Soul Survivor (Pete Rock album)

Last updated
Soul Survivor
Pete Rock - Soul Survivor (album).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 10, 1998
Recorded1996-1998
Genre East Coast hip hop, jazz rap
Length74:14
Label Loud/RCA/BMG Records
07863-67616
Producer Pete Rock
Grap Luva
Pete Rock chronology
The Main Ingredient
(1994)
Soul Survivor
(1998)
PeteStrumentals
(2001)
Singles from Soul Survivor
  1. "Tru Master"
    Released: 1998
  2. "Take Your Time"
    Released: 1999
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [3]
RapReviews9/10 [4]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Source 3.5/5 [6]

Soul Survivor is the debut studio album of hip hop producer and emcee Pete Rock, formerly of the acclaimed duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth. [7] Rock contributes to all the production on the release, as well as a number of verses, while leaving a large part of the rhyming to several guest artists; such as, Kurupt of Tha Dogg Pound, Wu-Tang Clan members Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, & Cappadonna, O.C., Black Thought of The Roots, Rob-O, formerly of the group InI, Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz, Large Professor, Kool G Rap, MC Eiht, Jane Eugene & Loose Ends, Vinia Mojica, Miss Jones, Heavy D, Beenie Man, Sticky Fingaz of Onyx, Common, Big Punisher, Noreaga, and former partner C.L. Smooth.

Contents

Track listing

#TitlePerformer(s)
1"Soul Survivor Intro"
  • Pete Rock
2"Tru Master"
3"Half Man, Half Amazin'"
  • First & fourth verses: Pete Rock
  • Second & third verses: Method Man
4"Respect Mine"
  • First & third verses: O.C.
  • Hook/second & fourth verses: Pete Rock
5"Tha Game"
6"#1 Soul Brother"
  • Pete Rock
7"Rock Steady Part II"
  • First verse: Peter Gunz
  • Second verse: Lord Tariq
  • Third verse/hook: Pete Rock
8"Truly Yours ’98"
9"It's About That Time"
10"One Life To Live"
  • First & third verses/hook: MC Eiht
  • Second verse/outro: Pete Rock
11"Take Your Time"
  • Intro/second & fourth verses: Pete Rock
  • First & third verses: Jane Eugene of Loose Ends
  • Hook: Loose Ends
  • Outro: Loose Ends & Pete Rock
12"Mind Blowin'"
13"Soul Survivor"
14"Da Two"
  • First & third verses: C.L. Smooth
  • Hook/second verse: Pete Rock
15"Verbal Murder 2"
16"Strange Fruit"
17"Massive (Hold Tight)"
  • Intro/first & third verses: Heavy D
  • Hook/second verse: Beenie Man
  • Outro: Heavy D & Beenie Man

Documentary

A documentary was released around the time of the album, which featured the recording sessions of some of the tracks.

Singles

Single information
"Tru Master"
  • Released: 1998
  • B-side:
"Take Your Time"
  • Released: 1999
  • B-side: "Tha Game"

Chart positions

Album

Chart (1998)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [8] 39
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [9] 9

Singles

YearSong Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Hot Rap Singles
1998"Tru Master"6840
1999"Take Your Time"8018

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cypress Hill</span> American hip hop group

Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California, formed in 1988. They have sold over 20 million albums worldwide, and they have obtained multi-platinum and platinum certifications. The group has been critically acclaimed for their first five albums. They are considered to be among the main progenitors of West Coast hip hop and 1990s hip hop. All of the group members advocate for medical and recreational use of cannabis in the United States. In 2019, Cypress Hill became the first hip hop group to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Bass</span> American hip hop group

3rd Bass was an American hip hop group that was active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Formed by MC Serch, Pete Nice, and DJ Richie Rich, the group was notable for being one of the first successful interracial hip hop acts. Along with Beastie Boys and producer Rick Rubin, MC Serch and Pete Nice were two of the very few white hip hop artists who were widely respected in the community. The group dissolved in 1992 and again in 2000 and 2013 after short-lived reunions. The group released two studio albums in their initial career and both of them were certified gold by the RIAA.

