The Questlove Show - QLS Classic: Pete Rock

Episode Date: November 11, 2024

Producer, rapper and hip hop legend Pete Rock talks about his deep knowledge of music, recording and the art of sampling.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-heart podcast. Guaranteed human. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits,

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So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This week on the Sports Slice podcast, it's all about the NFL draft. And we've got a special guest. The director of the NFL's East West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galco, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects. From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make to the players flying under the radar.

This is the insight you won't hear anywhere else. If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, for wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. When a group of women discover they've all dated

the same prolific con artist, they take matters into their own hands. I vowed, I will be his last target. He is not going to get away with this. He's going to get what he deserves. We always say that trust your girlfriends. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe.

On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Korsloves Supreme is a production of IHeart Radio. This classic episode was produced by the team at Pandora. Yo, yo, yo, what up? This is Fonte, Fonte. Fonigolo. We're going to take it back to December 4th, 2016 with my big brother, Pete Chocolate Boy Wonder, the number one soul brother.

Producer rapper Hip Hop Legend Pete Rock told us about his deep knowledge of music, recording, and the art of sampling. My man Smoke Gizzer joins him on this one. I think he says like one word. He was just like overwearing with all the nerd shit we were talking. But anyway, this is a great episode. Pete Rock, one of my biggest influences, the reason why I quit my fucking job. QLS Classic. P-P-Rop! Let's go!

Suprema, S-S-S-S-S-S-S-Pri-Role call. Suprema-S-S-S-S-S-Pri-ROL. Suprema-ROL COUR-S-S-S-S-PRIMA roll call. Suprema, S-S-S-S-S-Priam Role-Role. My name is Questlove. Yeah. Here to steal no thunder. Yeah.

Yeah. To be really honored to be chilling with Chocolate Boy, Wunder. Woo. Supriva, S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-Prima Role call. Suprema, Subrema, Rocahn. My name is Fonte. Yeah.

It ain't no other. Yeah. I haven't been to Mecca. Yeah. But I'm with the soul brother. Roe Call. Suprema, Sura, Sura, Roecahn.

Supremma Role Call. My name is Sugar. Yeah. The lone Jew. Yeah. What's up you guys? Yeah. How you do.

Roe Call. Suprema. Subrima, Suh. Suprema Roe Call Suprema, Subrema Role Call My name's Laeam Yeah

And you know I'm bugging Yeah Cause Pete Rock here Yeah Gonna be lots of loving Role Call Suprema Suprema

Role Call Suprema Subrema Role Call Boss Bill is here Yeah I so have no fear Yeah Very down to earth

Yeah And I didn't have to curse Role call Supremia Subima Role Call Supra Supra

Roll Call My name is Dizah The Flex is crazy Yeah I'm super hot Yeah So I might sound lazy Roll call

Supremma Supraima Role Car Supraima Supraima Role Call My name is Pete Rock Yeah

Sometimes I rap Yeah No times I Sing. Yeah. Ding, ding a lane. Oh. Supriva Role Call.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another edition of Questlove. Is Kest Love Supreme. Is Kest Love, welcome to Team Supreme. Yeah. What you guys doing? We good, baby. We could. We could.

Chillin. We're in here. Right now, we are with, oh, we have two special guests, actually. Is this our first combo? Yeah, combo show that we've done? I think. On the area of the date.

It starts of revolution. Okay, well, Revolution was like, that was like a special news report. Yeah, that was a super big. Yeah. Breaking news. Yeah. That was like a very special episode of an 80 sitcom.

Yes. But they talked about child abuse. You know what I mean? Different strokes. Yeah. Wait, talk about everyone of these things of Dudley. A special different strokes.

Dudley where he was in the end of the shop with the, oh my God. That shit could never get aired today. Dudley's doing ads for Uber now. Did you want to say what? Yeah, I saw it was on Facebook. He's in an ad for Uber. How do you know this?

It was on Facebook. Get out of here. He's like the last man alive. Like, did you spot? Oh, that's Dudley. Did someone say? Somebody else saw it. Oh, wow.

Anyway, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the show. Smoke does it end. The one and only, Pete Rock. Peace. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Best love. What a do.

All right. So we're going to get into everything, nerd out. I mean, Pete, this is, as a person obsessed with music. Yep. Yeah. I love picking the brain of just someone who is majorly, majorly, majorly, majorly, majorly, majorly, obsessed with music. So this is an honor for us.

Oh, God bless, man. You know, privilege. All right, so Pete, welcome to the show. It's my first time on your show. I think this is our first time on the show. Like, I don't feel like a veteran until we get to like episode 100. Yeah, we got like 100. We're newborns.

You know, until that time. It'll be around. Man, I don't even know where to start. Man, I will start with, I've told the story before, but I've never told him. You are the reason I quit my job. You told me that. Okay, all right. Wait, everyone has a job quitting story?

Man, he's the reason I quit my job. So, dude. What song was it that just made you like? Well, it wasn't a song. It was a phone call. It was a phone call. This is back in 2002 when we had, the listening had just, it hadn't come out, come out, but it was kind of just selling on hip-hop site.

And it was just kind of circulating. And our homeboy, Darryl Powell, worked the Up Above Records, called my house. and left, he had Pete on three-way and called my house and left the message and Pete, like, yo, yo, yo, what up? This little brother, you know what I'm saying? It's Chucky Boy wanted to Pete Rock, got to get you all on a piece of my album. I got your album, listen, that's crazy.

And I quit my job at Belk that very next day. Wow, that's really, no way. Because he said your album was crazy. Dude, Pete, Ron said my album's crazy. I'm blown away. And it was even more of Fricon came from a circle because, I told you this before, too, my, and I was in 10th grade. This is when main ingredient came out. A girl that went to

my high school named Deborah Jones, she was in a poetry contest, and the winner of the poetry contest got a performance from Pete and CL. Wait, what? This is, I swear, Paige High School, Greensboro, North Carolina. She won a poetry contest, and she read the poem. I don't even remember what the poem was about. What did she win?

She won a poetry contest. Right. And it was like a poem, it was like a black poem about a black issue. I don't remember. what the issue was. Okay. I just remember Pete and C.L. came to my fucking school.

That was all of that. What was it? What year was it? Oh, so she won. And then they got to perform at her. The winner of the portrait contest got a performance got a performance by Pete and C.L. At their school. Wow.

It's like a radio promotion? No, it wasn't radio. It was something. I don't know who was doing it. But obviously, it was in February. Right. But mainly green it came out. Was it cold?

Was it wintertime? I don't think it was cold because it was during track season. Because I remember I was late to track practice. because I was in the front and I had my mechina, no, I'm sorry, I had the main ingredient CD and I remember holding it up and I remember you came to the side of like, are you one of those guys that hold up the record? I held up the record because I knew, I was at like a predominantly white high school, but like it was like maybe like 70, 30, 60, 40, but like it was a lot of white people, but like the

black people we had were like black people. How many, wait, how many people? How many people? How many people? Black. Yo. How many people could fit in the auditorium? Oh, man.

Auditorium, it was a couple hundred. It was like four or five hundred. See, this is my worst nightmare. Doing the school show. In my career, the high school visit is my worst nightmare because this is never, ever worked out. It's never going to work out once. And that's because me and Tariq gave a gangload of money to our high school. That's the only time I ever worked out.

But so P. Rock and Seale Smooth came to your high school. Came while high school. And what year was this? This is 95. This is the main ingredient had like just came out. And you guys were receptive? Oh my God. Like everybody. We was losing it. We were. We was losing it, dude.

I don't remember. I have nightmares. Like, my first time in a school scenario. You know, the first question was asked. Do you all know real famous people like Andre 3000? Oh, wow. I'm sorry. I believe. Oh, yeah.

They do that. The kids. Yeah. Yeah, well, you're with that. All day. This was like 2000. Oh, yeah. Post Grammy. Yeah. Oh, yeah, I was.

That's messed up. Cool. Yeah, that's messed up. Y'all know real famous. My daughter asked me find new Kendrick Lamar. Oh. Yeah, she loves Kendrick. Well, that's excusable.

Yeah. But, I mean, she knows who daddy is, right? Yeah, of course she does. Yeah, yeah, that's the point. But what was your answer? My son, too. What was your answer? Do you know?

Kendra Lamar? No, I don't know Kenjah Lamar knows me. Wait, because I just want to know do you go, you know Kendra Lamar knows me. Like, that's the bigger point. We know each other. Yeah, but he probably knew me first. How old are they now, man? How old are you kids now? My kids, 11 and 17. Oh, okay. Yeah, I remember I was around the same age.

Mine are 15 and 11. Okay. About to be 60s. Okay. We're around the same way. Absolutely. But yeah, but he came out to school that day, 10th grade. And I remember I was late to track practice because I gave him, which I hope, and pray to God he never heard. I had a homie working

ROTC that was like outside the dressing room and I was like, yo man, will you please get this tape to peek? And I made like the wackest fucking demo ever. But you know what? All our demos were whack in the beginning. Even mine. My shit is terrible. Really? My beat making was horrible.

