Pete Rock - Soul Survivor Review
Posted by Phil Watts, Jr on 02.01.2008
1998: The Chocolate Boy Wonder returns…
(1998, LOUD Records)
It was an era where a Mt. Vernon native became one of the HOTTEST producers on the market. Unfortunately, that Mt. Vernon native was Puffy.
After Pete Rock’s original breakup with C.L. Smooth and the failure of his Soul Brother Records venture, he needed to do something to bring his stock back up. He saw an opportunity in LOUD Records, a then-HUGE label which had such luminaries such as The Liks, Xzibit, Mobb Deep, Raekwon, the WuTang as a whole, and the late, great Big Pun, among others. Since this was the dreaded shiny suit era, Pete definitely needed to make an impact if he was ever going to get noticed again.
It had been over three years since MAIN INGREDIENT, his last album with C.L. Smooth. Anyone who was worried about whether or not his absence from the scene would effective his performance in any way were pleasantly surprised. As a producer, he still brings the trademark souled-out funk tunes, but he tweaks his style a bit, relying more on baselines than horns…even though he still had plenty of those.
Lyrically? Uh…well…It’s Pete Rock. He was never the most profound MC on the planet, but because of his cool monotone voice, he’s pretty good in small doses. Besides, he really shouldn’t have to worry too much about carrying the album rhyme-wise, especially with a star-studded guestlist behind him…although he does have to deal with getting outshined by most of them.
[Usually, I’d give a summary of the strong and weak points, but since this a compilation album with many different artists on each track, I’m going with the track-for-track format.]
Tru Master: This was the first single…and probably one of the best beats of his career (or at least up there with them). Pete takes a smoothed-out Impressions song and turns it into an ANTHEM. Pete brings in Deck, which is a smart move, since he’s one of the best when it comes to opening verses. He also brings in Kurupt of the Dogg Pound…who commences to bring it down a few notches with his sad attempt at trying to be SUPERLYRICAL by rhyming off-beat, making a damn fool out of himself in the process.
Half-Man/Half-Amazing: This was produced by Pete’s lil’ brother, InI’s Grap Luva, who was always an unfortunately slept on producer. Pete brings in the Method Man to make this a fun little joint. Remember a time when Meth was the hottest rapper out? Damn, those were the days.
Respect Mine: Pete brings in DITC’s OC, who was on a hot streak at the time with the JEWELS album. In my opinion, Pete should’ve stepped aside and let OC have the floor here, as he’s seriously out-of-place.
The Game: It’s the RAGU/Bandana P connection! (That’s Rae And Ghost United with Mobb Deep’s Prodigy, by the way.) As dope as “Tru Master” was, this should’ve been a single, too, as it featured a P who was at the top of his game (again, those were the days), and people still playing CUBAN LINX like it just came out. Again, Pete should’ve let these guys have the floor (are at least brought in Havoc to make it complete), because Pete is seriously outclassed here.
#1 Soul Brother: This is Pete’s solo joint, a sequel to “Soul Brother #1” from MECCA & THE SOUL BROTHER. As an MC, he works best like this…where there’s no other rapper around to outshine him. It doesn’t hurt that the beat is smooth as hell, too.
Rock Steady Part 2: Pete jacks the Unlimited Love Orchestra’s “Strange Games & Things” while fiddling with the song’s opening guitar lick, using it to play Rakim’s “Melody”. Unfortunately, he brings in one-hit-wonders Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz to rap on it. You know those kind of rappers that break their necks trying show their SWAGGER. They try to be the second coming of Jay-Z, but wind up sounding like the second coming of Antoine & Blaine. That’s Peter Gunz. “From Mount Vern to BX/flossin in the G.S./Switchin lanes tossin made game to your bee-ITCH...Look in your girl phone book it leaves you speechless/Open my number - instead of Peter, reads 'Peaches'!” Those lines get two snaps up and a circle!
Truly Yours ’98: Pete tries to rework a beat from his mentor, in this case, Kool G Rap’s fun little Bitch-Bashing/Homo-Bashing romp, “Truly Yours”! However, Pete’s attempt is kind…eh. Yeah, he has the samples placed in the right spots, but without the bottom, it’s just not the same. Pete brings in Large Pro, who gives an okay verse, while bring in G rap, since it’s his song after all. You’re better off sticking with the original, though...that is if you could take the Bitch/Homo bashing. Or, if you want a better Pete/Large Pro colab, check for "Rap World".
