An original Akai S950 sampler from the personal studio of Prince Paul, accompanied by a group of original sample and program disks used throughout a pivotal period of his career spanning the late 1980s through the late 1990s.

The Akai S950 is one of the most influential samplers in hip-hop history, helping define the sound of the golden era through its distinctive sampling capabilities and workflow. For producers like Prince Paul, the S950 was one of the defining creative tools of the era.

According to Prince Paul, this Akai S950 was used throughout his work with De La Soul and Gravediggaz, drawing a direct connection with two hugely influential groups in different realms of hip-hop. The accompanying floppy disks include original samples and working files from Prince Paul’s personal studio archive.

Studio-used samplers with documented connections to landmark hip-hop recordings rarely become available. Combined with the accompanying disk archive, this lot offers a rare opportunity to acquire one of the core tools behind Prince Paul’s influential production work and a tangible piece of hip-hop recording history.

Key Details & Collectability

· Original Akai S950 digital sampler from Prince Paul’s studio
· Studio-used production equipment from the late 1980s–1990s
· Used during the creation of Buhloone Mindstate by De La Soul and Gravediggaz-era recordings
· Includes original sample and program floppy disksory
· Rare studio-used music production hardware with documented provenance
· Museum-quality artefact