But I mean, you know, at least to me. That's what I want to know. And that's, yeah, to you. Because at your crib, you played me some stuff from like early and I'm like, dude, this shit is still rock now. I still got a lot of that stuff. For real. Old beat from the 12.

Every day I still like, all right. So there's like no feeling in the world. There's a period, I'll say like, like 96, 97. Maybe 90, oh, not 95, 96. Because actually Pete was the first hip-hop, like, celebrity or royalty that made music. No, no, no, no, no. I just mean like that. kicked it with us.

Now, the roots, I mean, because we instantly moved to London for like two to three years, we really didn't bust it out with none of our like contemporaries or whatever. But like when we came back, I remember we met you at a college and that was the first time like I felt like, oh, like

legitimate, not like. I don't even want to use me for me anymore, but you know what I'm going with this. It was in Philly? No, we, it was holy Jesus. This was, it was, in North Carolina. Oh, wow. Are you serious?

It was a Pete Rock Root show. It was like a homecoming thing. Okay. But because the promotion was a little messed up, we were in a big giant stadium, but there was only like, 60 people. Was it like UNC?

Was it Duke? All I can say was, I definitely know it was 1997. Okay. I have to look that up. I go to look that up. Because, you know, by this point, I was like, damn, like we didn't. Like, we really didn't start meeting our heroes in hip hop and contemporaries in hip hop to like 97, 98.

So to go from like 92 to 97 with a complete drought of not knowing any Wu-Tang members, any, like, nobody in hip-hop. Crazy. And so that's what I remember. But the other part of that story is the fact that I'll say that between you and the whip that you had, always playing B. in the car. Like him and Premier are... Always, always. Premier was known for his van.

Like Cats would call it Premier to bring his van to bring his van to the studio to test it. I'm one of those people for him too. Like always just sitting in the passenger seat. Listen to... Do you still test records like that, Pete? It's still the car test?

I have to. Because I am too. I'm the same way. I have to. I'm from the old school. So, you know, hey, you know, all the true school was. as people say but yeah that was one of the things we did we we make about 10 20 30 beats in the crib

then you know when you come out you just get in the whip and drive around New York City and vibe out so how old were you I did that with Big Elle in the car one time really yeah yeah just yeah Honda court me and Ellen Harlem chilling Bronx he's riding around freestyle into my beats wow to cassettes yeah I had you know the cassettes was cracking I had the band You know, you take the Venzi box. Oh, yeah, take your. I had the, you know, the music, you could turn the bass notes like, you know, the megahertz up or down in my car. And when you turned it down, it sounded so loud coming down the block.

And then when you turned it up, it was kind of like off, but you still heard the effect. I love my car. That was a crazy system in there. That must have been pre-Juliani because, like, crazy system. In post-Juliani, New York has been a very quiet city. Like, the idea of a loud car. Yeah. I'm one of those guys, like, look at people, like, shaking my head.

Like, turn that music down. So how old were you when you... I know that you started record collected at a young age. What got you into just records? My pops, you know, just, you know, I was young, like, say, three, four years old, just intrigued by... little round piece of wax with good sound coming off it. So I was, you know, at that time, that's all I knew what it was.

And then I would go in the living room where my pops had all his records, all his 45s. And one time he came home from work and he seen me stacking his 45s up in a pile like this. And then he just sat in and told me what it was and taught me about it, you know. So he was never like, get out my records. Whippin? I'm like... I mean, no whipping, but, you know, he scolded me and then he taught me. Oh, okay.

Yeah. Because I was allowed to touch... Nah, I mean, I did... You know, that wasn't the right thing to do to be messing with his records. But I was a young kid, you know what I mean? My worst punishment came after the adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the wheels of steel. Oh, wow. Like hearing that?

And then trying to scratch on the door and getting caught in the summer of 81? The worst thing ever. Yeah, Flash drove me crazy. as a kid. So he like was your father, DJ or he just collected records? Yeah, DJ. DJ and record collector. Where would he do you? Cricket player,

you know, mad cricket trophies. Really? Because both your parents Jamaica, right? Yeah. So you had all kinds of music. Reggae, classical, soul, funk, jazz especially. And, you know, but reggae being that with Jamaican, so

but he had everything. So as a youngster, like, what What was playing in your house? James Brown all day. James Brown, James Brown, Bobby Bird, you know, Barry White and all the usual guys. Barry White, Isaac, you know. Yeah.

You know what I'm saying? All right. So besides the ABCs of break beats, like what's the, what's an unusual break beat? Like a join that I would have to pay $200 for that you like, oh, I grew up on discotheque soul. Like, I've had that. Oh, wow.

Like what rare break did your dad just have? happened to have that way. Oh, he had all of that stuff. I mean, he had all of Kuna gang. He had all of James Brown. He had all of Isaac. He had all of like Bragae joints that had breakbeats on it. You also have to remember that a lot of those records got inflated in price because of that man right there. No, no, we're going to get to. It's a damn shame, man. We're going to get to that. I dig today and I just look at the prices like,

wow. For reminisce. Tom Scott. I've seen that joint for like a thousand. I've seen that joint for like a Are you serious? Wow. Yeah, I'm not in mind to you not. Yeah, even Diller's stuff that I find. Oh, yeah, yeah. A lot of money for it.

I was going to say that, yeah, that record shopping and the adventures of you record shopping is crazy. So what point does this become a thing where you want to actually, do you have DJ equipment or just like a record collection? He had DJ equipment, but when I was like three, four years old. he had the one turntable with the Macintosh amps and these speakers that, and, you know, just a whole lot of record. You grew up in a Macintosh Amp household? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That is rare. Yeah, he had the, especially for a black family to have. Yeah. He had the black with the green lights, you know, the black amp with the green lights and the silver knives. Yeah. Electric Leaning. Yeah, yeah.

Those amps are incredible. Like now to get a Macintosh system now is like, it's rare. It's a house payment. Yep. Yeah. It's very rare. You're going to pay a nut.

You're going to pay a nut. 30, 40K for like some good... Yep. Oh my God, you grew up and he met me. So he was a serious record. Yeah, serious with sound. Very serious. Very serious.

Is your dad still with us? No. He left us in 2000. So he was here long enough to see... Yeah, yeah. Your collection. Yeah. He's seen reminisce.

He's seen all that straight now. But obviously his collection became your collection. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's in my mother's basement. And, you know, he left the records with it. with me and my brother. You know what I'm saying?

I see. It's a lot. So I started my collection from here. All right. So at what point does this become a profession for you? Probably, you know, when I got this job and steady gigs. You know, I'm able to- Does it start in the part, like-

It started young, start at young age. Now this is a mountain burden, right? You were born up there? Yeah. I was buying like, you know, 12 inches to suck emcees, all the, you know, King Tim the Third, all that stuff, fat boys, all that stuff on suture records. So was there hip-hop folklore as far as, like, the folklore we hear about parties in the Bronx and that stuff?

Like, what is Mount Vernon's version of that? Mount Vernon. Who were the legends that you grew up watching? My cousin, Floyd, Chiba M and DJ Speed and Bomb 2 and Hav, you know, everybody. had different names at the time. My name wasn't Pete Rock. Heb's name wasn't Heavvy D. CL's name wasn't C.L.

Smooth. You know what I'm saying? Everybody took on different names. But, you know, when Hev started everything, you know, he was the first artist to start rapping and, you know, actually trying to make a record and get signed. From Mount Vernon? Yeah.

And then we just followed them. Okay. Okay. Yeah, I'm saying. And, you know, it started for me early, man. Early age. So who's the one that, like, taught you? Like, that's what you do with the SB 200.

My cousin. Well, Eddie F had showed me how to work it. You know what I'm saying? Right. And then I picked up tips from, like, everybody I was around. From Teddy Riley to Molly Maul, Lars Professor, you know. So Teddy could get busy on the SB200? I've seen it in the studio. Really?

I'm pretty sure he used it for something. That I'm about to say, because like, now you don't think of him using the SP. Like, he's not, yeah. But that was something that I married, you know what I'm saying? I'm saying, I'm just, you know, oh, SP-1200, because I remember the 12 before the $1,200. Yeah, did you ever use the 12? Yeah, I used the 12 on the separate hard drive and I was just doing kicking snare beats

with little rim shot sounds and, you know. How many seconds could a 12 hold? Not many, like. It was like 10, right, 10 and a half time? No, no, that's the $1,200 was 10.2. No, there's like 5 seconds. Yeah. the 12 was less.

Put everything in 45? Yeah. Speed it up. Well, on the 12, you did that, but how, okay, here's the secret. I'm about to let you out know the secret. Okay. With the 1200, right, I would sample what I needed to sample whether it was the baseline, whatever time I used up, drums, the baseline.

