Pete Rock & CL Smooth "The Main Ingredient" (30th Ann. Mix)

My excitement for this album was on par with A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders and Hard to Earn by Gang Starr; Keepers of the Funk by Lords of the Underground and even Wu-Tang Forever in '97. You just don't get that same feeling anymore, but enter Toronto's DJ Filthy Rich, who brings that classic nostalgia with his anniversary mixes that celebrate classic albums like this, The Main Ingredient by Pete Rock & CL Smooth. Filthy Rich's 30th Anniversary mix includes original samples, LP cuts, original blends and unreleased gems. He adds, "Pete's production went from a harder/dusty sound on MATSB, to a warm/melodic vibe on TMI. The samples Pete chose hit your soul in that sweet spot: from Cannonball Adderley on 'In The House', to George Benson on 'I Get Physical' + 'In The Flesh', to Roy Ayers on 'Searching'....masterful. Pair that with CL's smooth voice and flow, and your soul starts to vibrate...." Dig in and celebrate over 30 years of this classic below...

DJ Filthy Rich "Mecca & The Soul Brother" (30th Ann. Mix)

Toronto’s DJ Filthy Rich pays homage to the 30th anniversary of Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth’s classic album, Mecca and the Soul Brother from 1992. Reminisce for a spell with a mix of original samples, remixes and unique blends, who adds that “The way Pete sampled old jazz/funk/soul records and layered them over hard, dusty drums was masterful (how he caught that little part on the fadeout of an Ohio Players record for "Lots Of Lovin" still amazes me). Combine that with C.L.'s sharp yet fluid lyricism (how many MC's could rhyme like THIS back in '92??), and you unquestionably have one of the pillars of early 90's NYC boom bap.” I agree, this was a masterful release. As I’ve said before, I had the honor of touring Europe with Eternia while Pete Rock & CL Smooth were performing this album almost in its entirety every night. Hearing “T.R.O.Y.” to close out the show every night was incredible - they are near-flawless performers and it was definitely a career highlight. Props to DJ Filthy Rich for doing this one justice, I hope it doesn’t get taken down. Listen to this mix below…

Pete Rock & CL Smooth "Mecca and the Soul Brother" (6-9-92)

Straight from the jump, Pete Rock & CL Smooth have it goin' on. The two represent Mt. Vernon, a city just north of the Bronx made famous by Pete's cousin Heavy D, and they're quickly approaching the status of becoming the L.A. and Babyface of rap. They've produced or remixed funky gems for the likes of Public Enemy, Heavy D. & The Boyz and even Run-DMC, and the duo released the EP, All Souled Out last year which featured the hits "Mecca And The Soul Brother" and "The Creator." Just recently, they dropped the album Mecca and the Soul Brother, an 18-cut must, filled to the brim with hardcore jams that will have heads noddin' for months to come. From the first single, "T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You)," which is dedicated to the late Trouble T-Roy, to the party movin' "On And On," to the posse cut "The Basement," Pete and CL have succeeded in creating a record that relies on no gimmicks or short word hooks, just straight-up live rhymes, with fat beats and scratches--the true essence of early rap music. CL Smooth shares, "I want people to focus first on the tracks. They will be able to understand the lyrics more down the line as they play it.... Basically, we talk about things that goes on feeling more than just basic fantasy. The beat will draw them into the lyrics because they're entwined. You can't appreciate one without the other." - The Source, 1992. 

Below is the full article and interview from The Source Magazine...

