Song Clearance Sheet
5 sources citedBetween the Sheets
R&B1980s84BPM
A minKey
More around 80 BPM → · More in A minor →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →, Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (the full Isley Brothers collective), no dispute found — a much-sampled record best known through The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa.”
Quick Facts
Released1983
AlbumBetween the Sheets
GenreR&B, Funk, Soul
LabelT-Neck Records
ProducerThe Isley Brothers
Recorded atBearsville Studios, Woodstock, NY
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — The full Isley Brothers collective
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally T-Neck; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Yes — famously the backbone of The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa” (1994); also sampled by A Tribe Called Quest, Big L and Jay-Z.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Both are built on Isley samples — “Big Poppa”’s producer named this song as the template for that Isley-sampling track (this batch)
Same Isley collective; the primary sample source for “It Was a Good Day” (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Rudolph Isley, O’Kelly Isley Jr., Ronald Isley, Ernest Isley, Marvin Isley & Chris Jasper
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A delightful, directly confirmed production story
Producer Chucky Thompson has said he had Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day” in mind while making “Big Poppa” — both sampled the Isley Brothers, and he felt they were “on the same wavelength.” He left Biggie alone in the studio overnight to record his vocal, returning to find co-producer Nashiem Myrick grinning that Biggie had delivered an extraordinary hook — in Thompson’s words, Biggie “took the bait.” No lyrics reproduced.
WhoSampled · read it →
A documented content-moderation mix-up
Per Bad Boy Records, MTV asked for a lyric reference to be edited out because they mistook the brand name “Coogi” (an Australian fashion label Biggie liked to wear) for unrelated slang.
WhoSampled · read it →
Extensive additional sample legacy
Also sampled by A Tribe Called Quest’s “Bonita Applebum (Hootie Mix),” Big L’s “Fed Up Wit the Bullshit,” and Jay-Z’s “Ignorant Shit,” and covered by jazz group Fourplay featuring Chaka Khan on lead vocals in 1992.
HipHopHero · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
Famously sampled by The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa”
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itThe Notorious B.I.G. · A Tribe Called Quest · Jay-Z
Who to Contact
BS
The Isley Brothers (T-Neck)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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References
Every source cited on this page — 5 in total
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Page history · 3 updates
Jul 2026BPM set to 84 (feel tempo) — the two-source pass agreed at the 168 double-time octave; halved to the natural tempo of this slow-jam. Key A min confirmed.
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 12)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass