Pete Rock | |
|---|---|
 Rock performing at Rahzel and Friends, Brooklyn Bowl, 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | |
| Born | Peter O. Phillips[3] (1970-06-21)June 21, 1970 (age 55) The Bronx, New York City, U.S. |
| Origin | Mount Vernon, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Works | Production discography |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels |
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| Formerly of | Pete Rock & CL Smooth |
| Signature | |
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Peter O. Phillips[3] (born June 21, 1970),[4] better known by his stage namePete Rock, is an Americanrecord producer,DJ, andrapper. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the groupPete Rock & CL Smooth. Early on in his career, he was also famed for his remix work.
After the duo went their separate ways, Rock continued with a solo career that has garnered him worldwide respect, though little in the way of mainstream success.[5] Along with groups such asStetsasonic,Gang Starr,A Tribe Called Quest andThe Roots, Rock played a major role in the merging of elements fromjazz into hip hop music (also known asjazz rap). Pete Rock is also the older brother and younger cousin, respectively, of rappersGrap Luva andHeavy D.[6][7]
Peter Phillips was born inThe Bronx in New York City[8] the fourth of five children born to Jamaican immigrant parents,[9] Leighton Phillips[10] and Eda Phillips[better source needed] . His family moved toMount Vernon, New York when he was seven years old. Around the time, his parents would take him and his younger brother (Grap Luva) to seeJames Brown at a concert in his neighborhood to where performers such asMarva Whitney,Lyn Collins,The JB's would come perform and do shows and acts in front of the audience. He would meet James Brown backstage after a show for a meet and greet.[11] Rock started scratching at the age 7 when one of his parents brought him home a toy record player byFisher-Price. He began scratching after his first cousin, Floyd Myers, the older brother ofHeavy D, taught Rock how to DJ. When Rock was 17, he learned how to make beats with theE-mu SP-1200 thatFreddie Foxx gave him.[12] Rock attendedMount Vernon High School.[13]
During high school, he met his future recording partnerCL Smooth.[citation needed] He briefly attendedJohn Jay College of Criminal Justice but was not a serious student and left to focus on his music career.[14] According to Phillips, his father was also a part-time DJ who had an impressive record collection. Rock would often accompany his father to acricket club called Wembley in The Bronx and watch as he spun records for the guests.[8] His first job was as apaperboy, in his neighborhood.[8] His first major exposure to the hip hop audience was in the late 80s withMarley Marl as a DJ on New York's WBLS radio show "In Control With Marley Marl" at the age of 18 after he finished high school.[11]According to Rock, he stated he metMarley Marl through his cousinHeavy D, after one of Marley's Disc jockey got injured in a car accident and needed a backup DJ on WBLS radio show "In Control With Marley Marl".[15] Propelled by the growth of his popularity, he began producing in the early 90s.
After the breakup withCL Smooth in 1995, Rock continued working, remixing and producing for artists. He was on Future Flavas withMarley Marl on Hot 97, which debuted in January 1995.[16] In 1996, he produced a song called "The Rap World", which Rock rapped alongsideLarge Professor onHigh School High soundtrack. He made other guest appearances on albums, including Diamond D's 1997'sHatred, Passions and Infidelity LP, the song called "Painz & Strife" featuringPhife Dawg ofA Tribe Called Quest. Rock released his first solo debut album,Soul Survivor on November 10, 1998, onLoud Records. The album had the hit singles "Tru Master" featuringInspectah Deck andKurupt, and "Take Your Time" featuring R&B groupLoose Ends. In the early year of 2000,[17] he worked out a deal withBBE, a label based in the UK and releasedPeteStrumentals, an instrumental album that features no vocals, except for tracks 'Cake" and "Nothin' Lesser" which performed by the UN (Divine, Godfree, Laku andRoc Marciano), a group that Rock brought in. The second version ofPeteStrumentals for the Beat Generation series was updated with new tracks after the release ofJ Dilla'sWelcome 2 Detroit album in 2001.
In 2003, Rock also released a compilation album,Lost & Found: Hip Hop Underground Soul Classics on October 27, 2003, onBBE records.[18] The album contains a double disc package that feature two albums that were recorded in 1995–96 and shelved by the labelElektra Records. He released more albums underBBE, including his third albumSoul Survivor II on May 11, 2004[19] and his second instrumental album,The Surviving Elements: From Soul Survivor II Sessions on January 31, 2005[20] Rock collaborated with Boston rapperEd O.G. on a project calledMy Own Worst Enemy in 2004, produced by Rock with additional production byDiamond D, DJ Revolution and DJ Supreme One. In 2006, after Rock parted ways withBBE, Rock signed withNature Sounds for his fourth album,NY's Finest on February 26, 2008.
Rock oversaw the production ofJay Stay Paid, a posthumous album by the producerJ Dilla, released June 2, 2009, onNature Sounds. Following that, Pete Rock joinedKanye West in Hawaii, who traveled there to work on the latter's fifth album,My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[21] His next few collaborative albums are both due for a summer release withMonumental first then withCamp Lo's "80 Blocks From Tiffanys" LP.[22]
PeteStrumentals 2 was released on June 23, 2015, on the indie labelMello Music Group.
