Mecca and the Soul Brother

by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

Mecca and the Soul Brother cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: June 9, 1992
  • Label: Elektra
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 1:17:11
  • Community rating: 4.48/5 from 9 ratings

Artists on this release: Pete Rock, C.L. Smooth

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's debut album, 'Mecca and the Soul Brother', is a landmark of early '90s East Coast hip-hop, defined by Pete Rock's innovative production and C.L. Smooth's fluid lyricism. Rock's production layers intricate soul and jazz samples, featuring his signature filtered horn loops and deep basslines, creating a rich, cohesive sonic backdrop. Lyrically, C.L. Smooth navigates a variety of topics, from introspective narratives and social commentary on tracks like 'Ghettos of the Mind' to the iconic, mournful tribute 'They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)', cementing the album's status as a foundational work of the golden age.

Genres

Descriptors: rap, sampling, soulful, funky, classic

Tracklist

  1. Return of the Mecca (05:44)
  2. For Pete's Sake (05:54)
  3. Ghettos of the Mind (05:02)
  4. Lot's of Lovin (05:08)
  5. Act Like You Know (04:03)
  6. Straighten It Out (04:13)
  7. Soul Brother #1 (04:30)
  8. Wig Out (04:07)
  9. Anger in the Nation (05:33)
  10. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) (04:46)
  11. On and On (05:12)
  12. It's Like That (03:57)
  13. Can't Front on Me (04:16)
  14. The Basement (feat. Heavy D, Rob-O, Grap & Dida) (05:26)
  15. If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right (05:05)
  16. Skins (feat. Grand Puba) (04:15)

Credits

  • Pete Rock - producer, dj, vocals
  • C.L. Smooth - vocals, co-producer
  • Vinia Mojica - vocals
  • Tabitha Brace - backing vocals
  • Terri Robinson - backing vocals
  • Grap Luva - vocals
  • Grand Puba - vocals
  • DJ Eddie F - executive-producer
  • Nevelle Hodge - co-producer, producer, keyboards
  • Large Professor - co-producer
  • Tim "Dawg" Patterson - coordinator [creative coordinator], other [stylist]
  • Kimberly Lumpkin - coordinator [production coordinator]
  • Charlie Dos Santos - engineer [recording]
  • Chris Champion - engineer [recording]
  • Jamey Staub - engineer [recording]
  • Rod Hui - engineer [recording]
  • Djinji Brown - engineer [recording assistant]
  • Josh Wertheimer - engineer [recording assistant]
  • Luke Allen - engineer [recording assistant]
  • Octavio Arizala - engineer [recording assistant]
  • Sam Ewen - engineer [recording assistant]
  • Adofo Abdullah Muhammad - lyrics
  • Chris Gonzales - other [stylist]
  • Mark Seliger - photography by

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