It’s About That Time: Pete uses some sparse organs and some tight drum-work, leaving plenty of elbowroom for the Roots’ lyrical front man, Black Thought and InI’s Rob-O to work their magic. Again, Pete is way out of his league on the mic. I wonder if the Roots ever attempted to perform this song like they did Rahzel’s Pete-produced “All I Know”.
One Life To Live: Pete begins the second half of SOUL SURVIVOR on a somewhat smooth tip by calling up MC Eiht of Compton’s Most Wanted for some music to drive by. While Eiht is more comfortable working with more sinister material, he does pretty well here. He even managed to cut down on the GEAH’s!
Take Your Time: Side 2 gets a little mellower, as Pete reunites two-thirds of the 80’s British R&B group, Loose Ends (known for songs like “Hanging On A String”, “Slow Down”, and “Stay A Little While Child”). Here’s another instance where Pete should’ve just let the guests have the floor. Pete tries to do the kind of verses Guru does in his Jazzmatazz projects, but without the finesse:
With a, douse of soul, I’m back in control
My goal sees the world pass from young to old
Unfold a new tale, see yourself on scale
2000 the year my black people prevail
Yo straight up and down I got love for this
Nine years in the mix and if time permits
I’ll continue to make my melody for the tapes
And walk the fine line between love and hate
Uh…okay.
Mind Blowin’: Hypnotizing. That’s how you describe this. The moment the guitar hits you, it zones you out. This, the lonely sax samples, and Native Tongue chorus chick Vinia Mojica on the hook leaves a perfect outing for Pete’s decent attempt at a girly-girl joint.
Soul Survivor: The mellow ride hits a few speedbumps as this title track is by far one of the album’s weakest. Pete tries a little sophisticated funk, which doesn’t really work out as much as the preceding tracks did. The hook from R&B Chick-turnt-shock jock Ms. Jones doesn’t help.
Da Two: Here it is. After all the rumors and after three years absence, people started getting excited again for the prospect of some new material from Pete & CL. This was the first. Yeah, it’s not exactly “T.R.O.Y.”, but it’s still a decent start to what would’ve been the path to a new album from the two. If only. [One little nitpick: In the first few bars of CL’s verse, a name was edited out. This has been bugging me for years. Anyone who has any idea what the deal is with this, please hit me up.]
Verbal Murder: Pete using a FAT ALBERT sample in a song featuring Big Pun. That Freudian aspect aside, things pick back up from the ‘mellow’ segment. Big Pun was definitely shining during this period, especially with his CAPITAL PUNISHMENT album blowing up everywhere. It sucks that we lost him the way we did. Noreaga, who was also on a hot streak, shows up in this (and even manages to cut down on the WHAT-WHAT’s!), as well as a verse from Common, where he comes harder than usual. Pete steps aside and only shows up for the hook.
Strange Fruit: This is another one of my all-time favorite Pete Rock tracks. This is one of the eeriest tracks he’s ever made. Pete once again plays the back and gives the guests the floor. Tragedy starts it off…unfortunately, he’s in his Thugged-out/’Khadafi’ faze (remember when he was THE INTELLEGENT HOODLUM?) Cappadonna the Cab Driver just chugs along as usual. However, it’s Sticky of Onyx, sounding as cracked out as ever, that outshines everybody.
Massive (Hold Tight): The album closes in a somewhat weak note. Now having Heavy D (Pete’s cousin by the way) on a Pete Rock track wouldn’t ordinarily be a bad thing (Find Heavy D’s BLUE FUNK album for details). However, this is Heavy D during his Waterbed Hev/Diamonds & Cristal faze where he tried to rhyme like Lil’ Kim. You know it’s a wrap when you try to stay relevant by copying artists that took after YOU.
THE GOOD (Classic Material): “Tru Master”, “Half Man…”, “The Game”, “About That Time”, “Mind Blowin’”, “Da Two”
THE BAD (Cutting Room Floor Material): “Rock Steady 2”, “Truly Your 98”, “Soul Survivor”, “Massive”
The 411: Even though this album didn’t get the commercial success that it so richly deserved (which led to Pete getting unceremoniously dropped), it did put Pete Rock’s name back on the map. This album had a wide variety of vocalists to make the album interesting, from hitmakers to legends to R&B singers to even his long time collaborators…and he knows exactly what they all sound good over. This album shows beyond the shadow of a doubt that he’s one of the all time greats as a producer. However, it also shows that his vocals are only good in small doses, as there are moments where he would’ve been better off staying out of the vocal booth and letting his guests carry the song.
