Childish Gambino – Donald Glover (two names for the same artist, depending on whether he’s engaging in music or acting) released “Pink Toes” (featuring Jhené Aiko) in 2013 as a track on his sophomore album Because the Internet. The album later received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album.
A blend of psychedelic Neo-Soul, rap, and R&B, the track modulates at 1:51.
Us3, a hiphop group with members from both the US and UK, is probably best known for the sample-heavy 90s hit “Cantaloop/Flip Fantasia.”
Like most of Us3’s output, “The Love of My Life” (2009) draws heavily on dense jazz-infused textures and chord progressions. But the sound is also driven by Hiphop grooves and lyrical traditions. The tune modulates up two whole steps at 0:38, pivoting between these two keys throughout: 0:56, 2:30, and 2:49.
Hiphop isn’t usually the first genre that comes to mind when considering modulations. But Us3, a group featuring UK-based musicians and best known for the 90s hit “Cantaloop/Flip Fantasia,” manages quite a few key changes — built around samples drawn from unprecedented access to the entire Blue Note Records jazz catalog.
“The Day That I Died” (2007) is characteristic of Us3’s eclectic lyrics, which put storytelling front and center. Modulations at 1:28, 1:47, 2:46, 3:07, 3:25, 3:44, 4:44, and 5:03.
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