Souls of Mischief is a hip hop group from Oakland, California, that is also part of the hip hop collective Hieroglyphics. The Souls of Mischief formed in 1991 and is composed of rappers A-Plus, Opio, Phesto, and Tajai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AZ (rapper)</span> American rapper from New York

Anthony Cruz, better known by his stage name AZ, is an American rapper known for being a longtime and frequent music partner of East Coast rapper Nas and also a member of hip hop group The Firm alongside Nas, Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature. Online magazine About.com listed AZ as the "Most Underrated [Rapper] of All Time". AZ also made it onto the sites' "Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007)", where he was reiterated as "arguably the most underrated lyricist ever."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Rock</span> American hip hop producer

Peter O. Phillips, better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American music producer, DJ and rapper. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, and is often mentioned alongside DJ Premier, RZA, and Q-Tip as one of the mainstays of 1990s East Coast hip hop production. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth. Early on in his career, he was also famed for his remix work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Rock & CL Smooth</span> American hip hop duo

Pete Rock & CL Smooth were a hip hop duo from Mount Vernon, New York. They made their debut with their 1991 EP, All Souled Out and followed that with their 1992 LP Mecca and the Soul Brother.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large Professor</span> American rapper and producer

William Paul Mitchell, better known by the stage name of Large Professor, is an American rapper and music producer. Based in New York City, he is known as a founding member of the underground hip hop group Main Source and as mentor and frequent collaborator of Nas. About.com ranked Large Professor at No. 13 on its Top 25 Hip-Hop Producers list.

<i>Stakes Is High</i> 1996 studio album by De La Soul

Stakes Is High is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group De La Soul. It was released on July 2, 1996, through Tommy Boy Records. The album marked a change in the group's sound and direction, as it was their first release not produced in collaboration with Prince Paul. Stakes Is High was mainly produced by the group themselves, with additional tracks provided by Jay Dee, DJ Ogee, Spearhead X and Skeff Anslem. It is considered the group's darkest and most serious album. It received mostly strong reviews but little commercial success.

<i>Down with the King</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Run-D.M.C.

Down with the King is the sixth studio album by American hip hop group Run-D.M.C., released on May 4, 1993, by Profile Records. The album was produced by Pete Rock, Q-Tip, EPMD, DJ Kay Gee of Naughty by Nature, Jam Master Jay, The Bomb Squad, Daniel Shulman, Run-D.M.C., Chyskills, Jermaine Dupri and Clifton "Specialist" Dillon.

<i>Mecca and the Soul Brother</i> 1992 studio album by Pete Rock & CL Smooth

Mecca and the Soul Brother is the 1992 debut album from hip-hop 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. The album was mostly produced by Pete Rock and executive produced by DJ Eddie F of Heavy D & the Boyz.

<i>The Main Ingredient</i> (Pete Rock & CL Smooth album) 1994 studio album by Pete Rock & CL Smooth

The Main Ingredient is the second album by Pete Rock & CL Smooth, released on November 8, 1994. It is the duo's last studio album to date.

<i>All Souled Out</i> 1991 EP by Pete Rock & CL Smooth

All Souled Out is the debut EP by Pete Rock & CL Smooth. It was released in the summer of 1991 to rave reviews and spawned a modest hit in "The Creator".

<i>PeteStrumentals</i> 2001 studio album by Pete Rock

PeteStrumentals is the second studio album from hip hop producer/rapper Pete Rock. The album is an Instrumental hip hop album and the second installment of BBE Records Beat Generation series, following Jay Dee's Welcome to Detroit album. The instrumental songs were originally recorded between 1990 and 1995, but were remixed and continued when putting together the album. All songs featuring vocals were recorded exclusively for this project between 2000 and 2001.

