David McCallum, the Scottish actor who starred in NCIS, Man From U.N.C.L.E. and The Great Escape, died on Monday (9/25). McCallum also wrote one of Hip-Hop's most iconic samples. The David Axelrod-produced single "The Edge" from the album Music: A Bit More Of Me is the basis for Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode" which featured Snoop Dogg, Kurupt and the late Nate Dogg. The string line was also used on "Fallin' On" by Tash and "M.I.A." by Missin' Linx.

In an episode of The Influence of Hip-Hop, Dre explained his process behind finding the perfect companion piece to a song idea.

"I used to collect records and just sit and listen, and just not only to try to find samples, just to listen to different rhythms and how musicians and artists approached the songs.

Music: A Bit More Of Me is McCallum's second album and was released in 1967 on Capitol Records as part of a string of albums he released with the heavily-sampled producer, David Axelrod. McCallum is the son of concert master violinist David McCallum, and most recently starred in the television series NCIS as medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard.

Through these examples and many others, David McCallum's musical legacy continues to reverberate within Hip-Hop, showcasing the enduring impact of his compositions on the genre's evolution and creative landscape.