Pete Rock Albums (7)
What The Critics Say
Pete Rock has been a dependable, though not always spectacular or surprising, force in hip-hop since his first records with C.L. Smooth came out in the early '90s. His solo records -- on which he usually acts as producer and MC -- have not always been consistent affairs, but he's been able to release a lot of solid material and establish a particular sound and feel to his kind of beat-making. On NY's Finest, his fourth official full-length and first on the Brooklyn label Nature Sounds, he continues this trend, presenting more of the consistent, professional production and lyrics that he's made his name on. Which means that though there are a lot of good tracks on the album, their similarity to each other and Rock's other work seems to blend them into one another. A few do stand out, however: "914," which features strong verses from both Styles P and Sheek Louch, is aggressive and confident while still remaining inviting and fun; "The PJ's," featuring Wu-Tang's Raekwon and Masta Killa (it was actually already included on the March 2006 Nature Sounds new music compilation Natural Selection) mixes mellow production with the rappers' hard-edged storytelling; "Comprehend" balances Papoose's rough voice with particularly smooth and shimmery beats; and the two-and-a-half-minute "Questions" samples from Miles Davis' famous flügelhorn line in "Concierto de Aranjuez" as MC Royal Flush spits out threats and boasts of all sorts. But the rest of the songs on NY's Finest (which, interestingly enough, do not exclusively feature New York talent) aren't quite able to define themselves, to distinguish themselves from what's around them. This doesn't mean that's there's anything weak here; with the exception of the out-of-place and trite dubby "Ready Fe War," every track on the album is a well-executed, well-thought-out piece. But because Rock's never concentrated on hooks, the tracks seem to blend into one another, which, unfortunately, tends to make the record drag on from time to time. NY's Finest is a good, solid listen from a deservedly respected member of the hip-hop community, but it's also nothing that will blow you away. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Though by the mid-'90s he had earned his status as one of the finest producers in hip-hop, Pete Rock's solo career didn't get off to a good start. He split with C.L. Smooth in 1995 and moved back into independent production for several years, occasionally getting together a project with personal appeal, like his brother's group, InI. Finally signed to Loud/RCA for his first solo album in 1998, Rock called in fans and friends from Wu-Tang Clan to Kool G Rap to Beenie Man for a very promising record. Despite some great material, it wasn't a commercial success and he was unceremoniously dropped from the label (with one final disrespect: five years later, the Loud website was still proclaiming the release of Soul Survivor on November 10, 1998). More productions followed before he signed to Rapster, which treated him more like an artist than a meal ticket, and reissued some old projects (Lost and Found) before following through with the sequel to Soul Survivor. Surprisingly, Soul Survivor II is a much better record than the original, and the best production album Rock's ever done on his own. He's less reliant on hooks than in the past, instead content to simply recruit a cast of great rappers and give them enough to run with. And with more focus (i.e., fewer tracks) this time out, the quality level has gone up. On the second track, "We Good," Kardinal Offishall gets the high honor of Rock's best production (or at least, the most immediately gratifying), and doesn't let it slip with a barrage of dense but freewheeling rhymes. Next on the mike is Pharoahe Monch, the recipient of a classic Rock track (airy effects and slightly stuttered beats) called "Just Do It," on which he preaches self-reliance with informed lyrics. Pete Rock's two-song reunion with C.L. Smooth, "It's a Love Thing" and "Appreciate," illustrate that Smooth still has plenty of what originally gave him his name but hasn't come too far from ten years ago. More than any of his other records, Soul Survivor II displays Rock crafting his productions to fit the rappers -- just compare the tense track that drives the politicized "Warzone" for Dead Prez to the smoothed-out '70s samples and horns laid underneath GZA and RZA for "Head Rush." ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
'The Surviving Elements: From Soul Survivor II Sessions'
