samples cult.

F* yes.

Samples, the basis of hip hop along with drum machines and turntables, is back at the front row. 

The Library of Congress, the most prominent cultural public institution of the USA, has announced an initiative to allow samples freaks to fish within the deep waters of the audio vaults in order to make new music. The explanations are here.

The project does not run fully yet, but will soon do, hopefully for summer. Check it out on Citizen DJ.  

A similar initiative, although at a much lower scale, was launched by the Library of Paris. The process is explained here, in French. The idea is to sample a pack of 78rpm records (because... free of copyright), which are available here. 

By the way, here's a good read about the history of sampling, in French.