If it was just those two, then I would, you know, get that right, right? Tighten that. Then save it. Right. erase it. Whoa. Then erase the baseline out of the drums and then add more music in the drums. I wasn't doing the 45 trick yet.

Oh, you just... Yeah, I wasn't doing that. I wasn't putting records on 45 to get all what I needed. Maximum time? No, I was just getting it regular. Why? I don't know. It was just the way I learned.

And it was the hard. To me, now that I looked at what I did, I'm like, damn, now it's a lot of work I did. Yeah. Like super extra crazy. You do you use like a 900 or? But I didn't care. I was, I was having fun. So when you're having fun, you know, you're not thinking about, you know, none of that.

And just to give the listeners some perspective, I mean, this is like, when you talk about sampling records and sampling time for a machine, I mean, you say the $1,200 had 10. 10.2 seconds. So you had 10 seconds to sample whatever you want. Yeah. So sometimes I would got the whole, like the world is yours, got the whole loop in one. You know, I'm saying. Didn't have to, you know, erase it. But with reminisce, I had to do that.

Yeah. I mean, because you were, like, one of the first producers, I remember, that would layer samples and all of it would be in key. And I was just like, how the fuck is you doing this shit? But if you notice, if you listen, that wasn't like that at first, I used to just sample whatever out of key or everything. I didn't care. I was just, I learned that from sitting in bomb squad session when I was young,

just watching. the Ice Cube album go down. Dog, wait, oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, you can't just say that. Yeah. America's most wanted. Yeah, I was watching Hank and Keith.

And I picked that up, you know, listening to Public Enemy, of course. You just sit in on session? Yeah, yeah. They worked in Green Street. We worked in the same studio. Green Street. Was Jamie, was he engineering that?

James thought he was. Jamie, I met Jamie and Chung King. And then that's how me and Jamie hooked up. Then I met Rod Way, who's an Asian cat engineer in Green Street. I was working with Rod first. So during those bomb squad sessions, how old were you at that time? 17, 18. And your first record you produced was...

Groo Be Chill. Which one? Starting from zero. Oh. Yeah, I'm about to have a hard one. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yep.

And I didn't know what I was doing in the studio. And me and Jamie was arguing a lot and, you know, I didn't know what I was doing. You know, make the sound like that. Yeah, you know, I was just trying to get it the way, you know, the way I made it at home. It wasn't working out. And then all of a sudden, you know, it started working out. You know, next thing you know, I'm at another session using Jamie. And then next thing you know, we developed sound.

You started jelling. Yeah. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard,

but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind. the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where

you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network. on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl.

You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of the girlfriends, Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck.

I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends.

Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, everyone? I'm Ego Wodom. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers, Anchorman, Saturday Night Live, And the Big Money Players Network, it's Will Ferrell.

Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with them one day. And I was like, and Dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place they come look for up and coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. Yeah.

He goes, but there's so much luck involved. and he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be.

Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. So in the beginning, were you one of the cats like, back when I'm like, I, like, I ever had a beats making period. There's a period like a 93, 94 like cats on the road. Your drummer, dude. No, but like, yeah, I would take cats to me. I feel you.

But, you know, cats would just come over with a bunch of records to me and be like, all right, now loop this part here, loop that part there. So was that like your beginnings, you would? I had very few people that did that. But I remember a story that Biz told me that he used to, you know, give Marley records and Molly would hook up. You know, that's how nobody business. Nobody used to biz happen. And a couple of other joints.

But, yeah, I barely did that. I was just cranking them out, man. Just, you know, having fun. You know what I'm saying? So how many hours a day would you? All day. I wouldn't come out. All right.

From your first time that you, like, were trying to get a master that's 12th. How many hours would you invest a day? Locked in my room from morning until I could start until I got tired and then get up and do it again. You know what I'm saying? So how long was it until you were like... Until I started mastering the... I might have something here.

Like, how long did it take you? I think I was like 19 when I was like starting to lock in because that's when I got the shut them down job. Oh. Now that's... But before that I was doing like, you know, remixes with Eddie F and stuff. Johnny Gill, basic black.

You did an Alexander. I did that. I got that joint. Yeah, I got, yep, in the middle. And then with CL wrapped on it, I wrapped on it. And then, you know, the remixes, that's where it started. And then when I guess, you know, being as that my name was attached to a lot of this stuff, untouchables or whatever. I got a public enemy job.

So the untouchables was kind of your version of the bomb squat? Kind of. Who was in the untouchables? Or something else. It was me, Eddie F, Dave Hall. Neville, Neville, Neville, Neville, yep, yep. My man, Kenny, my man Kenny was in the... Kenny Green from my intro.

Spunk Bigger, Cat from Mount Vernon, and that's it, I think. And my man Willie, Willie from New Reshed. So it's like eight of y'all? Yeah, Willie Guns, my man, Willie Guns. So when working on a heavy D record, like, do y'all just sit in a room and It wasn't all of us all the time. Like, Dave Hall would do his own beats. And then, like, for instance, you know the group intro.

Oh, come on, man. You know, I did, you know, Ghosts produce. So you did that, let me be the one. You gave him the... With the ETOG? Yeah. Oh. Yeah.

I did that. I did that first on, on, on, with them. Right. Or what had. Wait, no, no, no. So it was, it was, it was. Yeah. I can't remember.

It was with, it was with, It was with hair first because Blue Funk was 92. Yes. And then intro was 93. It was the next shit. Yeah. When they heard have record, you know how they do the R&B joints, taking hip-hop beats. It's like reggae shit.

Like everyone want to sing on with a version. But then I gave Dave Hall these drum, I programmed these drums. And I said, here, you know, on the disc. I just gave him a floppy disc. And I said to get his drums on that, just, you know. And then he made that joint. Okay. Wow.

I had no clue. Because I played that record top. I love that record. Yeah, man. God bless, bro. So wait, I just, I got a, I got a non-music professional question. When was the, the blow-nickers-away moment?

Was your blow-knickers-away moment when you were 17, like when you first started? Shut him down. Shut him down was your blow-nickers away moment. But where heavy, everybody who you wanted to impress was like, what those? Even my own family. Wow.

But wait a minute. Cousins, everybody. I got it. For me, though. Yeah. All right. You remix. Now, I knew, yes, yes, shut them down.

change the game. Yeah, yeah. But the remix to EPMD's Rampage. Rampage, which came out before then. Yeah. I did two different versions. That, yeah, but the DiscoTech Soul version.

All right, wait. Now I'm getting hype. I have to play the... Yeah, the Ricky Williams. Yes, that is... That was a funky joint. That to me, that That made me aware of who you were. And I'm shocked that that didn't get more, more run. I mean, I think I was running it a lot when I was on the radio DJ.

I was playing my own remixes, like, whatever. You know what I mean? But, yeah. And so the remixes, this was before all sold out. Was this before the UNCL signed election? It's right at the same time. Oh, okay. I was doing a lot of stuff like, okay, here's a story.

I did Darwin King and Jump Around Remix in the same. same night in the Hit Factory on 42nd Street. Wow. Did the tracks the same night? No, mixing it in the studio. Oh, what? Yeah, like finishing it, because they were stressing for me to get stuff done. So I would, you know, do, well, actually, it was down to King's session, and they booked another room for me to finish the remix to the House of Pain joint.

Wow. Yeah. And then they wanted me to rap on it. I was like, I don't know if I want to rap on it. You know, I wasn't big on my rap back. but it was like, please, please. And I was like, I ain't, fuck it. I did one with and one without, you know what I mean?

I did it in case they ain't like my record. Yeah, that was one of my favorite ones because you really took that record, like, it gave it another feel. It still had energy. Yeah, that record. Totally another feel. I love that.

The original was really, it was still really great until this day. But the remix was something that just kind of put the cherry on top of that record, period. Okay, let me explain to our listeners to put it in perspective. If you were around for our Dante the Scrub Ross episode. When I tried to explain the idea of the Renaissance period of hip-hop.

So for a lot of our listeners, I've mentioned this volume of breakbeats, this compilation called Ultimate Beats and Breaks, which essentially would be the Wikipedia of hip-hop break beats where they would just give you all the answers. You didn't have to do much digging. You would just take these records

and then start looping beats. And sometimes they would make beats out of the entire record. Like take Sil Johnson's different strokes and mix it with Bobby Birds. I knew you got sold and all that stuff. So where you come to play, is that you're part of a renaissance period that starts emerging in 1990,

you along with Tipan Ali premieres getting his game up. De La. Yeah. Prince Ball, De La La. Large professor. And, you know, I'm from Philly. I got to include Jeff in this.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, even cash money and marvelous. Yeah. So what has happening is cats are now finding other sources to sample their music from that's not from

YouTube. YouTube samplers. Oh, that's the new ultimate pizza breaks. I mean, you know, for people that don't want to go out there and do what I do. Yeah, but it's like, can you really tell, though? Like, no, not really.

You can't tell that. Yeah, not really, no. Yeah, there was a period where you knew who was serious about the craft and who wasn't. And I'm not taken away because, again, the Bomb Squad is one of my favorite production companies of all time. Yeah, but heard of Ice Cube Sister Soldier remix.

