Thank God by Ice Cube

Album: Raw Footage (2008)

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This Ice Cube song was co-produced by Teak "Da Beatsmith" Underdue. Worldwide Rap and Hip Hop Music Lifestyle Network commented to Teak that this track was a throwback to the 1980s, where horns were prevelant in rap songs. The interviewer added that we don't hear horns too much these days unless it's a DJ Toomp track. Teak responded: "That's funny that you mention Toomp, because the artist that I sampled for that track is Tom Brock. Toomp actually brought him back to the forefront with 'Say Hello To The Bad Guy' with Jay-Z. Also Just-Blaze uses Brock too. DJ Toomp is Just-Blazes crate record digging' cat. I didn't know that was Tom Brock. I had the sample for like two years and I didn't know who it was. Cube hit us up because he wanted more beats and I decided to narrow this record down. I took the sample and chopped it up in the MPC. The intro where Cube is talking, I added that part last. So I chopped up the sample and built up the drums around it. Then I replayed every part in the sample after I put it all in Pro Tools. It took a long time to put that s--t together. There is so much going on in that beat."
Teak told Worldwide Rap and Hip Hop Music Lifestyle Network that there is a family connection to this beat. He explained: "There's a part to that sample where I added a Trombone and played the guitar with it too. There are so many instruments. I have a piano playing in the background. The session for that track is huge in Pro Tools. There is a vocal part in there during the hook. I have my sister and my mom singing and I'm playing the organ with it. It was a crazy beat to put together."

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