Return of the SP1200 was released in April 2019).
In 2024, Rock collaborated with rapperCommon with the release ofThe Auditorium, Vol. 1 which came out on July 12, featuring the first hit single, "Wise Up".[23]
Through the years, Rock has helped to jump-start the careers of several artists. His first project outside of Pete Rock & CL Smooth was the hardcore duoYG'z, who released anEP calledStreet Nigga in 1993, with four out of the six tracks produced by Rock; however, they were quickly dropped from their deal with Reprise Records. His next venture,INI, was a group featuring Rock, his younger brotherGrap Luva,Ras G and rapperRob-O. They released a single, "Fakin' Jax", throughElektra Records in 1995, before their debut album,Center of Attention, was shelved by the label. The other two members continue to record solo material, albeit only sporadically. In an interview Rock elaborated on the situation:
We finished the album, turned it into Elektra and they never put it out, they only put out a single.Sylvia [Rhone] really didn't cooperate, she didn't break bread with me when it came down to resolving that. It was all about her changing everything around. She wanted to change my whole sound. When she said, "You gotta make a beat likePuffy", I just knew it wasn't going to work out.[8]
Since their split in 1995, Pete Rock's relationship with CL Smooth has been highly unpredictable. Although the pair briefly united for the reflective "Da Two" from Rock'sSoul Survivor album in 1998, they avoided entertaining requests for a reunion album until 2001, when they once again teamed up for "Back on Da Block" from Rock'sPeteStrumentals. In their interviews during this period, it appeared as though a new album was underway. As Rock would explain:
We've been on tour, we know every rhymer and producer in this business. We've influenced people, even people we've never met have said that we changed the face of hip-hop. So we're going to try to do some more.[8]
The pair went on a short international tour culminating in their well-received show at London's Jazz Cafe; however, soon after this they declined to comment any further on the new album, which never materialized (although Smooth did make three separate appearances onSoul Survivor II). Eventually, Smooth would confirm rumors of a rift in an interview with AllHipHop.com,[24] in which he appeared angry and frustrated with his former partner, saying "I didn't ask him to be a superhero" and "I'm not the problem". In an interview taken in December 2006, Rock ruled out any further collaborations with Smooth but stated that he holds no grudges against his former partner.[25]
On June 1, 2024, on an interview withDrink Champs, Rock addresses the split between him and his partner CL Smooth:[26]
It should never be like this. Ever. We should still be together but some things, you know, that I can't tell the whole public. But certain things happen in a partnership that just can't be ... and people won't understand. I don't want to be the only one speaking on someone who's not here, but I wish him the best in life.
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Pete Rock creates beats from samples, the majority of which are taken from obscure R&B,funk, and jazz records. This paying true homage to the Black American musical traditions that are the foundation and origins of Hip-Hop music. Early on in his career he would also sample drum breaks such asBlack Heat's "Zimba Ku" forHeavy D & The Boyz's "Letter To The Future". Pete Rock heavily used theE-mu SP-1200 as well as theAkai S950—later moving onto using the MPC—for his productions. Pete Rock tends to use the samples as palettes for his beats, chopping (cutting the sample into smaller parts), filtering (altering the frequencies of the sample), and layering several samples, often within the same song. While this technique was applied long before Rock (onDe La Soul'sThree Feet High and Rising or the work ofThe Bomb Squad for example), Rock's work is distinctive for the way in which he uses samples to achieve a hazy, droning effect. He is also noted for his resonant basslines, horn samples, and gritty sounding drums. His beats often sound as though they were being played from an oldvinyl record; he samples many of his sounds straight off these records.[27] He frequently recorded atGreene St. Recording inManhattan, having liked theequalizer that was used there, which gave many of his productions awah-wah effect.[28]
Another trait of his, more so in the earlier part of his career, is the way he uses horn samples to supplement his grooves. On "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)", Rock uses a horn sample fromTom Scott's "Today"; he has also used horns on "Straighten It Out",Public Enemy's "Shut 'Em Down",Rah Digga's "What They Call Me", and A.D.O.R.'s "Let It All Hang Out".
Along withGang Starr,The Roots andA Tribe Called Quest, Pete Rock played a large role in the fusing of jazz and funk music into hip hop. The aforementioned "Reminisce..." withstanding, Rock used many jazz samples on his albumMecca and The Soul Brother, such asCannonball Adderley's "Country Preacher", for the song "Return of the Mecca", or "Capricorn" for the song "In the House" fromThe Main Ingredient. Pete Rock's heavy use of intro and outro beats has also been widely influential. To introduce feature songs, he often plays a short instrumental excerpt, completely different from the rest of the song. Aside from their role as transitions, these are widely regarded as a way of displaying his large collection and as a challenge to other hip-hop producers to identify the records that thebreaks come from.[29]Mecca & the Soul Brother andThe Main Ingredient use intro/outro beats on nearly every track to great effect, and the tradition continues to the present on Rock's recent releases.
