Pete Rock - Soul Survivor

On The Solo Tip (Rating: 8 out of 10- -4.0 stars)

Years after Pete Rock and CL Smooth broke up, Pete would decide to go on and produce a solo album. Now if you're unfamiliar with ANY of Pete rocks credentials, I suggest you go cop Mecca and the Soul Brother & The Main Ingredient before getting any of their solo albums. There you will see why Pete is and has always been such a gifted producer.

So in 1998 we have this Soul Survivor LP. Let me first start by saying that the production here is excellent. Now, you take the hottest, non-over exposed artists around that time and let them rhyme over some of Pete Rock's production, and you have this here. Check out the chemestry shown on "Tru Master" (you don't even have to hear the song and you can guess who's vocal sample is on there) featuring Kurupt and Inspectah Deck.

Now some of you guys (including myself) are completely focused on Pete Rock's production, that you actually forgets that he rhymes too (as heard on the afroementioned albums). He's pretty decent behind the mic, as he rhymes on almost every song. An outstanding song would be the title track, "Soul Survivor" featuring miss jones on the hook. But Pete is at his best, when he is paired up with other rappers, such as "Truly Yours '98" with Large Professor and Kool G. Rap, as well as "Tha Game" with Raekwon, Ghostface, and Prodigy (like how Pete sneaks in his verse at the end of the song). After hearing "Da Two", many people should be begging for him and CL to drop another album together.

More than likely, fans of Pete Rock should already have this album. It was unfortunately slept on tremedously back in fall '98. If you don't have this album, do yourself a favor and pick it up whenever you see it, because you'll be glad you did. And while you're at it, pick up a few more Pete Rock solo releases and CL's solo album. Peace.

Lyrics: B
Production: A+
Guest Appearances: A-
Musical Vibes: A+

Top 5 Tracks:
1. Da Two (featuring CL Smooth)
2. Soul Survivor (featuring miss jones)
3. Tru Master (featuring Inspectah Deck and Kurupt)
4. Rock Steady Part II (featuring Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz)
5. Truly Yours '98 (featuring Large Professor and Kool G. Rap)

Honorable Mention:
1. Respect Mine (featuring O.C.)
2. It's About That Time (featuring Black Thought and Rob O) July 31, 2008

On The Solo Tip (Rating: 8 out of 10- -4.0 stars)

Years after Pete Rock and CL Smooth broke up, Pete would decide to go on and produce a solo album. Now if you're unfamiliar with ANY of Pete rocks credentials, I suggest you go cop Mecca and the Soul Brother & The Main Ingredient before getting any of their solo albums. There you will see why Pete is and has always been such a gifted producer.

So in 1998 we have this Soul Survivor LP. Let me first start by saying that the production here is excellent. Now, you take the hottest, non-over exposed artists around that time and let them rhyme over some of Pete Rock's production, and you have this here. Check out the chemestry shown on "Tru Master" (you don't even have to hear the song and you can guess who's vocal sample is on there) featuring Kurupt and Inspectah Deck.

Now some of you guys (including myself) are completely focused on Pete Rock's production, that you actually forgets that he rhymes too (as heard on the afroementioned albums). He's pretty decent behind the mic, as he rhymes on almost every song. An outstanding song would be the title track, "Soul Survivor" featuring miss jones on the hook. But Pete is at his best, when he is paired up with other rappers, such as "Truly Yours '98" with Large Professor and Kool G. Rap, as well as "Tha Game" with Raekwon, Ghostface, and Prodigy (like how Pete sneaks in his verse at the end of the song). After hearing "Da Two", many people should be begging for him and CL to drop another album together.

More than likely, fans of Pete Rock should already have this album. It was unfortunately slept on tremedously back in fall '98. If you don't have this album, do yourself a favor and pick it up whenever you see it, because you'll be glad you did. And while you're at it, pick up a few more Pete Rock solo releases and CL's solo album. Peace.

Lyrics: B
Production: A+
Guest Appearances: A-
Musical Vibes: A+

Top 5 Tracks:
1. Da Two (featuring CL Smooth)
2. Soul Survivor (featuring miss jones)
3. Tru Master (featuring Inspectah Deck and Kurupt)
4. Rock Steady Part II (featuring Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz)
5. Truly Yours '98 (featuring Large Professor and Kool G. Rap)

Honorable Mention:
1. Respect Mine (featuring O.C.)
2. It's About That Time (featuring Black Thought and Rob O) July 31, 2008

Dont Sleep

This is a great album a freaking classickkkk if you dnt have grab a copy worth the money !!!!! July 3, 2007

Soul Survivin' 101

Let me start by saying that Pete Rock is the most underrated rapper/producer in the game. Next in line would be DJ Quik. Pete Rock's laid back flow continues to impress as he steps his production game up further with this great effort Soul Survivor. Standout Tracks: TRU MASTER(Inspectah Deck And Kurupt light up this first single), HALF MAN HALF AMAZIN(another classic combo with M E T H O D Man), RESPECT MINE, THA GAME(the best collabo on this album), # 1 SOUL BROTHER, ONE LIFE TO LIVE(Its the MC Eiht with soul brother # 1), TAKE YOUR TIME(relaxing without the mary jane influence), SOUL SURVIVOR, ITS ABOUT THAT TIME, STRANGE FRUIT and DA TWO(classic Pete Rock and CL Smooth track). Filler: Verbal Murder 2(Big Pun's verse was fire but the rest of the track was iffy plus the sampling of Fat Albert...... Pete Rock can do better than this. Bottom Line: Pete Rock's Soul Survivor is one of the best albums of 98 and is definetly a slept on album of 98. Pete Rock and the guests were blazing plus Pete is still nice with the production. One of the better albums of that year. April 16, 2007

One of my favorite rappers/producers

Man what can I say about Pete Rock I love his flow. People know him more of a producer but to me he is a nice rapper also his flow as always been nice and is much better then most rappers out there and he does not get respect for it also. Now to his producing out of the world he knows how to lay a beat down and it would be a dream to be in the studio with him while he is doing his thing just to be in that type of hip hop enviroment where you breath and live hip hop is something that is what makes me still love hip hop even at 37. I dont have a favorite cut on this album as I like most of them and it will be the same on all of my reviews for Pete Rock you can say I am biased between him and Primo as I can never find a fault it is not like I am looking for one. I have at least 100 records from Pete Rock and will keep buying stuff that he brings out. January 3, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...