I did. Came out on Epic Records. No. Back in the day. No. What was the name of this joint? I got to get that. Sister Soldier made records.

She was signed on Epic. They hate the hate. Purdue, yeah. I have the record. Google Ice Cube Ice Cube Sister Soldier Pete Rock remix. Came out on wax and everything. Really? Yeah. You just brought it to my attention when you mentioned something. I got to research that. Yeah, no, I had the album, but I didn't get the

the 12-minute. But yeah, where you come to play is that I mean, what I joke about, you taking the portion of the record collection that my that I didn't go to my father's record collection like a lot of the jazz stuff and a lot of stuff I was just like

yeah this is old stuff I don't want that yeah it wasn't and just go for the obvious like if it's earth one of fire Stevie Wonder stuff I knew but I mean you're going to Tom Scott and so like what is

I watch and study other producers methods and see how they do it some of them will collect an obscure record and just sit and listen to it, sort of skim through it. Yeah, yeah. Like, what is your, what is your record listening process that tells you, wait, I can make something out of that?

It starts at 8 a.m. in the morning. You get up at him? Yo, can I get an applause for it? Working it like a job, right? There's three people I know that get up in the morning, Farrell. Yeah. Dill used to do it as well.

Premier also, like, and they, like, treat them like a job. Early morning. And then it starts also with a messy house. So it's even better because, you know, that's how you get to play the whole record all the way through. And you, you know, you're listening and something grabs you. So you're thoroughly listened to a record. Yeah. And absorb it and, you know, cleaning up the crib.

That's how I kill the time until I hear something I like. So what, I mean, what if you don't. get that payoff moment. Because, I mean, there's nothing like that payoff moment where it's like, yeah, I've been there. You know, get stuck and can, you know, you know, or I get a record that has totally nothing on it. But now I learned that you can just grab a record

that has nothing, totally nothing with all the equipment they have now. You can make nothing into something. You can mold it. You can mold it, yeah. Crazy. So, yeah, it was, it starts from that. That's my process of listening to record.

And it's time-consuming, but at least I take five to six hours, just listening, not even making beats, just listening. Then I know what to attack when it's time to rock, rock out. That's what separates you from the pack. Dude, I remember at his crib, we came up to his crib. This is Christmas 2002. We all drove up to his crib, and we just all slept on the floor in the basement. And the thing that was amazing to me was how you're able to take very familiar songs. and flip him in a new way.

He did a flip of, oh, my God, it was a little child running wild, Curtis Mayfield. The strings? The strings? Oh, my God. He took the... Ninth loves that beat.

The strings at the end? No, he took the beginning of it. Oh, boom, boom, boom. Yeah, and then I put that organ in there. And then he put the organ in from the beginning. Oh, my God. That was... Like, I think two of my, like, most favorite Pete Robbies

that just made me really want to just, like, quit. music forever was like that one and take the D train. Oh, man. Yeah, take the D train. Wait, flip the D, you're the one. Right, right, God, man. That's my favorite disco record in the 80s. I want the Earl I heard that shit.

But when I heard the B side, you know, if you're familiar with disco 12 inches on the other side of that record is an amazing intro. The piano. Yeah, it's the slow. Yeah, yeah. Sick. Sick. All of that.

Yeah. D-train is, wow. Yeah, but, you know, it was, you know, those were, you know, them records right there. Amir, I want to ask you a question. Yeah. How do people, how do these musicians or drummers tune their snares to sound like they're hitting on a horse shoe or like a... See, here's the thing. It don't sound like a drum set.

You understand what I'm saying? It sounds like... The lesson that I learned for really good breakbeat drumming really is the debtor. Like, would you imagine in your head how powerful the break is? Like, take, all right, I'll give an example with, let's take Les Epple. Now, in your mind, you're thinking that Bonzo is just rocking out, like, using every, you know like air drumming what you imagine air drummers to do yeah what I found out was because of the particular mic well Steve the Steve is our engineer all right so what like what vintage

microphones am I using like like doing the voodoo era and all that stuff like what am I using well a lot of that stuff we had here like the the the new 47s like that's what I believe that's what so it's John Bonham had the mono overhead right you know oh the the mono. Yeah, it's like one mic right, you know, over the kick drum. See, that's weird because... Substitution. How's that snare sound like that?

I mean, you're, you've been, I think our best results for actually recording break beats has been less mics further away. Okay. So that's the thing like now cats will mic every drum and engineer every drum, which is why it sounds so... Sterell. Yeah, 2000. Yeah.

I mean, you just got to think of the environment. Like, yeah, they were professional recording units, but it's like, in Motown and all that stuff, they were like, cats were sharing one mic. Damn. So when I found my zone as far as, like, really fine, that gritty, dirty sound that you looking for, like you said, like the U-47s. And then the ribbon mics, you know. Yeah, ribbon roy air mics.

But even at that, it's also how you play it. Like, a lot of the... Impeach. Well, the drum... The drums that I use, like my drum company will try to be like, yo, these special trees from Japan, we're going to cut down, you know, all this stuff. But no, but I'll tell them like, yo, I want the cheap high school set. Wow. And they look at me, they're like, why do you want, I want the cheap high school set.

That sounds horrible. Because that's what all the classic shit was made on. Yeah. That's what they made it on. Yeah. The drummers weren't using $9,000 drum sets. They were using $500. sets from like Sears

and just tune fine-tuning it and micing it and then also the way you're and unless you play yeah the less velocity here's the thing here's the trick with those old microphones

the harder you hit the more compression and the more you squeeze it out the the I mean I try to almost use nothing but wrist like very very light touching yeah that way when you EQ it it comes off super vintage and super you know so it's it's almost like it's an anti-climatic answer

what I'm saying is that basically uh the less I play and the quieter I play the better it sounds but but in this in this age of everybody and I've gotten in trouble with making snarky remarks about gospel drumming and stuff but like yeah Look, gospel drumming is something that I can't overcome. And I'm not trying to turn the world to my religion. Are they the loud ones? But they have funky drumming. It's just flashy.

It's just a lot of symbols. What about gospel? What about the funk? No, no, no, no. Like modern, like now. Like the cats you see playing for like a named act here. There's a lot of soul and gospel. Oh, yeah.

Trust. No, we're talking about like modern. When you see modern music today and you wonder why this. guy doesn't make you feel when you hear Clyde Stubblefield playing that sort of thing. Okay, got it. It's, no one trusts that less is more. And when I drum,

I'm always thinking of, would Pete Rock want to take this part of the song? So anytime I'm drumming. But that's, you need something basic and something regular. I mean, it's like bread. Distortion static.

I was sampling from that. Really? I made a beat out of that. Wait, I got to find it. I got to find it. I got to tell you how some hilarious. I made a beat from that. From the distortion stat.

Just playing with it. Yeah, I took a loop up, a little quick loop. Uh-huh. And flipped it. You know what I'm saying? And then put some shit in there. And then deleted it. And then put something else on it.

Then I put more on top. You know, but. Yeah. Side note. Yeah. It's really weird when you hear your own breakbeat in a porn. Oh, shit. But one time I heard...

I've heard the C. You've heard the C. You know what I'm saying? In an amateur film. You literally heard the C. Yeah. They just want some music. No, I heard someone loop the distortion of static break at the beginning. And I thought, you really must be.

fan of the roots. Yeah. I'll lose that too. Yeah. And Roos fans everywhere in porn too. That's what I. Yeah. Yeah.

Yes, the adult world has accepted us. That was my shit. Especially the remix. Oh, my God. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me.

Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagine. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators,

and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of the girlfriends, Oh my God, this is the same man.

A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves.

Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Everyone, I'm Ego Wodom. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman, Saturday Night Live, and the Big Money Players Network, it's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with them one day, and I was like,

and Dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place that come, look for up-and-coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. He goes, but there's so much luck involved. And he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right. It wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck.

Listen to Thanks Dad on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right. So when the Shut Them Down remix came, I don't even know how to explain to someone how important like shut him down to me changed really changed I mean he gave it movement

like because the original but he it was cool it was baseline drums and you know it was a good record yeah it was good record

but I mean would we really consider that the first the first the first I mean was that wasn't the first remix per se

that totally reimagined a song, did it? I don't know if it was the first. It was one of them. Well, it wasn't the first because I just played a TV. Well, you know, Molly used to do remixes. Molly did remixes, if you remember. Like, dropping science, the original version was different.

