INTRODUCTION
After releasing the classic Mecca and The Soul Brother in 1992 (I reviewed that here), Pete Rock & CL Smooth would go on to release another classic in The Main Ingredient in '94. However, after that, the two sadly disbanded due to internal differences, leaving a gaping hole in the hip-hop industry that would never (and will never) be filled. Still, no one will forget the lasting legacy that Pete Rock & CL Smooth left on the rap game, as the two projects they put out together will forever be renowned as elite albums that changed the course of the genre's landscape and should be a part of every hip-hop fan's collection.
Pete Rock's production on The Main Ingredient is much more subdued than it was on Mecca and The Soul Brother, as the beats on the album tend to be much lighter and less hard-hitting. The contrast is welcome, though, as who wants to hear two records that sound exactly alike? It is for this reason that it is difficult to compare the group's two works.
Most people (myself included) would probably lean toward Mecca and The Soul Brother as being the more complete project, and, therefore, the better album, but both were outstanding, so who really cares, right?
TRACK-BY-TRACK
1. In The House
I said I liked Mecca and The Soul Brother better than The Main Ingredient, but that doesn't have to mean that my favorite song by Pete Rock & CL Smooth has to be off of their debut, as "In The House" takes the cake for me in terms of being their best song. Pete Rock's beat is incredible, and I think he actually outshines CL on the mic on this. Honestly, though, I wasn't paying much attention to the lyrics, as the production just had me mesmerized.
2. Carmel City
I really love the kick drums on this cut. The sample reminds one of a hot summer day by the pool. If you're wondering what the song is actually about, it's one of PR and CL's typical classy ballads to the ladies.
3. I Get Physical
The drums on this sound much more like the type we saw on the duo's debut, as Pete Rock lays down some banging snares along with kicks that knock. The hook on this cut features fairly subtle horns to add some variety. This is really good.
4. Sun Won't Come Out
Remember what I said in my The Sun Rises In The East review about how every producer under the sun (no pun intended) samples Bob James' "Nautilus" at some point? Well, now it's PR's turn. Personally, I think his flip is much better than DJ Premier's. Great record.
5. I Got a Love
Okay; it takes a lot for me to say that I don't like a Pete Rock beat, but I'm saying it here. I just don't like "I Got a Love" one bit, and it has a lot to do with the fact that the vocal sample is annoying. Talk about a poor choice for the album's first single.
6. Escape
Drums, drums, drums. There are the occasional horns sprinkled about the track, but "Escape" is all about...yup; you guessed it: the drums. It's damn good, too.
7. The Main Ingredient
Ehh. I don't dislike this as much as I do "I Got a Love," but this certainly isn't one of my favorite Pete Rock & CL Smooth songs.
8. Worldwide
The shortest song on The Main Ingredient, spanning three minutes and three seconds. That little fact aside, I'm not too infatuated with this record. The album definitely hit a dry spell over three of the last four tracks. Oh; Rob-O makes the first guest appearance on the project here.
9. All The Places
Back on track. This bangs. The drums are phenomenal, and the quiet, subtle sample is fantastic, not to mention the fact that CL Smooth sounds especially great over this. CL doesn't exactly put forth the kind of scintillating lyrical performance on The Main Ingredient that he did on Mecca and The Soul Brother, but his delivery doesn't skip a beat.
10. Tell Me
The drums are very good (maybe this is where RZA got the idea for his "Incarcerated Scarfaces" beat on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...), and I love how the horns fade in and out throughout. Definitely has a "classic" hip-hop sound.
11. Take You There
This was The Main Ingredient's second single, and it was a great pick. Pete Rock's beat here is incredible and, in my opinion, sounded different than anything he produced prior to this. CL Smooth adjusts to the distinct instrumental accordingly, displaying his usual fantastic flow.
12. Searching
The third and final single of the album, and like "Take You There," it was a wise selection. It's another one of CL's attempts to swoon a woman, and, like always, he manages to make it work without sounding corny. "Searching" exemplifies smooth.
13. Check It Out
Another fairly unique beat from Pete Rock, and it sounds wonderful. The sample may seem a bit busy at certain points, but it still works. The hats and snares will give you chills.
14. In The Flesh
The drums on this sound very similar to that of those on Mobb Deep's "Right Back At You" off of The Infamous. Of course, The Main Ingredient came out first, so if anyone got the idea from the other, it was Havoc. Rob-O and Deda both drop guest verses here, marking the second and final time on the album that guests were featured. Nice, smooth cut.
15. It's On You
I love everything about this track, from the vocal sample to the sampled piano to PR's sick drums to CL's raps. "It's On You" epitomizes what a relaxing song should sound like. Easily one of the best songs on the album.
