what song does luther sample

The song “Luther” by Kendrick Lamar and SZA samples “If This World Were Mine” as performed by Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn (a cover of the Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell original).

Quick Scoop

• The track “Luther” is named after Luther Vandross and opens with a prominent vocal sample.

• The specific sample is from the 1982 duet version of “If This World Were Mine” by Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn.

• The original song “If This World Were Mine” was first recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, but Kendrick’s track uses the Vandross/Lynn rendition.

Why this sample matters

• The sample ties directly into the song’s romantic, hopeful theme, echoing the idea of imagining a better world for someone you love.

• Fans and music sites widely highlight this as one of the biggest and most recognizable samples of recent years, especially in hip‑hop/R&B crossovers.

In forum and social media discussions, when people ask “what song does ‘Luther’ sample?” the consistent answer is: “If This World Were Mine” – Luther Vandross & Cheryl Lynn.

TL;DR:
“Luther” samples “If This World Were Mine” (Luther Vandross & Cheryl Lynn version) throughout its intro and key sections.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.