WhoSampled Traces The Influence Of MLK’s ‘I Have A Dream’ Speech
From Kendrick Lamar’s “HiiiPoWeR,” to Jay-Z’s “What We Talkin’ About,” MLK Jr.’s speech has been sampled 110 times.
It’s been almost six decades since Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963.
Since then, his historic speech has become one of the most famous passages in American history, and his plea to “make real the promises of democracy,” has only grown more urgent today.
“I Have a Dream,” has been cited by politicians, schoolteachers, civic leaders, and musicians alike, and it has permeated every aspect of American culture.
To celebrate the anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. King’s timeless decree, Urban Legends in partnership with Sound of Vinyl and WhoSampled, has created an infographic tracing the influence of the ‘I Have a Dream” speech in popular music.
From Kendrick Lamar’s “HiiiPoWeR,” to Jay-Z’s “What We Talkin’ About,” MLK Jr’s speech has been sampled 110 times. View the full graphic below to explore the greater musical influence of MLK.
And listen to the exclusive “March On Washington” playlist, featuring tracks by seminal Black creators like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Public Enemy.