Pete Rock & CL Smooth "Mecca and the Soul Brother" (6/9/92)

"Our positive must always outweigh our negative, in everything we do, that's our philosophy," declares C.L. Smooth. That is the essence of Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth's first full-length album, Mecca and the Soul Brother -- eighteen songs that offer hope as well as reality, education and entertainment. Mecca is at once streetwise and effortlessly complex, brimming with an intricate, wide-ranging and highly developed musical talent. "The record explains what we're about, what we stand for," says C.L. "We stay hardcore, we stay on the street. We hit it with the basics -- the beats, the rhymes, the scratches." - Press Kit, 1992. Bonz Malone said in Spin Magazine (10/92), "These guys kick schitt that's not only real, but something you can play over and over. This album is a message to tha black man. Cuts like "Straighten It Out" and "Soul Brother #1" undoubtedly show the "Anger in the Nation," whether it'z here or over where you at. By now everybody should have this album -- if not, then get yo ass in tha shop and boost it!" I've said it before - probably a few times - I had the pleasure of doing several shows with them out in Europe in 2010 for a reunion tour where they performed the majority of Mecca and the Soul Brother every night - flawlessly! One of the most important groups of my generation; the soulful combination of Pete Rock & CL Smooth is as timeless as music gets, so celebrate it today as it was released on this day in 1992. Click the archives below for album reviews, anniversary mixes, videos and more about the LP!

Pete Rock & CL Smooth "The Main Ingredient" (25th Ann. Mix)

This month marks the 25th anniversary of Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's second (and final) full-length LP, 'The Main Ingredient.' Following in the footsteps of 1992's 'Mecca and the Soul Brother,' the album comprises tracks built from densely layered samples, frequently previously unsampled jazz fusion cuts mixed with crisp drums and short vocal snippets plundered from well-known '80s/'90s hip-hop tracks. Use of a number of go-to tracks defines the sound of the album and the presence of vocal samples from Biz Markie and Big Daddy Kane in particular is a key ingredient in the album's sonic palette. In celebration of the album's 25th anniversary, Wax Poetics partnered up once again with WhoSampled to present this mixtape of album tracks, alternate versions, interview snippets, and of course original sample material, mixed by the talented Chris Read. Yessir, check it out below...

DJ 4our 5ive "Pete Rock & CL Smooth: Makings Of You" (Mixtape)

I vaguely remember having the cassette version of DJ 4our 5ive's The Makings of You, which is a tribute to the legendary duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth. The mix tape features classic group cuts, a brief interview with Sway, and some featured production work from Pete Rock with INI, Public Enemy, Grand Puba, Run DMC, Big L, Method Man, Wu-Tang and Prodigy, plus more! I was a fan of DJ 4our 5ive's GZA and 2Pac mix tapes and I believe I've posted up his Nas and Biggie tapes, too.

Big L, McGruff, CL Smooth "NY Freestyle" (12", 1999)

"NY Freestyle" features Harlem's Big L and Herb McGruff - early members of Children Of The Corn - as well as CL Smooth and I-Born. The B-Side track is "Throw It Up" from Buckshot of Black Moon & Kasino, who was down with your favorite rappers out of Yonkers. Both tracks were featured on The Union's "Organized Rhymes" compilation the same year (1999). The 22-track compilation also had joints with Rass Kass, AZ, O.C., Masta Ace, Channel Live and a lot more. As a bonus, the 12" also comes with the instrumentals to both tracks. Rest In Peace, Big L. Listen to the full 12" below...

CL Smooth "Man On Fire: The Freestyle Sessions" (Mix)

J.Period teams up with the one and only Mecca Don, legendary eMCee CL Smooth (of Pete Rock & CL Smooth), for this fire-breathing collection of 20 exclusive freestyles over 20 blazing hip-hop beats. Resurrecting the lost art of lyricism, the man behind classics like “T.R.O.Y.” and “Straighten it Out” comes back with a vengeance and solidifies his place as one of the greatest eMCees to ever touch a mic. Stream CL Smooth & J.Period's 2005's "Man On Fire: The Freestyle Sessions" below...

