The "Amen Break" - The World's Most Important 6-second Drum Loop

A 20-minute explication of a six-second drum loop -- very cool.

This fascinating, brilliant 20-minute video narrates the history of the "Amen Break," a six-second drum sample from the b-side of a chart-topping single from 1969. This sample was used extensively in early hiphop and sample-based music, and became the basis for drum-and-bass and jungle music -- a six-second clip that spawned several entire subcultures. Nate Harrison's 2004 video is a meditation on the ownership of culture, the nature of art and creativity, and the history of a remarkable music clip.

Tags: Amen Break, The World's Most Important 6-second Drum Loop, Nate Harrison, music, criticism, culture, hiphop, drum-and-bass, jungle music