The Soul Searchers were the backing band for the legendary Washington D.C. go-go musician Chuck Brown. "Ashley's Roachclip" appeared on their 1974 album Salt of the Earth, and while the band's commercial fortunes were modest, the track contained a drum break that would travel far beyond the D.C. go-go scene. The break is gritty and raw, with a loose, almost improvised feel that captures the energy of a live performance.

Eric B. & Rakim's "Paid in Full" — one of the most important hip-hop records ever made — is built around the "Ashley's Roachclip" break. That single usage would have been enough to secure its legacy, but the break appeared in hundreds of other tracks across hip-hop's golden age. Its unprocessed, live-band feel gave productions an organic quality that drum machines couldn't replicate.