June 11, 2014

Pete Rock & CL Smooth "Samples & Soulstrumentals" (Mix)


"In dropping arguably two of the best back-to-back albums in rap music history, Pete Rock & CL Smooth must undeniably be considered one of hip-hop's finest duos. The combination of Pete Rock's signature soulful production served-up from behind the boards and CL's conscious lyrics delivered from the booth, has enabled the tag-team from Mount Vernon to place itself as top-tier contributors to rap's legacy. With today marking the anniversary of Pete and CL's monumental debut album, Mecca and The Soul Brother, we figured it was only right to dedicate the latest edition of The Tens in their honor. In searching for the best way to pay our respects to MSB, it didn’t feel right simply whipping up a basic "Best Of" mix. Too generic. So, in true UNT fashion we flipped the script and took a more creative approach. It’s common knowledge that Pete Rock “made every single beat on that album” using the E-mu SP-1200... thus our decision to concentrate on MSB’s beat construction, which undoubtedly single-handedly changed the standards of hip-hop production. From the chopped samples of those famous horns, the heavy filtered bass lines, the signature hi-hats, there’s no question that Mecca & The Soul Brother was a game-changer...." Presented in 2012 by UpNorthTrips for the LP's 20th anniversary - dug up and (re)posting it today.