Mecca and the Soul Brother

Mecca and the Soul Brother
Studio album by Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Released June 9, 1992
Recorded 1991-1992
Genre Golden age hip hop, jazz rap, East Coast hip hop
Length 77:23 (CD)
85:14 (2xLP/MC)
Label Elektra
60948
Producer Pete Rock, CL Smooth, Large Professor
Pete Rock & CL Smooth chronology

All Souled Out
(1991)		 Mecca and the Soul Brother
(1992)		 The Main Ingredient
(1994)

Mecca and the Soul Brother is the critically acclaimed 1992 debut album from the Mount Vernon duo, Pete Rock & CL Smooth. The album contains their best known song, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)." Mecca and the Soul Brother has been widely acclaimed as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.[1][2] The album was mostly produced by Pete Rock and Executive Produced by DJ Eddie F of Heavy D & The Boyz (co-group member with Trouble T-Roy).

Background

Mecca And The Soul Brother followed on the heels of the duo's EP; All Souled Out, released in 1991. Despite being a critical success, it had little commercial success in comparison to other noteworthy releases of 1992, such as Dr. Dre's The Chronic. The first single, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)", a dedication to their deceased friend; Trouble T Roy (a dance member of Heavy D. & The Boyz), has gone on to become not only their signature hit, but also one of hip hop's most highly regarded songs.[3][4]

Other topics on the album range from life in the ghetto ("Ghettos of the Mind"), the teachings of the Nation of Islam ("Anger in the Nation"), bootlegging ("Straighten It Out"), and love ("Lots of Lovin'").

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [5]
The Baltimore Sun (favorable)[6]
Robert Christgau [7]
Entertainment Weekly C+[8]
The New York Times (favorable)[9]
RapReviews (9.5/10)[10]
Rolling Stone [11]
Spin (favorable)[12]
Virgin Encyclopedia [13]

Mecca And The Soul Brother brought considerable acclaim to the duo. They were often compared to the group Gang Starr, which also featured one MC, and a producer/DJ.[14] Although the album garnered a great amount of acclaim, sales were slow. The group only grew more popular, however, and next appeared on the Menace II Society soundtrack, followed by Who's the Man?, and Poetic Justice, respectively before returning in 1994, with The Main Ingredient.

Track listing

  • (*) Symbolizes co-producer
# Title Performer(s) Producer(s) Samples Time
1 "Return of the Mecca"
  • Intro: Pete Rock
  • Verses: C.L. Smooth
  • Chorus: Pete Rock
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth		 5:42
2 "For Pete's Sake"
  • Intro: Pete Rock
  • First verse: C.L. Smooth
  • Second verse: Pete Rock
  • Third verse: C.L. Smooth
  • Outro: Pete Rock
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth		 5:48
3 "Ghettos of the Mind"
  • C.L. Smooth
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth
  • "Ghettos of the Mind" by Bama - the Village Poet
  • "Long Red" by Mountain
 5:01
4 "Lots of Lovin" Pete Rock,
Nevelle Hodge,
*C.L. Smooth		 5:07
5 "Act Like You Know"
  • Verses: C.L. Smooth
  • Chorus: Pete Rock
 Pete Rock,
*Large Professor,
*C.L. Smooth
  • "Jagger the Dagger" by Eugene McDaniels (intro)
  • "Cameo" by Eddy Senay
  • "Down on the Ground" by Grant Green
  • "The Awakening" by Woody Shaw
 4:01
6 "Straighten It Out"
  • C.L. Smooth
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth		 4:12
7 "Soul Brother #1"
  • Pete Rock
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth
  • "Pain" by Ohio Players
  • "Bubble Gum" by 9th Creation
  • "Soul Man" by Charles "Sweet" Sherrell
  • "Headless Heroes" by Eugene McDaniels
  • "Long Red" by Mountain
  • "The Grunt" by The J.B.'s
  • "You're A Customer" by EPMD
 4:30
8 "Wig Out"
  • Intro: Pete Rock
  • Verses: C.L. Smooth
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth
  • "Turbulence" by Eddie Harris (intro)
  • "Jungle Child" by Johnny Lytle
 4:10
9 "Anger in the Nation"
  • Intro: Adofo Abdullah Muhammad
  • Verses: C.L. Smooth
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth		 5:31
10 "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)"
  • C.L. Smooth
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth		 4:44
11 "On and On" Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth		 5:10
12 "It's Like That"
  • Intro: Pete Rock
  • Verses: C.L. Smooth
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth		 3:55
13 "Can't Front on Me"
  • Intro: Pete Rock
  • Verses: C.L. Smooth
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth		 4:18
14 "The Basement"
  • First verse: C.L. Smooth
  • Second verse: Grap Luva
  • Third verse: Heavy D.
  • Fourth verse: Pete Rock
  • Fifth verse: Rob-O
  • Sixth verse: Deda
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth
  • "Expo 83" by The Backyard Heavies (intro)
  • "Risin' to the Top" by Keni Burke
  • "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton
  • "Season of the Witch" by Mike Bloomfield/Al Kooper/Steve Stills
  • "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy
  • "Just Hangin' Out" by Main Source
  • "Mad Dog" by Lee Michaels
 5:22
15 "If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right"
  • C.L. Smooth
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth		 5:04
16 "Skinz"
  • First verse: C.L. Smooth
  • Second verse: Grand Puba
  • Third verse: C.L. Smooth
  • Fourth verse: Pete Rock
  • Fifth verse: C.L. Smooth
 Pete Rock,
*C.L. Smooth		 4:14

