Popping my MPC cherry

So I'm looking into the new Akai MPC Renaissance, but I see all this backlash about it on threads and am a bit iffy. Not sure if I should buy it for the fact that it comes with the sowftware...because I am starting from scratch. However I do have a midi keyboard (without pads) and an Akai LPD8...but unfortunately with no software, these two controllers are worthless.

I want to be able to sample from songs on my computer, be it the voice, or the drums in the particular track. Also, wondering if any of you know what program Kanye West uses to make his beats? I think he uses a bunch of expensive hardware and puts it all together in Pro Tools. Anyway, I'm kind of in a hurry because I have so many creative juices flowing so please help me out!! Thanks!

Kanye uses a asr10 and a mpc2000 with a white engineer.

what ever ya heart tells ya ... whats ya budget ... and what style of music .. ect .. go 2 guitar center samash .. and see what ya like ...

Budgets around 3K, but probly won't spend that much. Mainly Hip-Hop beats. I just want the best software/hardware platform to sample n make beats..n not sure if the renaissance is that.

try the 1000 or the 2500 with JJOSXL