The drums. Right, right, right. And then he flipped it. Right, you're right. But he did with the what you call it, too. Yeah, Molly, I would say in terms of first, you're talking about remix that kind of changed the game or change the song,

Jingling Baby. I was in. Yes, yep. You remember the original version. The original was wrong. With the dimmuffs. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, but that remix fucking killed it. That was it. That was it. When that remix hit. So, I feel like the, the summer or, no, the fall of 91

between the scenario remix and the shut-em-down remix. Really, I mean, that to me was the changing of the guards for hip hop. Because, you know, and the thing is, I know that we all have, like, our own romantic feelings of what, like, classic hip hop should be or whatever. But it's, like, in my head, and especially as a DJ now, like, some of the stuff that I like doesn't really transfer well to the dance floor. Like, I love, speaking of America's most wanted, I love the shit out of like that, that cut. And, nigga, you love to hate it.

Yeah. But it's like, sonically, that doesn't work well in a nightclub atmosphere. And it really wasn't working when you spent off wax. Like, with Cerrado is loud of shit. Yeah. For me, what's classic about Shut them down is like it was made under 10 minutes. The remix was? Yes.

I lie to y'all not. It's no exaggeration. It was a rush job. I had to be at the studio at four. I was late. I just left, you know. Maybe just throw something together? No time to overthinking.

No, I didn't even leave my crib. So I was like, you know what? Let me just. And then I've seen some albums laying there. I hate you right now, man. You know, grab the Isley brothers, grab Tom Scott, grab. What is that? Tom Scott.

No, I know that, but what song is it? Not the same Honeystuckle Rose record, is it? Never my love. I hate you right now, man. Never my love. So that's, you said that's three songs? Yeah, that's a... Puba used the version of it, too, but not Tom Scott.

He used the... Yeah, Pooba's version was the Cal Jada. Yeah. Oh, but I like it. Yeah, okay. But I don't know what it, when... Under 10 minutes. Like, when I heard it, but to me it's so complex.

and so... Layed drums. First of all, like, yeah, the drums, the fact that you separated... Yeah. I mean, besides Marley, like, with nobody beats the business and taking drums and re-imagined it,

like, why didn't you just think... Like, an amateur like me would have just took long red... An amateur like me would have took long red and just looped it. Yeah, yeah. That's what I was doing.

That's what I mean... No, but you chopped it. I chopped it, too. Thus, giving you the ability to EQ it better. I'm assuming that you didn't mix that in stereo When I found a dope snare that hit hard And made a drum track with it

And rubbed long red against it It was just like wow I'm gonna explain to you what long red When it hit with the long red snare and your snare That's why I was like So what Pete is explaining that So this group named Mountain What are you doing?

Yeah, Mountain One of the few groups that wasn't documented on the Woodstock. Nope. On the Woodstock documentary. Long Red was from Woodstock, right? Yeah, it was from Woodstock. Yep.

And it's actually him... There's a version without the breakbeat also. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The studio version. But this particular version from Woodstock, that hip... The live one. That's hip-hop staple is actually him mocking the audience for not knowing where the one was. Because if you hear them...

they're all clapping. They're clapping. He's doing. So he's like, on tempo, Jack. Like, get with the... On tempo, gang. Oh, my God. So on tempo, Jack, like, don't mess up my groove.

On tempo. Yes. You took that louder. Yeah. That was... Or everyone takes that louder. Yeah. Yeah.

But the thing is, is that, you know, an average person would have just looped the four bars from it. Yeah. Whereas now... The Renaissance crew is taking these breaks and doing the early phases of what we call just flipping, where you take the snare and the kick and you reinvent it. Yeah, he was, and I mean, around the time,

because I remember you chopped up, this was a couple years later when you talk about, I mean, we talk about flipping records. A-Z, give me yours. Oh, give me yours, talk. Well, you took the Minnie Rivers. I had that original sample. I mean, you know, my mom spent all the time.

And I was like, yo, why I see? What about the Ashby? No, no, no, it was a... No, it's not the Ashby. It's, it's, um... No, that's Minnie. It's Minnie. It's Minnie.

It's Minnie. It's Minnie. Oh, okay, okay. Yeah, it's here we go. It's here we go by Minnie Rubston. Yep, yep. And that was the song I heard, you know, a million times. But I never heard it done in that way.

I used to love that song. Where... That's how I looped it because I used to be like, oh, I used to listen to this on tape. Yeah. On cassette. Slow jam. It just totally made it something new.

Million people, Bryson. Shut them down is the burger, but, you know, you have the perfect chopped onions. Had the lettuce. Tomatoes on that joint. But the thing is that a song like, and I've been good to you by the Isley Brothers. Now, when you take this, it's not quantized. You know what? You got to be my Negro translator.

Quantized meaning that it's not in perfect time. No. It's not just. I didn't loop it. I actually chopped a half a bar each of it back then. If you telling me that you made this in 10 minutes, this means you are working at the speed of sound. Yes, speed, lightning, because I had to go. So you, note for note, you didn't have time.

I had to be out, son. I had to, you know, at that time and being late in the music business was like a big deal. So, you know, I was just trying to, and then, I was still late, but, you know, I mean, I had a hot joint with me. So that's why I was like. So what was the look on their face? Who did you play it for when you? When I got in there, Jamie stopped, you know, in the studio with him and him bugging out and saying, yo, we got something here.

We're going to play around with these sounds. And did it take long to line up? Like, no. It probably took a little while. But, you know, once I got... Once I had the beat and the baseline, everything else was like... So what was Chuck's reaction when he heard it? I wish I could have seen his face, but I wasn't around when he...

There's... The two best public enemy stories I ever heard, both came from Buster Rhymes. Yeah, Buster knows. Buster has a story of being... Like, Buster and Charlie Brown and Dinkle used to always be at their studio. Chuck named them.

Chuck named Buster Rhyme. He named Buster Rhyme. Right, right. Football player. Right. So after high school, like, leaders of the new school used to always just hang at the studio.

Yep. And it was there for reminisce. Really? Yeah, Charlie Brown was in the mix. When I first listened down, to the first listen down, when it was done. Charlie was there.

Well, crying. And I was crying. I was saying that Buster told me that he's like a hip-hop song never made him cry real tears until the moment where after school they heard Rebel Without a Paws for the first time. And he says, but man, when I heard shut him down like, he's like, I went out my mind because it was just he was just unheard of. Genesis album. He was like, yo, he redid it. Yeah. I want to do that again, B.

Come on, man. You know I bust it talk. I can't do busts. One thing I wanted to ask you in terms of like with your remix is because it's very different now, you know, with you got computers, you can just line things up. How are you able to get the vocals to sync with the track? Oh, that was that was Jamie's job.

But I was good because I'll be like, look, man, make him ride that beat. This is a new remix joint. I want, you know, I want it to sound totally different from the original. And Jamie would just lock it in. And you weren't using pro tools, were you? No, it was empty and all that stuff. So you have to fly a vocal in from the real?

Yeah, and Jamie was nice because he used to splice. So anything that he would time-wise, he would splice tape. And it was crazy with him, man. I think about the way we used to work, and it was just like, wow, all that's cut off. The work today is much easy. It's faster. We were doing it like the hard way, the long way. So when this comes out, then suddenly, what's Pete Rock's life like after this?

My life has changed. Was this the game change? It's my own. My little thing. Nah. But, yeah, man. It's just, my life just went from being, you know, paperboy, delivering papers in my hood. From flipping stakes in the mall to hanging with my cousins, going to some.

studio hanging out with have, you know, taking, you know, acting like a little sponge around Howie T and Teddy Riley and Molly and made my mind up and say, yeah, this is what I want to do from that, just from that experience.

I was, you know, at Howie T's crib. I was like, watching him because he's another clean beat maker. I know. Clean. His shit's still banging.

He'll take a record. Like, I never heard impeach sound so clean. Yeah, he took it We did it on Howie T was a producer Special Ed Yeah, special ed and for

Chub Rock, yeah He chopped up on Special Ed's second album You Wish You Could Impeach over the Superman It's my favorite joint Yes! It's my favorite joint

And that's my favorite joint How did you remember that Fonte? Oh, special ed I wish you could I wish you would I play that all right All the time, man. Yeah.

Howie T was amazing. Like, it was him and Marley for me, you know, coming up. Of course, Rick Rubin and, you know, I listen to like Curtis Blow and the live musicians. Give me, give me your, if you can't, fine. I'll say three for now. Okay. What sessions were you there to witness that were historic? Teddy Riley.

Give me your five most historical, like, yeah, I'm working on this song and then it's a game Teddy Riley, Marley Marley. But wait, what, I mean, I'm talking about songs. What songs? What songs? Oh, okay. New Jack Swing, you know. Yeah, I was, Heth was always with Teddy Riley.

They used to hang out a lot, like, you know what I'm saying? So I used to be with having, you know, be witnessing things he's doing, you know, his, you know, exclusive stuff. What did he work on? Jane Child, you remember that group? Oh, my God. Don't want to follow. Come on. Wait, last.

Sorry. That's my favorite. Teddy Riley's going to be. Let's talk about it. No, let's talk about it. All his stuff. Let's talk about it. Amazing to me.

So what, what equipment was he using? Because everything. Big things. But he told me it was so basic. You know, SSL board and, you know, Pro Tools wasn't out the end. It was straight board. You know what I mean?

