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The Main Ingredient is the second album by Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Released in late 1994. It would become their last album since, at the time of writing, the pair have relinquished their plans of a reunion. Like their previous album, Mecca and the Soul Brother, The Main Ingredient was very well received by critics but overlooked by the mainstream.
[edit] Overview
Characterized by sultry soul and jazz samples, The Main Ingredient saw a more refined sound than the duo’s debut, building on the praise that they had already garnered. The album is notable for its snappy, crispy drums and extensive use of vocal scratches. Although missing a centerpiece on the scale of "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)", the album contains some of the group's best loved work in the form of tracks such as the upbeat "In The House", and the catchy "Sun Won't Come Out", which features a lush vocal sample from the song of the same name by Harvey Scales.
Continuing a theme initiated by Mecca and the Soul Brother, brief instrumental interludes are placed at the beginning and end of songs, often leaving the listener yearning for more. With the exception of just a few tracks, this feature is recurrent throughout the album. In addition, The Main Ingredient saw Rock fleshing out and defining his trademark production style, which is now recognized for often containing smooth basslines, swirling horns, filtered samples, and spacious grooves. The production on this album proved to be influential upon a legion of latter day producers.
[edit] Reception and aftermath
Though overlooked at the time of its release, the album has since been re-evaluated with high critical acclaim leading many to consider it more focused, polished and cohesive than its predecessor. It is regarded by many to be the best work by both Pete Rock & CL Smooth. All Music Guide's Stanton Swihart called it "an album that is far more focused" and "just as good as the first record, perhaps an even more satisfying single listen." Swihart described Rock's production work as "among some of the most seductive in hip-hop", and CL as "lyrically on point, spitting out intellectual rhymes and narratives that are just as propulsive and engaging as the music."
"I Got a Love" was the album's lead off single, followed by the Keni Burke sampling "Take You There" and "Searching", released in 1995. That same year, the duo appeared in a well received Sprite commercial, however they soon announced their breaking up citing creative differences; although both parties have since admitted that an unstable working relationship was the main cause.
[edit] Track listing
- In the House – 5:27
- Carmel City – 3:52
- I Get Physical – 4:54
- Sun Won't Come Out – 4:24
- I Got a Love – 5:04
- Escape – 5:14
- The Main Ingredient – 5:17
- Worldwide – 3:02
- All The Places – 5:39
- Tell Me – 4:17
- Take You There – 4:47
- Searching – 4:45
- Check It Out – 3:57
- In The Flesh – 5:48
- It's On You – 5:21
- Get On The Mic – 3:50
[edit] Samples Used
Source: Rap Sample FAQ[1]
- "In The House"
- "Carmel City"
- "I Get Physical"
- "Sun Won't Come Out"
- "I Got A Love"
- "Ain't Got the Love (Of One Girl on My Mind)" by The Ambassadors (from the 1969 album "Soul Summit")
- "Groovy Situation" by Mel & Tim (from the 1969 album "Good Guys Only Win in the Movies")
- "Escape"
- "The Main Ingredient"
- "The Harlem Buck Dance Strut" by Les McCann (from the 1973 album "Layers")
- "Psychadelic Shack" by Albino Gorilla (from the 1970 album "Detroit 1984")
- "Just Rhymin' with Biz" by Big Daddy Kane
- "Submission" by Tyrone Washington (from the 1971 album "Roots")
- "All the Places"
- "Places and Spaces" by Donald Byrd (from the 1976 album "Places and Spaces")
- "Mind Power" and "Take Some...Leave Some" by James Brown (from the 1974 album "The Payback")
- "Far Out" by Crown Heights Affair (from the 1976 album "Do It Your Way") (outro)
- "Tell Me"
- "Keep Dreamin'" by Stan Getz (from the 1977 album "Another World")
- "Funky President" by James Brown (from the 1975 album "Reality")
- "You're Getting A Little Too Smart" by Detroit Emeralds (from the 1973 album "Detroit Emeralds")
- "All Night Long" by Mary Jane Girls (from the 1983 album "Mary Jane Girls")
- "On the Hill" by Oliver Sain (from the album "The Main Man") (outro)
- "Take You There"
- "Searching"
- "Searching" by Roy Ayers Ubiquity (from the 1976 album "Vibrations")
- "I Got Soul" by Bama - The Village Poet (from the 1972 album "Ghettos of the Mind") (outro)
- "Check It Out"
- "In the Flesh"
- "It's on You"
- "The Awakening" by Ahmad Jamal (from the 1970 album "Awakening")
- "Never My Love" by Tom Scott (from the 1968 album "The Honeysuckle Breeze")
- "Strictly Business" by EPMD (from the 1988 album "Strictly Business")
- "Poinciana (Live at Montreux Jazz Festival)" by Ahmad Jamal (from the 1971 album "Freeflight") (outro)
- "Get On The Mic"
- "Soul Girl" by Jeanne & the Darlings (1967)
- "Just Rhymin' with Biz" by Big Daddy Kane
- "You're My Everything" by Ahmad Jamal (from the 1970 album "Awakening") (outro)
[edit] Album singles
| Single cover |
Single information |
|
|
"I Got a Love"
- Released: 1994
- B-side: "The Main Ingredient"
|
|
|
"Take You There"
- Released: 1994
- B-side: "Get On The Mic"
|
|
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"Searching"
- Released: 1995
- B-side: "We Specialize"
|
[edit] Album Chart Positions
| Year |
Album |
Chart positions |
| Billboard 200 |
Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums |
| 1994 |
The Main Ingredient |
#51 |
#9 |
[edit] Singles Chart Positions
[edit] Trivia
- The album was a favorite of the late producer Jay Dee, who played it while meeting with Pete Rock to record Slum Village's "Once Upon A Time" for the album, Fantastic, Vol. 2 in 1998.
- "Worldwide" is the first song to feature all three members of the group INI (Pete Rock, Grap Luva, and Rob-O). Noting the absence of CL Smooth, this essentially makes the track an INI song.
[edit] References