16. Get On The Mic
You know how I mentioned The Infamous before? Well, Pete Rock's beat on this sounds like it belongs on that album rather than this one; it just doesn't complement CL Smooth very well. It isn't terrible by any means, but I would have picked a much better way to close out the album had I been involved.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I think it should be pretty clear right after the first listen that The Main Ingredient is inferior to Mecca and The Soul Brother, but that doesn't mean this album isn't a classic, as a lot of the songs on here are really good. While the low points are fairly pronounced, the highs of the project significantly outweigh them, making this yet another masterful effort for Pete Rock & CL Smooth.
As I stated earlier, CL doesn't seem to come as strong as he did on the duo's debut, but, fortunately, due to his exceptional flow, you can look past that as a listener. Plus, it's not exactly like CL Smooth laid an egg on The Main Ingredient, because CL on a bad day is still better than 90% of other emcees out there.
As far as Pete Rock goes, he was certainly expanding his horizons as a producer and experimenting with different sounds at this point, as a trained ear should recognize that The Main Ingredient really is a vastly different project than Mecca and The Soul Brother. That's not a bad thing, either, as it is always nice to see a producer demonstrate some versatility, and PR does that on the duo's sophomore release.
You have to wonder how different a third album by these two would have sounded. Pete Rock has evolved considerably as a producer since The Main Ingredient, and it would have been interesting to see how that evolution would have played out on a third effort. Unfortunately, unless PR and CL patch up their differences, we'll never know.
TOP FIVE TRACKS
1. In The House
2. It's On You
3. I Get Physical
4. All The Places
5. Carmel City
SKIPPABLE TRACKS
I Got a Love
INTRODUCTION
Not many duos have captivated the hip-hop world like Pete Rock and CL Smooth, as these two embody rap, period.
It all started back in 1991 when the duo released the EP, All Souled Out. While this six-track EP garnered a sizeable amount of attention from hip-hop heads around the nation, the fact that it was an EP lessened the impact that it had on the genre. However, everything changed when P.R. and CL released "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)," a single off of their debut LP, Mecca and The Soul Brother, in '92.
To this day, many consider "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" to be the best beat in hip-hop history. Containing a sample of Tom Scott's cover of Jefferson Airplane's "Today," the extraordinarily popular and acclaimed single boasts loud horns and a booming bass that Pete Rock made into a masterpiece. However, the funny thing is, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" is not even the best track on Mecca and The Soul Brother. That should give you some insight in to how good this album actually is.
After releasing their debut in 1992, Pete Rock and CL Smooth went on to release The Main Ingredient two years later, but that was it. After that, the two had problems internally which resulted in an unceremonious (and gravely unfortunate) split of the duo, and outside of a couple of isolated tracks here and there since '94, P.R. and CL were never a team again.
Still, the seemingly permanent rift between the duo should not at all distract us from how good they actually were, as Pete Rock's jazzy beats and CL Smooth's consistently suave lyricism helped form two of the best albums to ever grace hip-hop.
TRACK-BY-TRACK
1. Return Of The Mecca
The album starts with a fairly aggressive number, as Pete Rock throws on some thumping snares and hats for CL Smooth who displays his penchant for groundbreaking lyricism right off the bat: "Entice the price with the mic device, hit ya slice so precise that you never hurt twice, fierce how I pierce when you near the frontier, a world premier, so put the armor on your gear." Great way to begin a classic album.
2. For Pete's Sake
You're going to hear me say this a lot for the remainder of this review, but the beat on this cut is sick. It's actually one of my favorite Pete Rock beats, and that's saying a mouthful, not unlike CL Smooth on his second verse: "For Pete's sake, I break and update, wait, I radiate, the dub played to navigate the tune I make, I fit like a slipper, so catch The Big Dipper, vital signs are quicker, not the flat line picture." This man's flow is beyond incredible. Oh, and Pete Rock actually drops a verse on this track, too.
3. Ghettos Of The Mind
This sounds like something Black Moon would rap over, so therefore, I love it. "I want to stop the pain or the bad situations, but backwards wisdom I can't afford to give 'em, self-savior is much braver with the conscious behavior, designed in the ghettos of the mind." - CL Smooth.
4. Lots Of Lovin'
Well, if Pete Rock's beat doesn't put you in another zone the minute it kicks off, you might be able to pay attention to the actual content of this song, which is pretty damn good. As per the title, it's a love ballad, but CL does it extremely eloquently, spitting: "Look in your eyes 'cause I miss you much, the way you say, 'I love you CL' and your gentle touch, we reminisce with a French kiss, and out of all the girls, you're the first on my list." I don't know about you, but I think it's refreshing to hear something like this. "Lots Of Lovin'" was the album's third and final single.
5. Act Like You Know
I think we all already know that P.R. is incapable of making a mediocre beat, but I mean, so far, Mecca and The Soul Brother is just perfection. The hats are what really drive this production, and the usual hard-hitting snares add a fantastic element to the beat, too.
6. Straighten It Out
This was the project's second single, and a great choice for a single it was (even though you could pretty much say that about any track on Mecca and The Soul Brother). The beat on the hook is especially crazy, as blaring horns come into the picture to aid the sick kicks, deliberate hats, and light snares. Best song on the album.
