The Story Behind Kanye West Making the "Otis" Beat

[Deltron]

http://www.complex.com/music/2016/07/story-kanye-west-otis-beat

Five years ago today, Kanye West and Jay Z released their hit track “Otis,” the second single off their collaborative project Watch the Throne. The song has since become one of the most recognizable and acclaimed releases in hip hop—widely lauded for its lyricism and accompanying visuals. But, above all, people were obsessed with the incredible beat.

Verses about Rollies, popping bottles, and driving around in Benz were delivered over a chopped-up sample of Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness.”

The song, which was often considered a throwback to Kanye’s early days, did impressively well on the charts and eventually went platinum in sales. Many people attribute its success to that infectious Redding-sampled beat we all know and love. So it’s only fitting that such an amazing track would have an equally amazing story behind it.

In celebration of the song’s fifth anniversary, Roc Nation executive Lenny Santiago went to Instagram to describe the time “Otis” was made. It turns out, Kanye created the song in NYC’s Mercer Hotel, and he did it within 15-20 minutes. Insane, right?

"He was being reminded that he had to leave to catch his flight, he sort of brushed that off and was like, fukk it, let me just play y'all a piece of the song so you could see how dope it is," Lenny recalls. "He then approached the MPC and Keyboard and plays it. Everyone in the room does the ugly face like when you hear some dope shyt or see the sickest slam dunk at a contest."

"15 or 20min later before he runs off to catch his flight, he creates the phenomenal track known to us as "OTIS," he adds.

You can read Lenny S.'s full story in the Instagram post below.

 

[Jerz-2]

I wish this white-washed nikka would've just stayed making beats, he'd be arguably the GOAT producer by now.

SMH....sellout ass nikka.

 

[MIKE SPLEAN]

I wish this white-washed nikka would've just stayed making beats, he'd be arguably the GOAT producer by now.

SMH....sellout ass nikka.

How did he sell out?

 

[BronxFleeZ]

My idol smh

 

[blizzard man]

I wish this white-washed nikka would've just stayed making beats, he'd be arguably the GOAT producer by now.

SMH....sellout ass nikka.

coli gon coli

 

[str8up]

No I.D. talked about this too

Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” has been sampled a number of times in its 50-plus years of existence, but Kanye West took the 1966 track to a whole new level with Watch the Throne‘s lead single “Otis.” Now, in a recent interview XXL, fellow Chi-Town beatsmith No. I.D.revealed that the Grammy-nominated track actually came about after he challenged Yeezy to flip a sample on the spot.

According to the veteran producer, the challenge came out of his initial dissatisfaction with his protege’s collaborative LP with Jay-Z due the numerous co-production credits. So No I.D. decided to put ‘Ye on the spot and tell him to produce one song by himself, thus resulting in the creation of “Otis.”

“I kinda didn’t agree with the direction that Watch the Throne was going because I felt like, ‘Y’all were two of the best that did it as far advancing, pushing the bar, the envelope of what Hip Hop can do and is,’” No I.D. explained. “And I felt like some of the songs were copping out a little to me. I get the co-productions, but how you gon’ do an album and you don’t go to the machine and do one beat by yourself? We have always sparked this challenge in each other and it bled into the world, so I just wanted to hit him in the stomach real quick. This is what you got? He was like, ‘No, that’s cool. I’m ’bout to do something.’”

He added, “I remember even at the time at the label they was like, ‘What the hell? No I.D. just came in and messed up our release schedule.’ We all amongst ourselves really are battling each other each and every minute of life, but it’s all in the spirit of advancement and the pursuit of dopeness is what I call it.”

 

[Roaden Polynice]

Why are people still trying to make WTT a "classic" album?

Album is trash outside of like 2 songs.

Be impressed that one of the greatest producers ever makes a beat that he was working on in advance in 15 mins, brehs

 

[head shots101]

Wish this nig still made beats....the less he made beats the more awful his music became in my opinion

 

[SAINT]

I wish this white-washed nikka would've just stayed making beats, he'd be arguably the GOAT producer by now.

SMH....sellout ass nikka.

Dreamkillers

 

[Piffery]

Wish this nig still made beats....the less he made beats the more awful his music became in my opinion

What's the cut off point for that in your opinion?

 

[Colilluminati]

How did he sell out?

Any man who has to change their voice depending on who they are talking to is a sell out . Yes. I would have told you Kanye was the greatest rapper ever until he dropped this last garbage album and the one before that . Totally threw his legacy in the bushes to ride around feeding cacs rib tips . Kanye is washed

 

[AkaDemiK]

Wish this nig still made beats....the less he made beats the more awful his music became in my opinion

Faxxx

 

[Harry B]

Any man who has to change their voice depending on who they are talking to is a sell out . Yes. I would have told you Kanye was the greatest rapper ever until he dropped this last garbage album and the one before that . Totally threw his legacy in the bushes to ride around feeding cacs rib tips . Kanye is washed

So you talk to your aunt, a hoe you met in the club, a presentation at your job, an interview and with your mans in the same way .

That would be interesting cause then half of the coli would be calling their boss breh and calling people my nikka at work, making homo jokes, calling their sons teacher what's good cac and on .

 

[Colilluminati]

So you talk to your aunt, a hoe you met in the club, a presentation at your job, an interview and with your mans in the same way .

That would be interesting cause then half of the coli would be calling their boss breh and calling people my nikka at work, making homo jokes, calling their sons teacher what's good cac and on .

I talk to my boss, my mom, and hoes on the street the same way . I might change the words I use depending on who I'm dealing with . But to change the sound of your voice makes you a clown . You can spin it however you want .

 

[Darealtwo1]

1:59, 2:45 and 3:26
insane in 20 mins man this shyt is just a sample on loop. This beat can be recreated in 5mins on FL Studio Slicer all it has in addition is a 808 and a kick.....no snares no hi hats no additions to the lead no nothing.