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.