He told me that he, I don't know which Michael Jackson saw from. Me. I think I saw it. From Dangerous that he did all the pre. It was either remember the time or, no, no, no. She's driving me wild. He says, I did it in a project kitchen.

Like, he had a setup in, he's like, he kept his old apartment set up that he used for the guy album. Yeah, and the Keith Sweat stuff. And he did all, most of Michael Jackson's dangerous inside of his project kitchen. With a producer, it's about that, that comfortability spot. Like, if you're comfortable, it can happen anywhere, bro. You know what I'm saying? A hit record can happen anywhere. So you do a majority of production pre-pre-per?

Like, do you do it in this actual studio? No, drop it off. No, I always do beats at home first, and then I go in. And, you know, and then when I'm in the studio like this, and I'm laying the beat down, then we're playing around with it, and I'm playing with records, and then maybe I'll add some more stuff that matches. with it, you know what I'm saying?

Man. So, all right. You said the Teddy Riley. What else? What other historical songs were there to see? I mean, I was around Molly a lot. So, you know, all the half stuff, some cane stuff, some biz stuff. I saw.

Was Al B. Was he hanging right out of that time? I'll be sure. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Wow. I was going to say, what is your obsession with just rhyming with this? Man.

You've made it. He has severed that shit so many times. I think it, that record just reminded me. How did the publisher of Just Romney? I know it's a James Brown sample, but it just reminded me of James Brown, even with Kane and Biz on this shit. Right.

No, I knew you didn't use it for the James Brown. No, no. He used the voice. But it was the voices. Their voices were. But, like, all of main ingredient was, man. Like, did you have to cut a special deal?

Check it out, child. Check it out, y'all. I think so. No, when Molly, when the great spirit is going on. Yeah, I think Marley won a case with Warner or something like that. And, you know, he owns all his stuff now. So. He does.

Yeah, he owns it all. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. That's what I understand. I wanted to ask you about, in terms of, you know, we talked about the first EP, the all sold out. Yeah.

How exactly did you and CL get signed to a lecture? And how did y'all first start? Well, how did you mean? Yeah. In high school. In high school, you know, a couple of neighborhood guys, you know, introduced me to him. He had a distinctive voice. He didn't sound like nobody I've ever heard.

So I thought it would be good to do some stuff on him. When I heard him rap, I was like, okay, he can ride a beat. We were doing basement demos, got like 40 or 50 of them, you know what I'm saying? And we made a song off of Dance to the Drummers beat, you know what I'm saying? Oh, wow. Really? That was your first demo? Yep.

Yep. some of our first demos. We was taking common stuff. And then that's when I started getting raw with the beats and using like stuff that people that weren't using. We were making demos and we got signed off of my basement demos off a four track. Yeah. Do you still have the stuff or?

Yeah, I have. Well, they put out a somebody, I don't know, I must have lost the tape or something. Somebody got it. And they put it out. They put it out. And there's some stuff on there. I got it, though.

I got a lot of this stuff. Wow. Did y'all have like a full commitment? Like when y'all got together, where y'all like, okay, we're going to make a few records and then we're going like disperse. We did demos first and then at the time I was DJing on the radio with Molly.

So I would test it out and played on the radio. You know what I'm saying? And people will respond and, you know. When were you DJing with Molly on? 87, 88. Back then? Yeah, and 89. I was on there for like three years straight.

from BLS with Clark and then we rotated like me and Clark Kent first it was just me the whole weekend then it was me Clark Kent and then um you know once in a while he'll pull in a DJ from somewhere but back then it was great because you know kidding played had they hot new stuff out back then right um you know Mike Tyson was in his prime they they were all coming up there to visit the station to do interviews oh wow I was just a little young kid that It took me watching straight out of Compton to realize that some of the most successful hip-hop producers had to cut their teeth to DJ them first. My thing was like reverse. My situation was reverse, but I never considered myself jumping in the pool of, yo, when I play this beat, the nightclub, like this nightclub.

That comes from a movie. You're going to clean your house real good to this route. but like would for you being a DJ would audience reaction or would you ever have a fear of like this might not work on them or like is who do you imagine when you make a beat who are you imagining yo they're going to go crazy when they hear this like what's the vision in your mind where you're like I'm it's the feeling that I just kidding get overjoyed. So it's a goosebumps feeling.

Yeah. Like, and I want to, you know, call an artist, yo, yo, yo, listen to what I do, you know. Like the world is yours that happened when he came over and I just went through a couple of discs. I had that beat made already, you know what I'm saying? I went through a couple of discs and I popped that one in first and I didn't play no more beats after that. Mm.

He was like, that was the one. That was it. That was it. Did you, I mean, working on Ilimatic, did you sense already that, okay, this might be something special? Was it just like a... After he heard it and liked it. And then after I heard what he wanted me to sing on it.

So that came afterwards. You didn't have... But the rhymes? Oh, man. I was like, yeah, that's... When y'all were working... Did you know that, like, Tip and Large Pro and everybody else was working on it, too? Yeah, yeah.

We all knew. Primo, Tip, you know, but. Was it like a battle? At the time, I think, in everybody else's mind, I think that's what was going on. We was all competing. And I think when Primo heard the world is yours, he went back. Up is, yeah. Yeah.

You know what I mean? But, you know, Tip only had one love, you know, the one love joint. And LES had one joint. I had one joint and Primo had three. Okay. So that environment, I mean, were you guys record shopping on the... Yeah, we used to walk in on each other digging. One time I'll...

There's this jazz records, you know, jazz. You would never know where this record store is. There's a record store next to Jive Records, the label. Oh, wow. Wait. And where Battery Studios is? It looks like a mechanic building. There's nothing on it that says it's a record store.

record store. So it's upstairs? Upstairs. Like shopping in Japan. They have all the great jazz records in there, like, ridiculous. And Tip is in there on the ground. And, you know, going through records with his glasses on,

and he's, you know, on the floor. I'm like, okay, this is about to get serious with your boy. Because I see how hard he's going, so I got to go even harder. So is it a breathless race to the finish? Like, okay. Now, when I had records,

shop, let's say later in in 99, 2000, 2001, I would meet a few dealers that would be like Pete bought this. You would buy the entire Stark reality.

Only you you and Bismarcky only cats I'd know or at least heard like the urban legend is that you will buy out an entire section of record so that no one else can get it. Well, I also spent the night in the hotel where the convention would be, and I would have a room upstairs and just come downstairs at 7 o'clock a.m.

So they would come to you first? One time I was finished with digging, and I was carrying boxes to the car to come back in, bringing me. And Tip was just looking at me like, it looked like he just wanted to turn around and go home. Okay, so here's a question. I've heard a lot of people say that they don't want to see you in a record shop because they know there's nothing left. Is there anybody that you don't want to come behind? Of course.

He wants no one to come behind. Of course, man. No, I'm just saying, is there anybody that you don't want to come to this store before you? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Premiere. Shit. I remember one time I walked up, okay, same thing. On 20, this is another record store, jazz, on 27th Street, wouldn't know it's in the building.

Primo's in there. I walk up in there thinking, I got something all to myself And Primo's in there Getting all the great You know All that gang star shit You know

That's what That jazz store was dope But did you know what you Were looking for Or was it just based on like I kind of knew But cover We used to just take chances

Take chances That jazz store is still there See some afros And some Wait it's still there The one he's talking about Is that the one you told me about Say word

Yeah Wow That's what she told me about. What's the name was talking about it on the show? I used to go there. Oh, sex lies and videotape. What's his name? Oh, that's a...

The actor. That's a reference? Roblo? No. The blacklist. What's his name? Oh, Spader. James Spader.

James Spader shops at that spot. It's like jazz market. I think it's called like jazz market. Wow. Yeah, jazz market. Something like that. All of us used to actually going there. So wait, near Job Records, that's near Battery Studios.

Yep. It was right next door. Dude, I recorded my first five hours at Battery Studios. How come I never heard of this place? It's on the eighth floor. It's like an office building. It's on like the eighth floor. Like you don't even know it's a restaurant until you get to the door.

Yep, to you get to the door. But don't you think somebody's secretly keeping it from you at this point? You know what I mean? I feel some sort of way. I'm just saying. Two things I learned about recording at Battery Studios. One, all the tales of my coming to 42nd Street was like, oh, it's all Disney. Like, I didn't know about the New York City version of.

Oh, the shoot. Yeah, that. Batteries where I did. But the rest of the roots were like, but I'm the one at the studio, like, working. And they on, you know what I'm like? They on the 40 doves. Right.

Wow. But now I'm not, I can't believe that the spot was here and I didn't know about it. Yeah, battery. You should go some type of way. I did the Will Smith and Jeff stuff there too. Really? Yeah.

But a home base. Cold red. Oh, Co Red. Oh, Co Red. Oh, Red. Oh, God. It was cold red. Yeah.

