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...

Common & Pete Rock "The Auditorium, Vol.1" (Album Stream)

Pete Rock and Common finally got together to craft an album in 2024... a possible dream collaboration! The Auditorium, Vol. 1 is everything you thought it would be: dope lyrics and crisp production. About the album, Common shared, "Pete Rock is one of The Greatest Creators Hip Hop and Music has ever seen. It has been a dream of mine to work with him on an album. And once we got together and I was around him and all his records and his MPC I felt the spirit of what I always loved in hip hop, in soul music, and why I wanted to be a part of the artform. His beats, his production, his scratches, took me to a place where I could just MC freely. It felt like I was home." Back in 1996, Common got with Pete Rock who produced his classic diss track to Ice Cube, "The Bitch In Yoo." Common was also featured on Pete's Soul Survivor album in '98. Stream the LP 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 "PeteStrumentals 4" (Instrumental Album)

A renowned producer lauded for his innovative production and impeccable ear, Pete Rock is widely recognized as one of the greatest and most influential hip hop producers of all time. A pioneer of fusing jazz, funk and soul into hip-hop, many sight him as laying down the blueprint for soulful production in hip-hop. He revolutionized rap production through groundbreaking studio wizardry, made remixes matter more than the original songs, established ad-libs as a standard recording asset... the list goes on. Having worked with huge names including Run-D.M.C, Public Enemy, J Dilla and Busta Rhymes (just to name a few), Pete Rock’s work as a producer has translated into over 25 million albums sold worldwide. With such huge influence as a producer, Pete’s solo material serves to only further enhance his reputation as an artist and a producer. This is the fourth installment in Pete Rock's ground-breaking PeteStrumentals series, check out these 14 fine instrumentals below....

Marley Marl & Pete Rock "Future Flavas" (1/7/96)

Eclipse explains, “From ‘In Control’ to ‘Pirate Radio’ to ‘Future Flavas,’ I don’t think there was ever a better duo who were not only dope at what they did on air, but also responsible for a good percentage of the music we listened to back then. ‘Future Flavas’ debuted in January of ’95 on HOT 97 and aired on Sunday nights from 11pm-12am. Marley (mostly) on the mic and Pete Rock on the decks would bless us with weekly exclusives as well as impromptu freestyles and fresh radio promos. For example, peep out the Rakim joint (7:27) that for the life of me I do not recall ever hearing again. Then there’s Pete’s off-the-top freestyle sessions (5:46 and 55:55) as well as a dope Pete Rock produced Biz Markie promo (30:05). The great thing about listening to NYC radio shows like this one was that you were getting the music straight from the source. Songs would be recorded that week and played immediately without the wait of a label release or even the chance of ever hearing it again. Now that’s exclusive.” Thanks, E! Still enjoyable 25 years later! Listen below...

Pete Rock & The Soul Brothers "PeteStrumentals 3"

For the third installment of his PeteStrumentals series, producer Pete Rock takes a departure from the sample-heavy style that has earned him recognition as a living Hip-Hop legend. This twelve-track project is instead a collection of beats crafted by the producer, then reimagined by his stellar band, The Soul Brothers - drummer Daru Jones, keyboardist BigYuki, bassist MonoNeon, guitarist Marcus Machado and vocalist Jermaine Holmes; all critically acclaimed musicians in their own rights. After performing together across Manhattan, cementing their creative bond, Pete Rock & The Soul Brothers combined their individual musical influences and experiences to craft a smooth sonic experience that is truly the sum of all of its stylistic and instrumental parts. PeteStrumentals 3 is a masterful blend of Funk, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Soul, a mellow soundtrack for any occasion. Dig in below...

