This partnership between Splice and producer Decap fundamentally alters how sample rights are managed in the hip-hop and Black music sectors, offering labels and publishers a new, royalty-free pipeline for high-impact drum sounds. By establishing a dedicated “samples label” exclusively for Splice, the venture ensures that emerging producers and established sound designers can release packs without the legal friction that often stalls traditional sample distribution.
A New Model for Sample Rights
The initiative, branded as Knock Audio, marks a strategic shift from Decap’s previous solo output to a leadership role within a collaborative ecosystem. Nicholas Piantedosi, known professionally as Decap, has accumulated 20 million downloads of his work, including the industry-defining “Drums That Knock” series. This library has powered tracks for major artists such as Bad Bunny, Charli XCX, Karol G, and The Chainsmokers, proving its commercial viability across pop, hip-hop, and electronic genres.
Under the new label structure, Decap will release sounds exclusively for Splice subscribers, with plans to launch new packs regularly. This exclusivity agreement simplifies rights management for songwriters and producers, as all content remains 100% royalty-free. The model allows Decap to curate more genres and sounds he has never previously tried, moving away from the annual release cycle of his past work to a more frequent, dynamic output schedule.
Expanding the Producer Ecosystem
The launch of Knock Audio coincides with Splice’s broader expansion of its “Originals” libraries, including four new releases from Spitfire Audio, a company Splice acquired last year. This timing Splice’s commitment to dominating the royalty-free sample market by integrating top-tier producers directly into its platform. Decap’s transition from working alone to collaborating with like-minded sound designers fits his vision of elevating the entire production community.
Decap stated that the new label allows him to create or curate more packs and genres, transitioning into a leadership role. The first release from Knock Audio is “Drums That Knock 11,” which features 749 hip-hop samples. This release solidifies the label’s presence on Splice Sounds, the industry-leading catalog of loops, one-shots, and MIDI presets. By featuring emerging producers alongside established names, Knock Audio aims to diversify the sonic palette available to radio programmers and artists while maintaining strict legal clarity for rights holders.
The partnership signals a future where sample labels operate as exclusive content hubs, reducing the need for complex licensing negotiations and ensuring that the “knock” of modern drums remains accessible to all creators without legal barriers.
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