Damn. Dang, Pete. Who haven't, no, who you, who do you want? Is there anybody left? Yeah, who's left? Well, kid and play. Who else I work? I mean, but who is left that you haven't that you want to?

Is there? Actually, 50 cent. Really? You know, a couple of G-unit dudes, man. For real? Yeah, I've never worked with it. What's the whole bat? None.

Does he know that you? No. No, no. I just got to bump into him. We got to catch him in the studio or something. That makes a magic. I got to have my beat. on me or something.

How does the environment of, I mean, the chemistry between you and CL? Mm-hmm. Right now? I mean, no, no, no, no. I just meant back then when the album comes out because... We were young kids having fun, man. You know what I'm saying? Like, we found something.

You know what I'm saying? We found something to do. So touring, but I'm saying that because Mechon's The Soul Brother was such a New York record. Yeah. How is this translating across the United States? Hmm. I mean, you still had the aid of MTV and you still had RAPCity. So, you know, it wasn't that regional.

And Soul Train was still around because we did. We did. You definitely did Soul Train. Yeah, I mean. So, I mean, like, if you guys are doing a show in Mississippi or something, like, what's the reception like? But it was pretty good, you know, okay, you know what's funny that you mentioned. I mean, have you ever had a moment where. Whereas like, Pete Rock is the else move.

On a promotional tour, you know, promotional tour. We used to go on promotional tour for a month or a month and a half and you don't get paid. You know what I'm saying? You're out there bushing your ass just to get known. You know what I'm saying? And when we would perform in a place like that, people would be there, you know, show up, you know what I'm saying? Like.

So it wasn't a thing where it's like, y'all at a strip club and they're like, this ain't Luke? No. Y'all New Yorkers. Y'all talk funny. But you know what? Do you have your people who are very adamant about what they like and, you know, they, you know, they rock with what they rock with? So do you feel that? We left out in the cold sometimes.

Do you feel like the regional divide started, say, post-chronic post? Like, where did you, where did you, what was your role or where did you lie in the, I guess, the. Well, east, west. Yeah, like, when did that start rear in its head? Um, 95, 96. Really? Yeah, 95, 96. And, um...

So when did you know, like, oh, shit? I had my own stress going, you know, me and C.L. breaking up and all that. Right. So then the East West thing. Then, you know, me thinking everyone in hip hop was invincible, then motherfuckers start dropping. You know what I mean? So it's like, you know, we were shocked. We were in shock. Like, wow, he got shot. Like, and he's dead. Like, you know. I mean? Wait a minute. Yeah.

You got to tell me this story. Dude, you originally did juicy. Yeah. Tell me, can you tell me the juicy stories? Yeah. You know, all right, Puff, big, everybody came over. Puff brought Big to my house to the basement. Wait, let me just introduce, like, the idea of rhyming over, like, it started with Pete Rock.

And then it got, I think, puffitized. Yeah. So tell us the story. The idea of what? He's rhyming over just a very known, low-known Luke. Like, it's not, when Biggie was rhyming over juicy, Pete Rock's the one that, like, yo, rhyme over this. Like, it was a Pete Rock beat.

Yeah. Initially. Yeah. And then. Well, Puff's done this before. Yeah. Because, like, even Mariah Carey's honey was a Q-tip beat. But Diddy should have been like y'all young boy, though, right?

Because he's from Mount Vernon, but he was young. Yeah, he's from Della Avenue, Mount Vernon. We all grew up together. All right. Let him tell us to me. Okay. All right. Yeah.

But, but, but, with him. him with the juice, okay, when the juicy thing happened, he brought Big over, you know, and Big came in there and, you know, he stood against the wall, humble, quiet. He was just like, yo, yo, I just want to see how you make a beat, yo. Just show me how you make a beat. And then I made In the Flesh. You made In the Flesh in front of Biggie? In the flesh in front of Biggie.

That's on the main ingredient. Yep. in the flesh. Wait, can I, wait, can we talk about, we got to take, down to talk about them records, man. Can we take, wait,

I got to, do I have permission to play in the flesh? Biggie was there. He was standing right there. You made, that's the story I want, like, what historical.

Yeah. He made that. In the flesh. And what was Biggie's reaction to In the flesh? He was loving it. You know what I'm saying? Ben started picking,

like, these beats, you know, like he was picked over 10 beats, but we never did none. You know what I mean? . All right, wait. Steve, okay, I'm going to explain something.

This is what's going to blow Steve's mind. Steve, do you know my obsession with a certain synth... Do I even have to tell you this story? Do I have to finish the story? Yeah, you do. You do need to finish the story. I'm going to finish the story. No, my obsession with using Steve Miller band space,

like, Steve hates nothing more. than that. Than hearing that arpeggio. Why? Happened. No, because I over, like, it's everything. Oh, man. I love that.

We all use that shit. Yeah. But I, it's just, it constantly. It's at the top of this little toolbox. Yeah, it's, it's, it's there. But it's only, I'm going to tell you this. The thing was, is that when the roots. Yeah.

When we exiled to, to London. Mm-hmm. And we were broke. cold poor it was the worst feeling we only had two cassettes

to hold us down for like most of 1994 and that was to cow and that was the main ingredient say word

and even and I mean it was some of the most it was the worst I mean every group grows through basic training to soldier up and, you know, really establish themselves.

And so this was the hunger year. Everyone has those hunger years where you're just starving. You know if you're coming or going. But for me, like, in the flesh wasn't even a song, but it was more meditation. And it was just like the way you layered Steve Miller band's space was like that to me. I mean, me and Tarek's only fistfight in history happened in 94. And post-fist fight, it was just like,

I got to relax, I need it in the flesh. Yeah, yeah. It's funny because Rieke used to come to the crib a lot, too. We used to have fun, you know what I mean? You still have the same crib? Yeah, same house. I've never been to the Pete Rod. Yeah, you got to come around.

What do you call it? What do you call it? The basement. Oh, my God. You've been there for a time? Yeah. Slept on the floor in there. floor when we first like after shortly after I quit my job I mean hello yeah I went this I was

like listen I'm homeless niggins I come to but uh but now we can't we all drove up there me 9th my homie for 10 uh pool all of us everybody we drove up there slept on the floor and like nine of them motherfuck yeah we was all in the crib I think we ordered like we might have ate once like three days we just ordered pizza but uh but yeah we was in the basement and and um that was where the first time I really understood just how much work he put in. I mean, he has a closet. I don't know the closet's still there.

And he was just like showing us bags of this. He was like, yeah, so these were main ingredient beats. This is stuff from making the soul, brother. And this is stuff. I'm like, are you kidding me? And you still have that stuff. Yeah. I got the world was yours on this still.

That's amazing. How did Biggie lose this? I don't know, man. Or was Puff making his decisions for and more. Yeah. Yeah. But not when he was picking beats, you know?

So Biggie was like, all right, this is all right. Yeah. He was like, he wanted the interlude beats. He wanted my interludes. So juicy, we got to finish all about Jusies. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I was playing the beat.

I had the drums playing when they came downstairs. The boom, chikibum, because I was going to put something else in there. Uh-huh. And he knew, you know, yeah, he knew what it was. It was a hit record. You know. Right. So the ideas is churning in his head.

You know what I'm saying? So did they at least come to you and say, yo, like, make the drums less? They came to me and said do the remix. And I did the remix. But they, I mean, did they at least give you the option to change the drums a little bit so that you could. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's what I did in the remix, though. No, no, no, but I'm just saying that. The original? I thought that what we know is the P-Rock remix of Juicy. That was the original. original idea. That's it. Only the idea, but they did it. You know what I'm saying? Like whoever did it, track masters, whoever, but they, the idea is what you hear now. You know, they just looped it, man. So, I mean, did you feel some sort of way like, well?

Back then, I was a little crazy, so I was feeling a little ways about people, you know. How did you feel? But now that I realize that music is universal, you know, it doesn't belong to nobody but the people we sampling it from. You know what I mean? I have a question about a similar situation. What's the story behind a tribe called jazz and jazz? Oh shit. Same thing.

The Curz-Raeveil drum, you don't stop. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the same thing. Tip, we all used to hang out and Tip coming over, heard the beat playing, you know, and went... So you contribute the drums to it, or was it the... The same way you hear it on the Tribes album is how I did it. But I just had a little stuff. little stuff in it on top of it but same drums same loop

you know what I'm saying I want to say you play that for us when we were at your crib I want to say you play his version of jazz yeah I think you did the disc yeah yes yeah I still have it so Pete have you like developed any relationships with any of these living legends

that you like you know change sample yeah like even Roy Ayers that's what I was Royers was on tour with Roy some weird Polydora stories, James Brown stuff. And it was fun touring with him. You know what I mean?

Searching his mind. Wait, I know that he owns his master's like, yeah. Did he ever hook you up with like? There's another ramp album out there. He has recorded. He told me this out of his mouth that he has. That never came out. What?