Stretch & Bobbito Show (The Fugees & Pete Rock, 11/30/95)

This set is partly from a 27th generation copy of an Underground Flavas tape out of West London, and partly from a rip which had been shared on the web a few years back [and subsequently been deaded in terms of linkage]. We’ve bumped the EQ in Izotope, compressed it a touch and tweaked it for your listening pleasure. This show is a great example of why Stretch is held is such high esteem by his peers within the industry as well as the listeners, he may have been a DJ and a host, but the actual mixing, blends and turntable based doo-dads are tight like duck-butts throughout this show. No gobble! As well as the great music and tight mixing, this vintage classic includes Pete Rock and 2/3 of The Fugees up in the studio as well Jansport sponsored classics. The mix includes tracks from Das EFX, Blahzay Blahzay, Jamal, Mic Geronimo, Lord Finesse, Mobb Deep, Redman, Busta Rhymes, INI, Real Live and so much more. - via RandomRapRadio. Much love to Stretch & Bobbito...

Happy 50th Birthday, Pete Rock! (Playlist)

In the early '90s, most relevant hip hop artists had to use Pete Rock beats. Strapped with his notorious horn loops, Soul Brother No. 1 served up flavorful tracks to everyone from Nas to House of Pain to his partner in rhyme, C.L. Smooth. Pete Rock played a large role in the fusing of jazz and funk music into hip hop, and is easily one of the most influential producers to consistently represent for the underground - for proof, just look at all the classic albums that boast Pete Rock's original production! As Pete Rock is celebrating his 50th Birthday today, it's only right we dig into his classic production for a quick playlist with some of my personal favorites. It would take days to do this properly and unfortunately there are a handful of joints absent from his catalog on Spotify, so I must put an asterisk next to this one, but enjoy it nonetheless! The playlist includes tracks with C.L. Smooth, Smif-N-Wessun, Nas, RUN-DMC, Jamal, Public Enemy, Big L, Rakim, Das EFX, Ghostface Killah, Torae, Non Phixion, Common, House Of Pain, AZ, One Be Lo, Edo. G, Slum Village, Inspectah Deck, INI, Styles P, Jay-Z & Kanye West, and more. Happy Born Day! Click play below...

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 & Camp Lo "80 Blocks From Tiffany's II" (Mixtape)

Bronx duo Camp Lo have teamed up with the one and only Pete Rock to drop 80 Blocks From Tiffany’s (a mixtape series available as a full-length). With the projects name paying homage to the BX gangs of the 70s, it’s only right that they bring it back to Hip-Hop’s essence in the video, graffiti, b-boys, rhymin’ on the project stairways, two turntables and a mic. Pete Rock, whose production work helped define the 90s “golden age” is a rare exception. Pete Rock is one of the few musicians who made his name in the aggressively unflashy 90s East Coast sound but has still managed to stay continually relevant without capitulating to changing tastes. 80 Blocks from Tiffany's offers proof that amidst the expeditions rap music’s launching into new sonic territories like EDM, noisy psychedelia, and quasi-industrial music, the classic boom-bap stuff still has a place featuring Mac Miller, MOP, Ab-Soul, Talib Kweli and more. Listen to their new project below...

Q-Tip x Pete Rock "Return Of The Abstract" (Mixed by Filthy Rich)

Happy Born Day to Kamaal the Abstract aka Q-Tip! DJ Filthy Rich dropped off a brand new blend tape to celebrate Q-Tip's 50th birthday today, and had this to say: "Q-Tip's music has always been a huge influence in my life, so it's an honor to work with his team to present this surprise bday gift to him. I always wanted to hear a full collab with Q-Tip on the mic and Pete Rock on the boards, so I decided to make it myself. I took Q-Tip's vocal's from the 'Amplified' album, and blended them with Pete's fire 'Return Of The SP1200' instrumental LP." The result is something dope! Listen below...

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...

Smoke DZA & Benny The Butcher "Statue Of Limitations" (EP)

Smoke DZA and Benny The Butcher combine for an all Pete Rock produced EP entitled Statue Of Limitations. The 6-track EP also features some of NY and underground rap's biggest MC's like Griselda labelmates Conway the Machine and WestSide Gunn, as well as The LOX's underground OG, Styles P. The real takeaway are the hard, thumpin' beats from Pete Rock, who has been one of the greatest producers since he broke into the scene over two decades ago. This definitely could've been a full album and a group, but I won't be greedy. Get some NY rap in your life, listen below...

