PETE ROCK & CL SMOOTH
Easily one of the most influential hip-hop producers of all time, (Mentioned frequently in the same breath as production legends like J Dilla, DJ Premier, and The RZA) Pete Rock played a pivotal role in the development of the critically acclaimed alternative hip-hop scene of the 1990s. His signature production style features obscure R&B, funk, and jazz records, rough drum breaks, and frequent use of brass sections, and was considered integral in developing the connection between hip-hop and jazz music. Before his celebrated solo work, he formed the production half of the duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth, which featured philosophically-minded rapper CL Smooth on vocals.
The two only release two full-length studio albums, but to massive critical acclaim and influence. These two albums, 1992's Mecca & The Soul Brother, and 1994's The Main Ingredient are considered classics in the pantheon of 90s hip-hop, and rendered timeless rap singles like "Straighten It Out" and "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)." Though Pete Rock & CL Smooth were considered heavy-hitters in hip-hop, the duo was by no means solid, and frequently found themselves at odds with each other creatively. The two would cease working together as a duo in 1995, intermittently working together on individual tracks, but falling shy of a full-fledged 3rd studio release. (Though the group would eventually reunite after the untimely death of rapper Guru of Gang Starr, so the prospect still remains.)
Before the release of their breakthrough album Mecca & The Soul Brother, the duo released an EP that many considered a foreshadowing preview of things to come. The EP was titled All Souled Out, and encapsulated in 6 songs everything you needed to know about Pete Rock & CL Smooth. Characterized by Rock's signature use of obscure soul and jazz records as sample sources, heavily featuring brass instruments, thundering basslines, hazy atmospherics, and gritty drum breaks, the production was unparalleled at the time. Equally noteworthy was Smooth's distinct rhyming style, which possessed a regal, soothing quality, and frequently wandered into deeply philosophical topics and intellectual commentary on the urban community.
Though All Souled Out only consisted of six songs, each one was equally as important as the last, from the Billboard-charting hit "Good Life" to the "Funky Drummer"-sampling "Go With The Flow" to the insular and thought-provoking minor hit "The Creator". Recognizing the importance of this EP, Traffic Entertainment Group is proud to present the EP in a deluxe format, featuring the 6 original tracks, and bonus remixes and instrumentals previously only available as B-sides to singles.
Shipping soon!
PRESS FOR ALL SOULED OUT
"This six-song EP officially introduced Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth to the hip-hop listening community, and it is hard to imagine a stronger or more confident introduction. Pete Rock's unmatched production sound is already in place, fully-formed, drenched in obscure soul music samples and rumbling, cavernous bass…"
"All Souled Out is an essential record for any self respecting hip-hop fan as well as the following two LPs. Furthermore, it is a phenomenal body of work to present in argument for those that think sampling is merely cutting and pasting old James Brown records."
"Like their catalog itself, "All Souled Out" is a flawless listen that no doubt had listeners salivating for more in 1991. Even as they would go on to release two of the finest LPs the East Coast would ever see, "All Souled Out" stands alone as their earliest masterpiece, not so much a teaser or preview as a brilliant prelude to further magnificence…"
"…Listening to the All Souled Out EP two decades after its release, it’s striking to note how well conceived Rock’s sound was even at this early stage in his career: the hallmarks of what defined him were already in place and delivered with sharp focus…"
