, not a casual ask
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
Current rightsholderRenee Scroggins
Original publisherNine Nine Music (ASCAP)
Original label99 Records (US) / Factory Records (UK) — split release
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Decades of uncleared use, named directly in their own EP title
ESG did not receive royalties for the sampling of 'UFO' for roughly 20 years. They titled their own 1992 EP 'Sample Credits Don't Pay Our Bills' as direct commentary on the problem.
Wikipedia · read it →
Over a decade of litigation, and it hasn't gotten easier
The volume of subsequent uncleared sampling led to more than ten years of litigation for the band; Renee Scroggins describes her relationship with the hip-hop sampling world as having only soured further over time.
Penny Mag · read it →
Their own label's closure was caused by a different sampling lawsuit
99 Records shut down largely because owner Ed Bahlman was exhausted by a separate legal battle with Sugarhill Records over Grandmaster Flash's uncleared sampling of labelmate Liquid Liquid's 'Optimo' — compounded when Sugarhill's bankruptcy meant 99 Records never collected its settlement.
wefunkradio · read it →
A formative influence beyond sampling
Cited as a formative influence (separate from sampling) by the Beastie Boys and Luscious Jackson.
AllMusic · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
500+
Times sampled
—
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itThe Notorious B.I.G. · MF DOOM · Wu-Tang Clan · Big Daddy Kane · J Dilla · Masta Ace
Who to Contact
RS
Renee Scroggins
Retains the rights to ESG's music and publishing — the person to approach for clearance. A rare case of a real, living, named rightsholder for a song this old
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
Sample something pre-cleared insteadCheck Tracklib →
Find a similar sound that's 100% freeBrowse the catalog →
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Page history · 3 updates
Jul 2026BPM/Key added via two-source check (GetSongBPM/Deezer)
Jul 2026Page created (draft — pending verification)
Jul 2026BPM left Unconfirmed by design — the track is largely an atmospheric guitar-feedback/siren soundscape rather than a strong rhythmic pulse, so standard BPM detection is less meaningful here