"On the album from the early 90's titled Mecca and the Soul Brother, this two man duo from NY eulogized a fallen soldier in arms by name, what was this song ?"

Oh gee, lemme think, only one of the all time tighest hip hop tracks EVER laid to tape ? T.R.O.Y.

Yeah, well none of the kids had a clue, only two girls even raised their hand and one of them guessed P. Diddy . . . ? F#$% P. Diddy, he isn't qualified to take out their trash ! The girl host was like "naaaah, come on ya'll, OK, let's run down the old school acts from Mt. Vernon, com'on, money earn'ing from Mt. Vernon, run 'em down . . . " and so the other girl guessed Chuck D ? And this is a local crowd, I mean if they were broadcasting live Des Moines that would be one thing, but these were local kids for chrissakes.

I was standing there screaming at the T.V.

Oh well, at least they played the video afterwards, a nice break from the c/rap that is on constant heavy rotation from the Ylang Ylang twins and Tipsy, talk about a couple of no talent azz MF's.

That was proof to me that 106th and Park is doing the young population a huge diservice by forgetting the past that made this music great. Like: "It's OK kids, there was no music prior to the year 1999, then Price came out and did his thing and that opened it all up for the brothers . . . blah, blah, blah."

Maybe it's for the best, these guys will remain a badge of honor for people in the know, kinda like the ixthus (sp?) for the followers of Jesus, well if ya don't know, ya can't go.

Guys (meaning PR and CL) if you ever look here, there are still those of us who remember, who appreciate what you did.

"t to the r to o y how did you and I meet in front of Big Lou's fighting in the street . . . "

Later Skaters.

Pete Rock
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's "Mecca & The Soul Brother" (1992) is an excellent album. I have always found that this duo was ahead of there time, and on there first full length release they delivered with an album full of memorable tracks, great beats and impressive lyrical content. First track "Return of the Mecca" has C.L. kicking some knowledge backed by some impressive beats. Next two tracks are nice and lead up to the the relaxed oldschool sounding love song "Lots of Lovin" which is followed up "Act Like You Know" which has C.L. talking about the ladies. The instrumentals (like drums and horns) enhance "Straighten It Out" a track that flows smoothly from start to finish. My favourite track on this one is "They Reminisce over You" (T.R.O.Y.), just love the horns and C.L.'s flow and lyrics on this one. On tracks like "On & On" the duo basically just let the beat do the work and since the beat is great, it works. Another standout out for me "Can't Front On Me" a track where the duo come a bit harder backed by a pounding beat to remember. My only regret about this album is that I did not get it sooner, listening to it back in 92 must of been pure pleasure. Highly recommend "Mecca & The Soul Brother" as an album for the collection.
This Album is a hip-hop classic, this was the duo's second and greatest record ever released, with hits like "T.R.O.Y" "Skinz" "Soul Brother #1" and others. Every song has a different impact for every listener. It is absolutely true that Pete Rock and CL Smooth are extremely Underrated. CL Smooth drops superb lines on every track and who doesn't know about the "horns"? Pete Rock is an Expert at the "Horns" it is true that others tried using the method after them, but no one could do it like The Orignators! He is an Excellent producer. This is an Album one should not miss up by adding to their librarys. 5 *****'s

C.L. Smooth- Mecca
The early 90's were an amazing time for hip-hop. Groups like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul were on top of their game; intelligence on the mic was in full-effect. "Mecca and the Soul Brother" definitely helped contribute to these flourishing times. Pete Rock was not afraid to implement elements of hip-hop's roots into the beat, as jazzy basslines and horn samples were frequently utilized; a far cry from most of today's production methods. C. L. Smooth held down his end with an expert command of rhymes. Tracks such as "Anger In the Nation" and "T.R.O.Y." were not only head bobbin' affairs, but were incredibly thought provoking as well. When thinking about classic hip-hop albums, "Mecca and the Soul Brother" seems to get overlooked. But beat for beat, and rhyme for rhyme, it holds its own as one of the best.
Pete Rock loves horns the way other DJs and producers love drums. It's this obsession with funky horn breaks that sets Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth apart from regular hip-hop bassheads. With its crucial James Brown breaks layered between trumpet and sax loops, coupled with the laid-back vocals of Smooth and Rock, Mecca and the Soul Brother--their first full-length--struts back and forth on that line between rap and soul. Rock's production style is peerless, funky on "If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right" and sexy on "Lots of Lovin'." Smooth's liquid freestyle delivery (notably on "Straighten It Out" and "They Reminisce Over You") has been echoed in other skilled MCs (see Common's work). And with their combined skills, Mecca stands up without ever really dating itself. --Todd Levin