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Here's How Fall Out Boy Says They Were Influenced By Hip-Hop

FOB praise A Tribe Called Quest and J. Dilla.

One of today’s most influential rock groups actually gained a lot of inspiration from hip-hop. Fall Out Boy, a band that’s worked with MC greats including Jay Z and Big Sean, isn't shy about their love of rap or how much the genre's impacted their work.

A Tribe Called Quest and J. Dilla are two acts that come to mind when they’re asked about their hip-hop influences. "No one in music doesn’t love Dilla,” Patrick Stump explained during an interview with MTV News on Apr. 11 to promote their Boys of Zummer Tour with Wiz Khalifa.

But unlike some rap/rock groups, FOB weren’t just influenced by the genre’s rhymes; they were also inspired by the samples that Dilla and Tribe were known for.

"Initially, when people thought of being aware of hip-hop in rock music, the first thing they thought of was the MC part,” Patrick said. "That’s the last thing you should do."

Instead of focusing on the rhymes, Fall Out Boy turned their attention to rap's beats. Whether you caught it or not, that love of hip-hop production definitely showed up in their music, particularly highlighted on their latest album American Beauty/American Psycho.

"On this record especially, we really focused on the idea of sampling,” Stump said. "It’s still this thing that’s so taboo in rock music. It’s an art form. You can do such amazing things with it. Those things are very obviously influenced by hip-hop.”

Those influences stand out for sure. The group’s latest single, for instance, “Uma Thurman” samples Jack Marshall’s “The Munsters.” Then, of course, their “Centuries” smash samples Suzanne Vega’s classic “Tom’s Diner.” Both are good examples of how the band's added flavor to their work using some of rap's sample-heavy production as inspiration.

But their love for rap shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise, according to Pete Wentz. "Everyone thinks that you listen to the music that you perform,” Wentz said. "Everyone listens to all kinds of different music. I know rappers that listen to rock music. I think everyone’s all over the place and has their own tastes."

The group's taste showed when Jay Z joined them on 2007's "Thriller" off Infinity On High and then again when Big Sean appeared on 2013's "The Mighty Fall" off Save Rock And Roll. This year, their appreciation for rap shined on the MTV Movie Awards stage where they teamed up with Fetty Wap for a mash-up of "Centuries" and "Trap Queen." Soon after that, Sean and Action Bronson was among the guests in the group's "Uma Thurman" video.

Look for more of Fall Out Boy's rap appreciation on the Boys of Zummer Tour. The band's teamed up with several rappers for this run, including Hoodie Allen and Wiz Khalifa.

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