"Another Pete Rock Remix" is Pete Rock's trademark catchphrase, heard on countless singles that he hasremixed. In addition to hip-hop artists he has done remix work for artists from other genres such as his 1995 remix of "Before You Walk Out Of My Life" forR&B singerMonica. In 1992 he collaborated withMary J. Blige on theWhat's the 411? single "Reminisce", which used the same sample from his own single "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)". Rock claims to have done several high-profile remixes that remain unreleased, including one ofMadonna's "Secret".[30] He also claims to have produced the original beat forThe Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy" and that it was recreated byP. Diddy and Poke (ofTone & Poke fame), without consent. However, he was invited to produce the remix, which uses the same sample as the original—Mtume's "Juicy Fruit".[8] Although he received no official producer credit, he made the original demo beat forA Tribe Called Quest's "Jazz (We've Got)", which was then recreated byQ-Tip on the albumThe Low End Theory.[8] He remixedPublic Enemy's "Shut 'em Down" and "Nighttrain" in the same day, starting at 12 pm and finishing at 12 am.[8]
Up until 2003, he created all of his productions on theE-mu SP-1200, thereafter using theAkaiMPC2000XL. He also has a collection of about 90,000 records and looks for records at least once a week.[8] Pete Rock was one of nine artists who participated inthetruth.com's Remix Project, where he remixed the Sunny Side song "Magical Amount".
Pete Rock himself being overwhelmingly influenced by Black American musical traditions of Soul, Jazz, and R&B music, was able to pay it forward. Pete Rock has had a considerable impact on a number of record producers who have emerged in the hip hop scene since the late 1990s. Critics have favorably compared Detroit producerJ Dilla and North Carolina's9th Wonder to Rock; both of them worked with Rock during their recording careers. Several of the comparisons stem from the fact that these producers have created the bulk of their productions out of samples, as well as the warm, mellow, and exuberant undertones apparent in their work. Pete Rock himself has added validation to the comparisons with J Dilla by stating "he's the only producer in this game that was just as serious [as me]."[31]
Rock is an avidMarvel fan. He enjoys reading and collecting comic books of his favorite superhero characters, such asThe Incredible Hulk,Spider-Man, andX-Men.[32][33] Rock is also an avid fan of theNFL football teamNew York Giants and theNBA basketball teamNew York Knicks.[34]
A publisher from TV One called Pete Rock "the most visionary and renowned producers in Hip Hop history".[35] Rock is viewed as one of the most prolific, influential, and respected hip-hop producers of all-time.[36] A writer from Yellow Brick, called Pete Rock's music "a unique sound, which blends jazz and soul samples with hard-hitting drums, has inspired countless producers and helped shape the sound of hip hop."[37]
Studio albums
Collaboration albums
Collaboration EPs
Instrumental albums
Compilation albums
| Title | Year | Artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jump Around (Remix)[45] | 1992 | House of Pain | House of Pain |
| Fakin' Jax[46] | 1996 | INI | Center of Attention |
| The Yearn[47] | 1996 | Lost Boyz | America Is Dying Slowly/Legal Drug Money |
| Rap World[48] | Large Professor | High School High (soundtrack) | |
| Painz & Strife[49] | 1997 | Diamond,Phife Dawg | Hatred, Passions and Infidelity |
| Once Upon a Time[50] | 2000 | Slum Village | Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1) |
| Lemme Find Out[51] | Phife Dawg | Ventilation: Da LP | |
| Situations[52] | Edo G | The Truth Hurts | |
| Open[53] | 2001 | Da Beatminerz, Caron Wheeler | Brace 4 Impak |
| Dedicated[54] | 2002 | Heather B | Eternal Affairs |
| Out da Box[55] | 2004 | Tony Touch, Masta Ace, Large Professor | The Piece Maker 2 |
| Nimm's Leicht[56] | 2005 | Curse | Sinnflut |
| Vitamins | 2013 | N.O.R.E. | Student of the Game |
| Only Way 2 Go[57] | 2014 | Diamond D | The Diam Piece |
| Be Inspired[58] | Lecrae, Rapsody | 9th Wonder Presents: Jamla is the Squad | |
| Memory of... (US)[59] | 2016 | De La Soul,Estelle | And the Anonymous Nobody... |
| Wait[60] | 2017 | Young RJ, Boldy James | Blaq Royalty |
| I Keep On[61] | 2018 | Apathy,Pharoahe Monch | The Widow's Son |
| Piper[62] | Conway the Machine | Everybody Is F.O.O.D. | |
| E.L.E.2 Intro[63] | 2020 | Busta Rhymes,Rakim,Chris Rock | Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God |
| Livin' and Lovin' in My Own Way[64] | 2023 | Brandee Younger | Brand New Life |
| Get Loose[65] | 2024 | Saigon, Fredro | The Jordan Era |
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)| International | |
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