Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” has been sampled, remixed, and interpolated by dozens of artists since its release on the 1983 album *Thriller*. The track’s dreamy synthesizer melody and soft vocal hooks have made it one of the most frequently revisited songs in hip-hop, R&B, and pop. Here’s a look at the original song and the most notable artists who built on it.
The Original Track
Steve Porcaro, a keyboardist and founding member of the band Toto, wrote the melody that became “Human Nature.” In 1982, Porcaro was tinkering with a mid-tempo ballad inspired by his attempt to comfort his young daughter after a playground quarrel. His Toto bandmates weren’t interested in the song, but Porcaro kept refining it at the studio of David Paich, Toto’s primary songwriter.
Paich was pitching rock-oriented material to producer Quincy Jones for Michael Jackson’s next album. One day, they put two of Paich’s songs on a cassette for Jones, with Porcaro’s rough demo on the flip side. When Jones heard the tape, it was Porcaro’s tune that captivated him. Lyricist John Bettis was brought in to write the words, and “Human Nature” became a cornerstone of *Thriller*, which sold 34 million copies in the United States alone.
SWV’s “Right Here” Remix
The first major reimagining of “Human Nature” came from the R&B trio SWV (Sisters With Voices). In July 1993, producer Teddy Riley created what became known as the “Human Nature” remix of their single “Right Here,” building the track around Jackson’s original melody and production. The remix was a massive commercial hit: it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart. For many listeners in the early ’90s, this was their introduction to the “Human Nature” melody, and the remix became arguably as iconic as the original in R&B circles.
Nas on “It Ain’t Hard to Tell”
One of the most celebrated uses of “Human Nature” came on the closing track of Nas’s 1994 debut album *Illmatic*, widely considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever made. “It Ain’t Hard to Tell,” produced by Large Professor, weaves a sample of “Human Nature” into a layered beat that also pulls from Kool & the Gang, Stanley Clarke, and Mountain. The Jackson sample gives the track its smooth, floating quality, serving as the melodic backbone underneath Nas’s intricate wordplay. The pairing of a pop ballad with sharp street lyricism helped define the sound of mid-’90s East Coast hip-hop.
Chris Brown’s “She Ain’t You”
Chris Brown’s 2011 single “She Ain’t You” brought “Human Nature” back to pop radio through an interesting chain of sampling. Rather than going directly to Jackson’s original, the track sampled SWV’s “Right Here (Human Nature Radio Mix),” making it essentially a sample of a sample. The layered lineage gave the song a nostalgic R&B texture while introducing the melody to a new generation of listeners.
Miles Davis and the Jazz World
Before “Human Nature” became a hip-hop and R&B staple, it caught the ear of Miles Davis. The legendary trumpeter covered the song on his 1985 album *You’re Under Arrest*, reimagining it as a slow-burning jazz piece. Davis went so far as to suggest that “Human Nature” could become a jazz standard. His endorsement cemented the song’s reputation as something more than a pop hit: a composition with real harmonic depth that musicians across genres wanted to explore.
Other Notable Samples and Covers
Beyond these high-profile uses, “Human Nature” has appeared across a wide range of tracks. The database WhoSampled lists dozens of songs that have borrowed from it, spanning hip-hop, R&B, electronic music, and lo-fi beats. The song’s appeal to producers comes down to its construction: the synth pad that opens the track has a warm, instantly recognizable tone, and the chord progression moves in a way that feels both melancholy and uplifting. Those qualities make it easy to loop, chop, or layer under new vocals without losing the emotional pull of the original.
Boyz II Men, Brandy, and numerous other R&B artists have covered or interpolated the song over the years. In hip-hop, it continues to surface in beats and freestyles. The song’s enduring presence in sample culture is a testament to Steve Porcaro’s original melody, a tune his own bandmates once passed on that went on to become one of the most borrowed pieces of music in modern pop history.