7. Soul Brother #1
"Soul Brother #1" has "rider music" written all over it. It possesses some of the most booming kicks on the album, and the way P.R. chops the samples used is just crazy. The most notable part about this record, though? CL Smooth is not present, as Pete Rock actually raps on this by himself. He may not be CL on the mic, but he can certainly hold his own: "I'm full of motivation, handle any situation, hun said I'm so smooth they should call me lubrication."
8. Wig Out
This one actually isn't up to par with the rest of the album so far. It's not bad by any means, but the constant drum pattern grows tiring fast.
9. Anger In The Nation
The shakers throughout really make this track go, as do CL Smooth's bars: "Pre-Adam-ite, first to see the light, way before Adam and Eve took flight, bless the seed of Abraham, I came to jam, protest the teachings of another man."
10. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
Which brings us to the aforementioned "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)," regarded by many as the best beat in hip-hop history. You can easily see why one would come to that conclusion, as the old-school horns and hypnotizing bassline can (and probably will) put you in a virtual coma. What people sadly ignore, though, is what this song is really about. CL Smooth is actually reminiscing about key events in his life, such as the birth of his first child. That said, as sick as this cut is, it isn't even the best on Mecca and The Soul Brother.
11. On and On
The first one minute and fifteen seconds of this track consists of Grap Luva, Pete Rock's younger brother, freestyling while someone spits a beat (literally) in the background. That's basically a total waste of time, as it takes way too long. Anyway, the beat to "On and On" pretty much nullifies anything that went wrong with this track (like the freestyle, for example), with (unsurprisingly) blaring horns supported by some smooth kicks, snares, and hats. Sick cut.
12. It's Like That
This is the shortest song on the project, being the only track clocking in at less than four minutes. Booming hats drive Pete Rock's beat, and some light horns take control on the hook. "Enter the equilibrium in a medium, breaking your cranium with no ultimatum," raps CL.
13. Can't Front On Me
Let's ignore the fact that the song's title looks disgustingly generic and focus on how ill this beat is. There have been plenty of sick productions on Mecca and The Soul Brother, but not many of them approach the level of "Can't Front On Me." Of course, CL Smooth kills it: "Hit the pitch and then I'm gone as the funk lingers on, I don't publicize here to keep the black race torn, but steady at an altitude where you get the mental food, not to be rude, here's a fresh pot brewed."
14. The Basement
"The Basement" is one of only two tracks on Mecca and The Soul Brother where guest artists drop verses. In this case, the features are Grap Luva, Heavy D (Pete Rock's cousin), Rob-O, and Deda, and they all seem to fit in very well. The production is very simple, but it works. I particularly love the snares, but what P.R. joint doesn't have good snare drums?
15. If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right
What. A. Beat. There is so much variety on it it's ridiculous; not so much where it's "too busy," but just enough where it will keep you guessing the entire time. I really can't say enough about it.
16. Skinz
"Skinz" is the other track where a guest verse is present. This time, it's Grand Puba dropping the bars. Honestly though, this track is pretty stupid, as it basically consists of CL Smooth and Puba talking about how immaculate they are in the sack.
FINAL THOUGHTS
What can I say? Mecca and The Soul Brother is, without a doubt, one of the best hip-hop albums of all-time. It was at this point that Pete Rock showcased his genius and began the path that would lead to many dubbing him the greatest producer to ever do it.
Still, despite the fact that the beats on this album are obviously the main attraction, let's not ignore CL Smooth's sensational performance on the mic. The dude is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated rappers to ever do it, and that probably has plenty to do with the fact that he was always overshadowed by Pete Rock's mesmerizing production. CL possesses one of the finest deliveries ever, and his advanced vocabulary and varying rhyme schemes make him an always interesting listen.
The funny thing about Mecca and The Soul Brother is that it is extremely lengthy (there are 16 tracks, and of the 16, seven are over five minutes long and only "It's Like That" is under four minutes), but it doesn't feel like too long of a listen at all. The production on this project is so phenomenal that a five-minute song will feel like two minutes.
While Mecca and The Soul Brother may not exactly be for everybody (you don't hear this kind of production anymore, so the younger hip-hop fans might simply push this one aside), no true hip-hop fan can deny that it is essentially unparalleled in terms of consistency and pure musical genius. There are not many albums that can legitimately stand next to Mecca and The Soul Brother, and those that can are elite records in the annals of rap history.
Going throughout your life without listening to this is an unpardonable sin, so go and do it now if you haven't; there may still be time for the hip-hop gods to forgive you.
Jeez...now I've gotta pick the top five tracks. Wish me luck.
TOP FIVE TRACKS
1. Straighten It Out
2. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
3. Soul Brother #1
4. If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right
5. Lots Of Lovin'
SKIPPABLE TRACKS
Hahahaha.
