Founder and CEO of Tommy Boy Records, Tom Silverman is set to release Hip-Hop Roots; a compilation of the 12 most sampled songs in Hip-Hop. The project will be released on CD and double vinyl as well as a digital download. The album features heavily sampled songs like Billy Squier's "The Big Beat" which was later reworked on Jay-Z's "99 Problems" and Bob James' "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" which was lifted by Run-D.M.C. on "Peter Piper." Other popular samples include LL Cool J on "Rock The Bells" and David Bowie's "Fame" which was sampled for Public Enemy's "Night of the Living Baseheads" and Run-D.M.C's "Mary Mary." Veteran DJ and producer Jazzy Jay contributed by editing and mixing several tracks. The songs were all handpicked by Silverman. "I believe that the strength of Hip-Hop over 26 years, unlike any other kind of music, has been its inclusive nature. Rather than be elitist or separatist, Hip-Hop is accepting and absorbing of outside influences. African, Latin, Disco, Funk, or the corniest Pop or soundtracks were accepted and made the genre stronger just as America is made strong by its confluence of cultures and rainbow of peoples," Tom Silverman stated. Hip-Hop Roots is scheduled to hit stores August 9th.

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