What is the most sampled drum beat in history?

The 'Amen Break' is widely considered the most sampled drum beat in music history. It is a 7-second drum solo performed by Gregory C. Coleman on The Winstons' 1969 B-side track 'Amen, Brother'.

Did the creator of the Amen break get paid?

Tragically, no. Despite the drum loop being sampled in thousands of tracks and forming the foundation of genres like drum and bass and jungle, Gregory C. Coleman never received royalties for it and died in poverty in 2006.

What genres of music use the Amen break?

The Amen break is the foundational rhythm for drum and bass, jungle, and breakcore. It was also heavily used in 1980s and 90s hip-hop (like N.W.A's 'Straight Outta Compton') and early UK hardcore and rave music.

The Break That Built Hip-Hop

Genre: hip-hop, funk, breakbeat, drum and bass, jungle, sampling

February 16, 2026

Discover the incredible story of the Amen Break: how a 7-second drum solo from a forgotten B-movie soundtrack became the most sampled loop in music history.

Tracks

1. Amen Brother — The Winstons
2. Straight Outta Compton — N.W.A.
3. King Of The Beats Lesson #1 — Mantronix
4. Chopper - Shy FX Remix — The Terrorist, SHY FX
5. Firestarter — The Prodigy
6. Inner City Life — Goldie
7. Windowlicker — Aphex Twin
8. Original Nuttah 25 — Uk Apache, SHY FX
9. Renegade Snares — Omni Trio
10. Color Him Father — The Winstons

Read the full story on UpTune →