Album singles

Single information
"They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)"
  • Released: 1992
  • B-side: "The Creator"
"Straighten It Out"
  • Released: 1992
  • B-side: "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)"
"Lots of Lovin"
  • Released: 1993
  • B-side: "It's Not A Game"

Chart history

Album

Year Album Chart positions
Billboard 200 Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
1992 Mecca & The Soul Brother 43 7

Singles

Year Song Chart positions
Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Hot Rap Singles Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1992 They Reminisce Over You [T.R.O.Y.] 58 10 1 20
Straighten It Out - 65 7 37
1993 Lots of Lovin - 66 1 -

Accolades

The information is taken from AcclaimedMusic.net.[15] and other website links below.

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
About.com USA 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums 2008 #37
Ego Trip USA Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980-98 1999 #8
Exclaim! Canada 100 Records that Rocked 100 Issues 2000 *
Rolling Stone USA The Essential Recordings of the 90s 1999 *
The Source USA The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time 1998 *
Mojo UK Mojo 1000, the Ultimate CD Buyers Guide 2001 *
(*) designates lists that are unordered.

References

  1. ↑ "Rocklist.net...The Source 100 Best Rap Albums & Singles". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
  2. ↑ "The Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of all Time - Top 100 Rap/Hip-Hop Albums". Rap.about.com. 2012-01-26. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
  3. ↑ "They Reminisce Over You". Acclaimed Music. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
  4. ↑ "Top 100 Rap Songs - These are the Top 100 Rap Songs that helped shaped Hip-Hop - Top 100 Rap Songs". Rap.about.com. 2012-01-26. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
  5. ↑ Stewart, Stanton (March 3, 2008). Review: Mecca and the Soul Brother. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2010-10-24.
  6. ↑ Considine, J.D. (July 10, 1992). Review: Mecca and the Soul Brother. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved on 2010-10-24.
  7. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1992). "Consumer Guide: Mecca and the Soul Brother". The Village Voice. Retrieved on 2010-10-24.
  8. ↑ Browne, David (July 17, 1992). Review: Mecca and the Soul Brother. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 2010-10-24.
  9. ↑ Watrous, Peter (July 1, 1992). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  10. ↑ Mennella, Dan (September 30, 2003). Review: Mecca and the Soul Brother. RapReviews. Retrieved on 2010-10-24.
  11. ↑ Hoard, Christian (November 2, 2004). "Review: Mecca and the Soul Brother". Rolling Stone: 695.
  12. ↑ Malone, Bonz (October 1992). "Review: Mecca and the Soul Brother". Spin: 26.
  13. ↑ Larkin, Colin (March 1, 2002). "Review: Mecca and the Soul Brother". Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Retrieved on 2010-10-24.
  14. ↑ Paine, Jake (2010-10-21). "DJ Premier Confirms "Pete Rock vs. DJ Premier" Album In The Works | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
  15. ↑ "Mecca and the Soul Brother at AcclaimedMusic.net". Retrieved June 22, 2007.

External links