Release Date 1/25/2004
Tracks 15
Label Rapster
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Used and abused by major labels during his long career, production paragon Pete Rock began receiving the respect he deserved once he formed a relationship with Rapster/BBE, a British label and one of the few imprints to treat hip-hop as an artistic medium, not a cash cow. Lost and Found is the supreme gesture of respect from Rapster, a two-disc package that comprises two separate albums recorded by Rock after the dissolution of his partnership with rapper C.L. Smooth. (Tellingly, both of these were rejected by his label soon after the sessions finished.) The first, Center of Attention, features a group called InI that Rock formed with his brother Grap Luva, Rob-O, and Marco Polo. The second, The Original Baby Pa, featured a rapper named Deda that Rock hoped to groom and so achieve the artistic and commercial success of his early-'90s records with Smooth. Rock's style of production, a jazzy blend of aqueous keys and reedy samples, is one of the most textured and mellowed-out -- and admired -- of any straight-ahead hip-hop producer. Unfortunately, these two records also illustrate Rock's looming weaknesses. The first is his abnormally bland beats, which simply cruise below the rhymes and effects, sounding as though they were programmed in a hot minute. (Any type of change, however slight, becomes a sudden relief; "How I'm Livin" on the Deda record is a gorgeous downtempo jam.) The second is his seeming inability to record with rappers equal to his talent; C.L. Smooth was very close but not quite there, and the lyricists found here do little more than spin their wheels over Rock's gorgeous productions. The scattered highlights, though, are capable of making hip-hop fans forget the soundalike drum programs; "Step Up" has that Pete Rock sound he made famous on "Straighten It Out," and "To Each His Own" has a lost rhyme from Q-Tip as well as the talents of Large Professor. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
PeteStrumentals follows Jay Dee's Welcome 2 Detroit as the second offering in BBE's producer spotlight "Beat Generation" series. If you approach Pete Rock's joint as a song-oriented pop album, you may feel disappointed. Only two tracks ("Cake" and "Nothin' Lesser - Jamie's Mix") feature MCs and the repetitive, consistently mid-tempo beats get somewhat monotonous by the end of most tracks. If you approach the album as a radical work of sonic architecture, you may also feel disappointed, since Rock's relatively old-school sensibility isn't likely to make you hear music in a completely new way. But if you approach PeteStrumentals on its own terms -- as a laid-back collection of atmospheric beats ideal for late-night chilling or freestyling over -- then you may enjoy Pete Rock's soulful funk-jazz grooves, which are first rate for this type of recording. The deep bass and whispered "play back" vocal sample on "For the People," jazzy piano loop on "Hip Hopcrisy," big-band sax on "Smooth Sailing," layered horns and vibes on "Pete's Jazz," and strings on "Give It to Y'all" (as well as the scratching that starts about two minutes into the song) all fit together to form a first-rate instrumental joint. The MC tracks with Rock Marciano, Divine, Godfree, and Laku are located near the end of the album; this makes them seem almost like bonus tracks, or perhaps a late attempt to ensure that the listener hasn't nodded off, but they still fit fine in the overall flow of PeteStrumentals. ~ Todd Kristel, All Music Guide
'Pete's Treats'
Release Date 3/22/1999
Tracks 10
Label Strictly Breaks
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
With partner C.L. Smooth, Pete Rock made one hip-hop milestone, 1992's "They Reminisce over You (T.R.O.Y.)," before going his own way in the mid-'90s. On his debut solo album, Soul Survivor, Rock enlists pals Method Man, Raekwon, Kool G. Rap, Black Thought, MC Eiht, and Heavy D, among many others, to shape his ideas and ideals into a solid sound structure that's part post-Wu-Tang bombast, part old-skool classicism. And like its title implies, Soul Survivor is a funky fresh affair, one that ties '70s soul with slick '90s hip-hop. Rock tosses in R&B elements more readily than most of his contemporaries, and his smooth flow (as well as those of his guest rappers) slip around the grooves with a mellow grace. Biggest problem is its length: 74 minutes is too much time for Rock's otherwise slim approach, allowing some filler to creep into the project. ~ Michael Gallucci, All Music Guide