<i>Soul Survivor II</i> 2004 studio album by Pete Rock

Soul Survivor II is a studio album by hip hop producer Pete Rock, released in 2004. The album features guest appearances from a large number of hip hop artists, including Pharoahe Monch, Little Brother, RZA, GZA, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, and former partner CL Smooth.

<i>NYs Finest</i> 2008 studio album by Pete Rock

NY's Finest is the third studio album by hip hop producer and emcee Pete Rock. The album was Rock's first studio album since 2004's Soul Survivor II, and was released on February 26, 2008 through the Nature Sounds record label. The album's cover art was created by Fuse Green and inspired by the cover of James Brown's Hell. The instrumental version of the album was released on May 13, 2008 and includes two additional songs not available on the ordinary release; "It's So G" and "When I Need It".

<i>Whats the 411? Remix</i> 1993 remix album by Mary J. Blige

What's the 411? Remix is a remix album by R&B singer Mary J. Blige, released on December 7, 1993, by Uptown Records and MCA Records. It is composed of remixed tracks from Blige's critically acclaimed debut album, and involved record producers and recording artists including Sean "Puffy" Combs, Teddy Riley, Eddie "F" Ferrell, Craig Mack, Heavy D, the Notorious B.I.G., and K-Ci Hailey. The album received favorable reviews, and debuted at number 118 on the Billboard 200, and number 22 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Down with the King (song)</span> 1993 single by Run-DMC featuring Pete Rock & CL Smooth

"Down with the King" is the first single from Run-DMC's sixth studio album of the same name. It featured artists Pete Rock & CL Smooth, with Pete Rock producing the song.

Crystal Jeanell Johnson is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and actress from Brooklyn, New York. She has performed in a variety of stage productions and has collaborated with a wide array of well-known artists including Anthony Hamilton, Dr. Dre, Heavy D, Mobb Deep, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Angie Stone, Usher and many others.

<i>Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1</i> 2012 studio album by Lupe Fiasco

Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 is the fourth studio album by American rapper Lupe Fiasco, released on September 25, 2012. Production for the album took place between 2009 and 2012. The album was intended to be released in June 2009, but was postponed due to the Lasers album. Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 features production by The Audibles, 1500 or Nothin', B-Sides, Simonsayz, The Runners, and long-time collaborator Soundtrakk among others. Bilal, Poo Bear, Guy Sebastian, Casey Benjamin, Jason Evigan, and Jane $$$ contribute vocals to the album.

<i>PeteStrumentals 2</i> 2015 studio album by Pete Rock

PeteStrumentals 2 is the third instrumental hip hop album by hip hop producer Pete Rock. The album was released on June 23, 2015, under Mello Music Group. The album was released a day after Pete's 45th birthday and it serves as a sequel to 2001's PeteStrumentals. The track listing on the album features 20 instrumental tracks that was either unreleased or made by Pete himself. This would be Rock's first instrumental album since 2005's The Surviving Elements: From Soul Survivor II Sessions in nearly over 10 years. A music video for "Cosmic Slop" was also released on YouTube by Mello Music Group. During the release of PeteStrumentals 2, a mixtape called PeteStrumentals 2 The Official J. Rocc Mix was also released as a digital downloadable mp3 format, which it was mixed by J. Rocc paying homage to Pete's latest album. According to Rock, the project PeteStrumentals 3 which features no rapping and no samples, was released on December 11, 2020, on Tru Soul records. It includes Rock's band called "The Soul Brothers", which will provide live band playing as instrumental beats.

References

  1. AllMusic
  2. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
  3. Los Angeles Times
  4. RapReviews.com
  5. Rolling Stone
  6. The Source
  7. Gonzalez, Michael A. (November 22, 2013). "'Soul Survivor' Survives". Ebony .
  8. "Pete Rock Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  9. "Pete Rock Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.