Pete Rock & CL Smooth + Questlove LIVE in Vancouver!

A couple of ill shows n the next couple of week at Bar None Vancouver. The first is Pete Rock & CL Smooth performing their masterpiece Mecca & The Soul Brother in its entirety! A week after that we have Questlove here for a RBMA Q&A and DJ set. Tickets for Pete Rock & CL can be copped HERE, and Questlove tickets HERE.

Classic Material: Elektra Records Showcase (1990)

This is why I love the interweb. 

What we have here is footage of the Elektra Records "Hard To The Left" party that took place Dec 10th, 1990! The party features performance from the labels Hip-Hop roster including KMD, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Leaders of the New School, and Brand Nubian. This is an industry party by the looks of it because the audience seems too cool to let loose, plus ATCQ, De La Soul, Funk Flex, Nice & Smooth, Run DMC, and a bunch of other rappers are all in the building. Basically a NYC record label party from the golden era of Hip-Hop! Big up DJ Iran for bringing this to the surface.

Brand Nubian's set above, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Leaders Of The New School, and KMD's sets below.

Classic Material: Pete Rock & CL Smooth on Yo! MTV Raps

Yo! MTV Raps pays Pete Rock and CL Smooth a visit in Money Earnin' Mt. Vernon.

Records: Pete Rock & CL Smooth - "Straighten It Out" 12"

This one also goes down as one of THE GREATEST 12 INCHES OF ALL TIME. Both side A & side B are monster jams off one of the most classic classics in Hip-Hop music - Mecca & The Soul Brother.

Pete Rock & CL Smooth

"Straighten It Out" b/w "They Reminisce Over You" (Remix) (1992)

(Elektra Records)

A1 "Straighten It Out" (Vocal)

A2 "Straighten It Out" (Vocal Remix)

A3 "Straighten It Out" (Instrumental)

B1 "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" (Remix)

B2 "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" (Remix Instrumental)

B3 "Straighten It Out" (Remix Instrumental)

Produced by Pete Rock

Records: Pete Rock & CL Smooth - "T.R.O.Y." 12"

This is hands down one of the GREATEST 12 INCHES OF ALL TIME. This is not open for discussion. "T.R.O.Y." is one of the illest songs from one of the illest eras in Hip-Hop and "The Creator" is about as good a b-side there is. Plus, they did a vocal remix where both Pete Rock & CL spit over "The Creator" beat. Pete Rock & CL Smooth are classic material and there is no denying what the "Pete Rock remix" has meant to Hip-Hop - just ask Public Enemy and House Of Pain.

Pete Rock & CL Smooth

"The Reminisce Over You" b/w "The Creator" 12 inch

A1 "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" (Vocal)

A2 "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" (Instrumental)

A3 "Creator (Slide To The Side)" (Remix Radio Edit)

B1 "Creator (Slide To The Side)" (Remix Instrumental)

B2 "Creator (EP Mix)" (Vocal)

B3 "Creator (EP Mix)" (Instrumental)

Produced by Soul Brother #1 aka the Chocolate Boy Wonder aka Pete Rock

Rap Treats #6: Original, Rare and Unreleased

Beastie Boys (1986)

"I'm Down"

This was supposed to be on Licenced To Ill but it got dropped from the album at the last minute. The are getting their Beatles on here a little bit.

Big Daddy Kane (1987)

"For Your Own Concern"

Produced by Marley Marl and features lyrics that eventually ended up on Kane's debut Long Live The Kane.

EPMD feat. LL Cool J (1989)

"Rampage" (original)

Different beat and for some reason there is no Erick Sermon. The raps are the same except there is an extra verse by LL on it. Maybe this was a LL Cool J song originally?

Eric B & Rakim (1992)

"Don't Sweat The Technique" (original)

This is original version with a somewhat different beat. The baseline is absent and replaced by a few different funk samples including James Brown's "Blue's & Pants".

LL Cool J (1988)

"Blame It On Me"

This is the original version of "Jack The Ripper". Same beat but totally different lyrics. Not sure if he's dissing Kool Moe Dee on this too, but he's dissing somebody.

Pete Rock & CL Smooth (1991)

"They Reminisce Over You" (original)

Completely different beat (drums might be the same) and features some chick singing on the chorus. Nothing beats the album version though.