Chill Rob G

Power Jam was the first name under which German producers Michael Münzing (Benito Benites) and Luca Anzilotti (John Virgo Garrett III) were noticed for their 1990 Hit "The Power".

The first version of "The Power" was an amalgamate of samples. The beats were taken from Mantronix's "King Of The Beats Lesson #1" (from their 1990 album "This Should Move Ya"), the vocals were taken from "Let The Words Flow" by rapper Chill Rob G and from "Love's Gonna Get You" by Jocelyn Brown.

The record became instantly popular in both Europe and North America. But the samples were all unauthorized. In Germany, Arista Records had a deal with Stu Fine, former owner of Wild Pitch Records, but they didn't have a deal for the US. Chill Rob G consented to a US release (which he thought could be lucrative). But Arista Records wanted to release it there too.

Since Arista couldn't release the same single, they decided to re-record the whole track with new lyrics by rapper Durron Butler AKA Turbo B. and additional vocals by Penny Ford. The samples were then all legally cleared and the song finally re-released under the new name Snap!.

Comments

9 years ago

Erika Johnson

TO ME THIS WAS ALWAYS THE BEST VERSION. CHILL ROB G HAD THIS ALL THE WAY!

9 years ago

madscientist06

Preciate the history lesson!

10 years ago

TreijaMusic

sad to say but he didn't have The Power.... Arista/BMG had The Power. :(

10 years ago

dylz

also lmfaooo at "snap was a boy band put together for profit". just. looooooool. stop. no. please read something before you simply make shit up. (also let's just ignore the obvious fact that EVERY musician who releases records intends to make a profit, no matter how authentic you think they are.)

10 years ago

dylz

lol at people getting so defensive about this when they don't even have basic facts right. chill rob g's lyrics were SAMPLED, not recorded, for snap's "the power" from another record of his ("let the words flow") from the previous year. he recorded this version and issued the "power jam feat. chill rob g" single (power jam is NOT snap, contrary to the description) basically to get a slice of the pie after snap's record unexpectedly became a smash in germany. at this point, when arista picked up the record and wanted to release/promote it around the world, they had to re-record the rap b/c chill rob g had already put out his copycat version in the united states. it has NOTHING to do with having to water down the lyrics for the purposes of profit or (lmao) how "meaningful" they are: most people hearing the two records wouldn't even notice the difference. if the story were exactly the same, except chill rob g's rap was actually lyrically the same as turbo b's and vice versa, the amusing user below would be defending the turbo b lyrics instead as "real rap" and denigrating chill rob g's as "pop-hip hop". but of course he doesn't even have the basic story right, so he lets his biases about musical authenticity and consumerism fill in the gaps. congratulations.

10 years ago

stylngnprofilin

Oh I know the difference, but moving right along...thanks for the info.

10 years ago

Jeppe Severin

Different lyrics makes it NOT the same song. Apparently you don't know the difference between (real) rap and pop-hip hop; The point is that Chill Rob G initially made meaningful rap over the beat. But realizing that meaningful lyrics and a "hiphoppish" flow doesn't make profit as easy, they replaced CRG with Treble B's bs pop rap. Real rap/hiphop vs. pop/profit. Get it?

10 years ago

stylngnprofilin

Ok, I see their comments below, but I am still not clear on why one version is considered "hip hop" and the other not! It's really the same song..different lyrics right?

10 years ago

jcannion

Yeah... Snap was a project put together for profit. Which is the exact definition of a "Boy Band" ie... Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, & NYSNC. The reality is they used his lyrics without his consent. And why the hell would you hire someone else to lip sing someone else's verse anyway. Fuck Snap and people like you who defend them!

10 years ago

shax

He didn´t made this song for god sake! Snap (which is actually a Music Project not a band) used just his acapella of "Let the words flow" in 1989 for their Song "The Power" and released it without permission and Turbo B. lipsynced to his vocals,then Chill Rob sued them and they recorded a new version with Raps by Turbo B. which became a worldwide hit,shortly after that Chill Rob G decited to used Snap´s "unauthorised "version with his vocals to get a piece of their cake!

10 years ago

jcannion

Snap is a German Hip Hop Boy Band that was put together for the purpose of profiting off of this song, and that late 80's, early 90's, club sound. Chil Rob G is a much respected MC from New Jersey. He not only made the song first, the lead singer of Snap actually used Chil Rob G's lyrics when performing the song before re-recording Snap's version. You obviously have no idea as to what the hell you are talking about.

10 years ago

shax

Chill Rob is a freeloader this song is made by Snap and he is just surfing on their Idea....he sued Snap for using his rap but used this version later as his own, so cheap!

10 years ago

jcannion

No shit Stupid!!!

10 years ago

shax

Do you even realize that this Song is made by Snap too?

10 years ago

Curi0u50ne

That snap guy got booed off stage in Lagos in the 90s, I think that says it all

10 years ago

Curi0u50ne

? What's the difference and who copied who ?

10 years ago

Ldydrmmer

So who is the singer? I like both versions

10 years ago

jcannion

Plus Rob G did it first anyway!

10 years ago

ricardo herrera

fuck Snap. never liked that shit.and this video rocks.

10 years ago

Finn Snor

It is that same tack and same guys, the first vinyl edition had the acapella from Chill Rob G let the words flow on top of it.When that sample didnt clear, they used Turbo b´s rap. A even lesser known fact they technically didnt sample Mantronix king of beats, but a beatloop from drumdrops vol. 2 by lenny dee and frankie bones that use king of beats + the horn from ashleys roachcliff =)