Pete Rock & CL Smooth "I Got A Love" (The Source, 10/94)

"Back in 1991, Pete Rock & CL Smooth raised the hip-hop stakes with their first LP Mecca and The Soul Brother. Gone were the days where you could slide by with a simple drum loop and a James Brown shriek. Pete and CL were comin' with the bumpin' new slick sh!t. Their super-thick production and smooth Mount Vernon flow showed us everything our Bose speakers and Blaupunkt car stereos were capable of ... Three years later, with the overabundance of Pete Rock rip-offs, it's time for this duo to take back the corner. With their new single, "I Got A Love," the PR & CL chemistry mixes up an easy-going track that ignores all gangster gimmicks and hardcore tricks." Article cont'd below...

"Pete lays a low-key "I Dream of Jeanie" xylophone hook over bangin' drums and guitar lines. And all the while, CL Smooth drops the slick Casanova rhymes, like a "Lots of Loving Part II." Both versions of the song are sure to soothe and at the same time rock the party ... Once again, Pete Rock and CL Smooth are coming with the much-needed relief from hip-hop's grim reality. And with tracks like "I Gotta Love" and others from the upcoming album, The Main Ingredient, it's plain to see that the Chocolate Boy Wonder and the Caramel King are here to please." - The Source (Oct. 1994).

Pete Rock & CL Smooth "The Main Ingredient" (The Source, 1995)

"After Mr. Magic's bitter departure from New York's WBLS-FM (early winter 1984), Marley Marl hosted "In Control," a weekend radio show that introduced listeners to a young man by the name of Pete Rock. A.K.A. "The Chocolate Boy Wonder," Pete was put in the role of wax-spinner by his cousin Heavy D. In 1991, he got his partner CL Smooth and dropped the underground EP All Souled Out, paving the way for their critically-acclaimed landmark Mecca And The Soul Brother. What's most surprising about The Main Ingredient is that Pete leaps into supervising the sound quality and overseeing the technical and engineering aspects - something most East Coast hip-hop producers overlook. By refusing to focus mainly on beats, he insures that the album's sounds are crystal-clear. In addition, CL incorporates melodic edges into his delivery." Revisit another classic album below...

"Not one to miss out, Pete also does his thing, filling choruses with soul-styled crooning ("Hey, hey, hey, hey") and throwing venomous disses to the competition ("Escape"). Blaxploitation intros underline the album's themes, and funky musical interludes (spotlighting secret beats) make sure that heads continue nodding. With other strong songs like "Physical" (a lyrical slugfest), "The Sun Won't Come Out," Pete's posse cut "In The Flesh" and "I Got a Love" (the album's first single), The Main Ingredient is worth its weight in gold. It wouldn't hurt to "Check It Out" as The Main Ingredient serves up some of the best that hip-hop has to offer." - The Source, 1/95 (Updated).

Pete Rock & CL Smooth "Mecca & The Soul Brother" (The Source)

"The album begins with an explanation of the 'Mecca' as a way of life, not a place or a state of mind. Now I'm not one to be breaking down the mathematics of the title, but I can tell you that this album is mega-fat! In the wake of his cameo on PE's "Shut 'Em Down" remix, Producer/DJ Pete Rock continues to establish himself as an MC. Whether he's sittin' "Skins" with Grand Puba, loungin' in the "Basement" with posse members Heavy D, Grap Luva and Rob-O Dingo or on the solo tip as "Soul Brother #1," Pete's catching wreck on the mic in '92. CL Smooth comes correct with inspired lyrical performances on cuts like "Straighten It Out," "Can't Front On Me," "On and On" and the moving ode to the late Trouble T-Roy (of Heavy D & The Boyz) - "They Reminisce Over You." Revisit it below...

"There's a flavor R&B joint called "Lots of Lovin'" that could really blow them up on radio. But with 18 cuts, almost all of which are close to five minutes, the album is a little long. CL has moments, but he lost me towards the end of a few cuts. Musically, there's never a full moment. The scratches blend in so smoothly that sometimes you don't notice them. Soulful horn loops are fast becoming Pete's trademark. The album is filled with unused samples. Kids looking for a true balance of fat new beats and solid rhymes should definitely make a pilgrimage to Mecca." - The Source, May 1992.