Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedIt's Just Begun
Funk1970s117BPM
G majKey
More around 120 BPM → · More in G major →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record, no dispute found in this pass, and 100+ documented samples with two-source agreement — a genuinely clean case.
Sampled 100+ times
Used by independents?
Yes — used by Ultramagnetic MCs on the independent Next Plateau label in 1988 (“Watch Me Now,” from “Critical Beatdown”).
Quick Facts
Released1972
AlbumIt's Just Begun
GenreFunk, R&B
LabelRCA Records
ProducerJimmy Castor & John Pruitt
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters — Jimmy Castor, John Pruitt & Gerry Thomas
WhoSampled → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally RCA Records; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been sampled?
Yes — more than 100 times, with clean two-source agreement (Wikipedia and WhoSampled)
Do they allow sampling?
No standalone policy found, but a long record of legitimate use as a foundational B-Boy staple
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
From the same 1972 album — #6 on the Hot 100
1969 — the record this track itself sampled
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Jimmy Castor, John Pruitt & Gerry Thomas
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Any known dispute?None found in this pass — a cleaner case than several other entries (Funky Drummer, Think, Impeach) that carry documented disputes
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
It samples an earlier record too
A recurring pattern seen with Apache and Take Me to the Mardi Gras: this track itself samples Kool & the Gang's 1969 "Give It Up" (De-Lite Records).
WhoSampled · read it →
A foundational B-Boy staple
Directly tied to hip-hop's earliest breakdancing culture, alongside foundational breakbeat records like Apache and Amen Brother.
Wikipedia · read it →
A confirmed independent-artist sample
Ultramagnetic MCs sampled it on “Watch Me Now,” the opening track of their 1988 classic “Critical Beatdown,” released on Next Plateau — an independent New York label (its major-distribution deal with PolyGram came only in 1992).
WhoSampled · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Who to Contact
JC
Jimmy Castor, John Pruitt & Gerry Thomas
The credited songwriters of record
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 · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (New Discovery batch)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending a separate manual keyfinder pass