5 Shocking Facts About Lil Tecca's 'OWA OWA' Sample That Revived An 80s Classic

As of December 15, 2025, few songs capture the essence of a generational crossover quite like Lil Tecca's "OWA OWA." The track, a standout single from his critically-acclaimed album *Dopamine*, is a masterclass in modern hip-hop production, but its infectious, almost hypnotic melody isn't an original creation. Instead, the song’s signature synth line and vocal loop—the very sound that gives the track its name—is a brilliantly flipped sample of one of the most historically significant songs in music history. This deep dive uncovers the astonishing origin of the "owa owa" sound, the genius producers who revived it, and the cultural impact of blending 1980s new wave with 2020s trap. The song "OWA OWA" became a viral moment and a centerpiece of Lil Tecca’s latest musical era, proving that the 23-year-old rapper has a knack for turning unlikely source material into certified hits. The track’s success lies in its ability to tap into a collective, nostalgic memory while simultaneously delivering the slick, melodic trap sound that his Gen-Z fanbase demands. It’s a bold production choice that pays homage to the past while defining the sound of the future.

The Astonishing Origin of the 'Owa Owa' Sample

The instantly recognizable, high-pitched, and slightly woozy synth melody that forms the backbone of "OWA OWA" comes from a 1979 British new wave and synth-pop track: "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. This is not just any song; it is a monumental piece of music history that anchors the entire concept of Lil Tecca's single.

1. The Buggles: The Original Architects of the Sample

The Buggles were a British duo consisting of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes. Their 1979 single, "Video Killed the Radio Star," was a global smash hit, but its legacy extends far beyond its chart performance. * Cultural Significance: The song famously became the very first music video ever played on MTV in the United States on August 1, 1981, symbolically ushering in the age of the music video and fulfilling the prophecy in its own lyrics. * The 'Owa Owa' Sound: The specific segment sampled by Lil Tecca is the vocal refrain that appears throughout The Buggles’ track, often described as a wordless, almost operatic chant. Producers Taz Taylor and Rio Leyva isolated this segment, pitched it up, and looped it into a trance-like, mesmerizing foundation for Tecca’s verses. * A One-Hit Wonder's Legacy: While The Buggles are often considered a one-hit wonder, Trevor Horn went on to become one of the most influential pop producers of the 1980s, working with artists like Frankie Goes to Hollywood, ABC, and Seal. This choice of sample is particularly clever because the original song is about the obsolescence of old media—radio—due to new media—video. Lil Tecca, a product of the SoundCloud and streaming era, is essentially flipping a song about media evolution into a hit for the newest generation of digital-native listeners.

Deconstructing the Beat: How Internet Money Flipped the Classic

The transformation of an orchestral 1979 pop song into a 2025 trap banger is a testament to the skill of the production team. The beat for "OWA OWA" was crafted by Taz Taylor and Rio Leyva, two key figures in the influential production collective Internet Money.

2. The Internet Money Formula: Nostalgia Meets Trap

Internet Money, founded by Taz Taylor, is known for pioneering the melodic, sample-heavy sound that dominated the SoundCloud rap landscape, producing hits for artists like Lil Uzi Vert, Juice WRLD, and Tecca’s own breakout smash, "Ransom." * Taz Taylor's Vision: Taylor and Leyva took the bright, synthesized melody from "Video Killed the Radio Star" and stripped it of its orchestral elements, leaving only the core, catchy loop. * The Trap Foundation: They anchored this nostalgic loop with a modern, hard-hitting trap drum kit, featuring crisp 808 bass, rapid-fire hi-hats, and sharp snare drums. This contrast—the bright, airy synth sample against the deep, rhythmic percussion—creates the song’s unique energy. * The Pitch Shift: A crucial technique was pitching the sample up slightly. This makes the vocal segment sound almost chipmunk-like and more ethereal, completely detaching it from its original context and turning it into a purely sonic texture—the "owa-owa" motif.

3. The 'Owa Owa' Phrase: From Sample to Motif

The title "OWA OWA" itself is Tecca’s interpretation of the sampled vocal phrase. It’s a form of onomatopoeia—a word that phonetically imitates the sound it describes. * Lyrical Integration: Tecca’s lyrics use the phrase as an exclamation of excitement, a sound of ecstasy, or simply a placeholder for a feeling, tying the whole track together. This approach is common in modern melodic rap, where the vibe and flow often take precedence over complex narrative. * The Lyrical Theme: Despite the light-hearted sound, the song touches on themes of wealth, success, and the fast life, which contrasts with the original song’s theme of cultural anxiety. Tecca's track suggests a celebration of the present, where the music video (or streaming video) generation reigns supreme.

Lil Tecca's Nostalgia Trip: Critical Reception and Legacy

"OWA OWA" is not the first time "Video Killed the Radio Star" has been sampled in hip-hop. Nicki Minaj and will.i.am famously used a more direct interpolation of the main melody in their 2010 song "Check It Out." However, Tecca's use is distinct due to its focus on the obscure vocal refrain rather than the main synth line.

4. Critical Acclaim and the Dopamine Effect

Released as a single ahead of his fifth studio album, *Dopamine*, "OWA OWA" was widely praised for its fresh sound and clever sample usage. * Reviewer Consensus: Music critics called the track a "vibe" and a successful blend of "melodic mayhem" with a "nostalgic sample reimagined." The song was seen as a return to form for Tecca, capturing the infectious energy of his early hits while showcasing his growth as an artist. * Album Context: The *Dopamine* album, a 17-track project, further cemented Tecca’s position in the rap world, with "OWA OWA" being a key track that demonstrated his willingness to experiment with diverse sonic landscapes, moving beyond the traditional trap beat structure.

5. The Broader Impact on Music Sampling and Gen-Z Rap

The success of "OWA OWA" highlights a crucial trend in contemporary music production: the mining of 80s and 90s pop for unique, recognizable, and emotionally resonant samples. * Bridging Generations: By sampling The Buggles, Tecca, an artist who was not even born when MTV first aired, successfully bridges the gap between the MTV generation and the TikTok generation. This use of "found sound" from a different era creates a sense of familiar novelty that appeals to both older and younger listeners. * Topical Authority: This style of sampling—taking a small, almost hidden element of a classic song and transforming it into a new hook—is a signature move of the Internet Money collective. It requires deep musical knowledge and a willingness to pay homage to obscure pop culture moments. * Entity Checklist: The track brings together a complex web of entities: Lil Tecca, The Buggles, Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes, Taz Taylor, Rio Leyva, Internet Money, Nick Mira, "Ransom," "Video Killed the Radio Star," MTV, Nicki Minaj, will.i.am, Dopamine album, SoundCloud rap, trap music, synth-pop, and Gen-Z. The genius of the "OWA OWA" sample is not just in its discovery, but in its transformation. Taz Taylor and Rio Leyva took a tiny, operatic flourish from a 45-year-old song about the death of radio and turned it into the central, pulsating heart of a modern-day streaming hit. It is a perfect example of how the past is constantly recycled and reinvented to define the sound of the present.