Search - Pete Rock :: NY's Finest

My kind of hip-hop

Olukayode Balogun | Leeds, England | 05/17/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"NYC-based producer and MC Pete Rock should need no introduction as he's been around for ages. A friend sent me a link to the video to "Till I Retire/Best Believe" on YouTube and I got into it immediately. Then I checked the album out on Amazon and after reading Chandler's brilliant review (see it on the product page), checked out the soundclip to the incredibly funky "That's What I Am Talking About" featuring Rell (I wonder where he's been?) and I was sold. I remember saying to Chandler at the time: even if the rest of the album is c**p, which I thought would be very unlikely - this is Pete Rock, after all - this will still be a top buy.



I wasn't wrong. I've explained it on here a few times; I'm a very bizarre and atypical hip-hop fan and rarely take any notice of what the rappers are saying. It's the music, the beats, the vibe, that I live for and it's all heavenly on here. Musically, this is up there for me with the likes of Little Brother and The Roots. I love all the tunes, the only two exceptions being "Questions" featuring Royal Flush and the sickeningly homophobic "Let's Go" featuring Doo Wop (maybe I do listen after all).



But this is what those clever people invented skip buttons on CD players for, n'est-ce pas?



An excellent CD for bouncing around in the car on those hot summer days. Let's hope we get some in this part of the world."