Skyzoo & Pete Rock "Retropolitan" (Album Stream)

Retropolitan includes 12-tracks, all produced by Pete Rock, with features from Styles P, Benny The Butcher, Conway, Westside Gunn, Elzhi, and Raheem DeVaughn. It is more than an album of beats and rhymes - it’s two generations of legendary native New Yorkers putting it down and pulling no punches! Skyzoo and Pete Rock use this album to create a love letter and a wakeup call to the city, as they have witnessed its culture stripped away layer-by-layer. - via MMG. Listen to it 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.

Pete Rock "Lost Sessions" (Instrumental Album)

Pete Rock’s soul, jazz and funk-sampling beats soundtracked a healthy chunk of East Coast hip-hop during the mid-‘90s—and Lost Sessions rounds up 10 unreleased beats that were reportedly ear-marked for INI, his younger brother Grap Luva’s group. Key picks include the static and piano-powered “Aretha” and the dusky, deep jazz of “Vibes.” Elsewhere, “The Life I Live” nods to a sample source previously mined by A Tribe Called Quest and pairs fittingly with a tribute to that group’s fallen soldier on the nostalgic 'Rest Easy Phife.' Pete Rock is one of our culture's best! 

Cappadonna "Hip-Hop: The Mixtape" Prod. by Pete Rock

This is quite the mystery ... a Cappadonna mixtape, entirely produced by Pete Rock? With 0 promo? How can it be? There was a time when Pete Rock took to social media to announce a project in the works with a Wu member, but that's all I remember. Here we have a 12-track project (mixtape), which has it's highs and lows in terms of overall sonics - it clearly could have been mixed and mastered to bring it up to industry standards, but all in all, it's a solid mix to check out. I remember back when the original image for the cover art of "Iron Flag," hit the internet, then the final artwork was released and Cappadonna was photoshopped out because he wasn't on the album. Not much press about that either. I also remember the press kit for "The Pillage," which said "The stage is set for the Brooklyn-born/Staten Island-reared former security guard and present-day vocal dart thrower. Having appeared on over a dozen Wu-Tang joints, 1998 is the year for Cappadonna to shine. Representing the East Barracks projects in Park Hill, the life-long friend of the Wu breaks through with "The Pillage," the sixth dolo strike from the Clan." Well, he's back again, check out this latest effort from Cappadonna, "Hip-Hop: The Mixtape." If you have more info, hit me up in the comments. 

Mekolicious "Unsigned Hype" (The Source, 12/97)

Mekolicious was featured in The Source's Unsigned Hype back in December, 1997. His white label 12" was released under the name Meccalicious and included the dope tracks "Hope The World Don't Stop" and "How You Feel" with production from fellow Mount Vernon resident, the Soul Brother No.1, Pete Rock. Prior to that, he was on a remix to INI's "Fakin Jax," as well as records with Rob-O and various loosies that were unreleased, alternate mixes or later released officially by Pete Rock without him on it. Between the years 1994 and the early 2000s, Pete Rock had his own label titled Soul Brother Records. The label returned more recently to co-release some of his more recent records, but it was during those early years that Pete Rock was producing for Mekolicious. I'd say close to 10-12 records in total, all produced by Pete Rock. There were light rumors that EPs and other 12" pressings were done, but I've yet to lay eyes on them, except for a 7" that BBE and HipHopSite put out in the early 2000s with a self-titled record, also produced by Pete Rock. This is definitely another case of what coulda been? I hope you'll be interested enough to dig up more!

Pete Rock "Soul Brotha Beats" (Instrumental Album)

Soul Brotha Beats is a compilation of rare and hard to find looped versions of interlude instrumentals by the Soul Brother #1, Pete Rock. The beats were compiled by Takara Digital Recordds from various productions and compiled into this 14-track release. Don't ask if this shit is official, because I do not know - it looks bootleg AF, but the Chocolate Boy Wonda always comes correct on the instrumentals, so dig into these classics below from the Soul Brotha Beats release...