Not the ramp that tip used. Another album. Yeah, a whole other. came out in 78 because that ramp album that everybody's finding is not the original album that's a bootleg

right right that's not that's not the original pressing but it was bootleg 70's bootleg you understand I'm saying? Really? Yeah. Wait, how? He said it never really

came out. It never officially came out. It never officially came out. I have it on White Lake I have a promo. What we're finding in 1989 90 was Oh

Cuter What? Man Wow Yeah I thought he was Masterful for that fine Right there

Wow I never knew That one Never knew Nah So did you ever What did Roy ever say About your version

Searching? Oh We used to do it In the shows Oh man Wow You know He'll do

The song Then I come in With the hip hop version But I made A live version I made it over And

And, yeah, it's pretty. That was my favorite joint. I remember you telling me at the crib, that was Novell playing keys and playing the roles on that one. Yeah, yeah. So the main ingredient, what I wanted to talk about, when you were talking earlier about, like, you know, the South and how, you know, we received,

y'all used to get love around my way. Like, we love Pete and stuff. I was surprised that even y'all that, you know, came from North Carolina sounding like that. Right. A lot of us. I was like, what? Man, we grew up for y'all.

It's like same reaction. Like, oh, my God. Yeah, we grew up on y'all shit. And so, like, when Mecca and the Soul Brother came out, I remember that was the record we would play, like, after practice, you know what I'm saying? During the summer, like, after practice, we'd be, you know, after football practice, and we'd just be running it. And so then a couple years later, because I remember y'all had the, this was in the source.

I used to have the ads. And it was like, guess who's back in the house? Oh, yeah. I remember that. It was guess who's back in the house? And then like the next episode, the next issue, it would be like, guess who's back in the house, it would get bigger. And then like the next issue, it would be the album cover.

Yes. It was y'all. So when main ingredient came. I think you set me up for Snoop Dogg. I'm like, wait, wait, wait, wait, where are you going with this? No, that was the ad. That was like, they did the source. Yeah, that was like source ads.

With that record, man, I just remember buying it. And I got a love. When I first heard it got love, and I even told him this before, When I first heard, I got a love, I was like, okay, cool. That was like, I was like, I'm shy. You know what? I had the same, really? No, that's funny.

I'm shocked that that's his favorite beat. They wanted, I wasn't with that. As the single? No, I wasn't with it. Yeah, I was just like, yeah, okay. It was just one of them joints that I was like, but they went crazy over it and the managing. Who's they?

Um, the management, the management. They wanted that out, you know. Was it, uh, I was aiming for something else. I forgot what song. What did I want first? Was it take you there? I know that came to say. It took it in.

So one of them radio-friendly ones. But the thing I noticed with that record was that the production just got, oh, I mean the remixes, but the production, you were one of the first producers I remember to, that I thought, arranged hip-hop songs like a songwriter would. Like you have intro. Bridges. Breakdown. You know what I mean?

I was taught that by my cousin Hav and Eddie F. Eddie F used to program, you know, bridges and shit, you know. And then also Molly, I picked that up for Molly too, the bridge thing. Yeah, yeah. That record, yeah, main ingredient was the one for me where I was just like, yo, like hip hop gets no better than this. Yeah. That was the one.

And with the interludes, I mean, talk this about. Yeah, like how, creating a record, like, how do you, what was on your mind when you, were both, uh, mecha in the street? brother and the main ingredient and the interludes and what was what were you imagining um like with making this record like showing us your world or your record collection being a part of like a superhero team um like the avengers and i collect comic books so you know i was on some comic he's there a hook that's his man yeah i was on some comic book shit you know what them beats you know so i took it on i took on that that theme you know all right

Now, how were you able to pull that off on the business tip? You know, after they was digging the album and they felt the music sounded really good, I think everybody was awesome. This has to just come out. You know what I'm saying? The people got ahead of shit. So if you were wrong, wasn't like, you know, we had to clear some samples, you know. I just meant the air ludes. Yeah.

Just. Interludes was this shit. I was just like on some whatever. Yeah, listen to this. Did somebody come and knocking like a, ah, ah, uh. People wanted them interludes, man. Really? Yeah, yeah, they wanted them in a lullo.

What was your nightmare story with the interludes and clearances? Not many, because they were pretty short, you know what I mean? So, I don't know if musicians. All right, don't, yeah. Yeah. Now, you're not going to name nothing. But nobody catch, nobody, I don't think nobody that I'm, I'm sampling from this really listening like that.

But it's weird because everyone has like, all right, with the day loss situation, I mean, the turtles weren't listening, but the turtles kids were, yeah. Was even with me and Dr. Dre, like, I was like, yo, that's my parents. I never sampled that. Never. They have some rare funky. I was on strawberry records. Oh, my God.

Yeah. Oh, amazing. I had no clue. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. They have some joint. They had some joint. And that's when I hit you on Twitter.

It was like, yo, man, my ain't. Oh, so they don't get a check for that. No. You have that stuff? You have the vinyl? You know, it's weird? Yeah, I got it. Okay.

It's kind of a weird situation with Philly's own Larry Maggot, proprietor of the Ticketmaster Empire. And who used to, my dad. built his empire. He used to manage my father. He was my father's agent for college gigs. So there's long after Leander's in the heart's finished.

Okay. And he was doing like college gigs around the 60s and whatnot. Like Larry Maggot was his agent. And through that college money, that's how Larry Maggot started Ticketmaster. Of which in some strange

turn of events with Julius Caesar the ticket master empire sort of conspired against him and they started Live Nation and kind of kicked him like... So he got his payback. If you saw entourage

it'd be like if Ari Gold had like 12 protégés and interns working for him and he taught them the tricks of the trade and they all started their own company. Yeah and then they left yeah like you guys start a radio empire

and then I'm out in the cold, like, working on it. Welcome to Ticillo Supreme. Stuck there winning grand. Choo, choo, choo, choo. Yeah, so that's, yeah, that's what happened. Wow, that's crazy, man. So, yeah. All right, so when, when the group breaks up in 94.

94, after a meaning, meaning. So, I mean, were you having a. That was an electric thing. Now that I think about it. Just, what was the major, the major label thing. you know, pitting us against each other when something new comes into play. Really?

What were they telling us when they are hard to control? Well, when Sylvia tells you, you know, you got to make remixes like Puff Daddy she's talking to me like this. No. And I'm like, I got nothing against Puck. That's my guy. You know what I mean?

But, you know, people say things and you just be looking at it. I'm like, R. Yeah. But tell the truth, Pete. What? You got some beats where you put the little triangle in there. You know what? I used to make

whack beats for fun because I never know who's gonna like it. You know what I'm saying? So was there a fluke beat? Was there a fluke beat? Yeah. Was there a fluke beat that like, right here,

and people were like, yo, I want this shit. I used to be like, is you sure? Nah. You know what, man? I always wanted to ask you this. I was always curious.

And this was my theory. I always thought that your work on Hebs, nothing but love, was your answer like Puff and like that. Like that was, to me that just sounded like you were showing them that you could do that commercial stuff

if you wanted to. I thought that was Blue Funk. That's weird. What? Blue Funk. Got me waiting. Got me waiting. Sex with you.

Right. Those were like the radio. Have wanted that. He knew I could do that. So he was like, you know what? He, you know, I want you to go. He's always the one that tell me, don't be afraid to go left.

Or in this case, go right. That's how I made most of them. beats because he would say that. Well, I only mentioned blue funk because, like, I don't know who was on the payroll, but for Soul Train to use Blue Funk and Black Coffee. For the Soul Train line.

Like, when your song got chosen for the Soul Train line, you made it. Yeah, I was... She was used, like, five, six, seven, eight, nine times with the Soul Train line. I was like, yeah. And then being up in there, it's like, wow, I thought the soul train was bigger than this. Bigger than, yeah, it's way smaller.

It's way smaller. You see the same dancers, that same Asian girl that been there. She was my favorite. Show song. She was there. Shout out to Cheryl song. Yo, Pete, not for nothing. But, you know, I know, heavy left like a big void in most of our lives.

And we can say how that boy was. But for you, in your everyday process of you being you, like, what kind of void was that for you? Come on, man. That was... I even, you know, I get choked up talking about it, but we shared everything together, you know, off of music. Like, you know, the music came later.

You know, that was my family, you know what I'm saying? And we grew up from three years old. That just took half of me away when he passed. Yeah, you and have, man. Y'all were... Gave me my career, I could say, basically. You know, help. You know, it was because of him.

Yeah. Y'all were definitely, you know, when we were coming up, starting Little Brother, I remember one of the things that, you know, you kind of encouraged this was like doing the singing hooks and stuff. Because at the time in, quote-unquote, underground hip-hop, you weren't really hearing a lot of that. It was just rap-di, rapdy, rapdy, rap, rap. Heavy D was a rapper, but we always played around off-the-record singing. And then next thing, you know, he wants, he's wanting to do this on record. Girls and girls they love me We love of M-E-D

You know, that And then we would just do You know, stuff for them, right? You know what I'm saying? That's dope. Yeah, he was My mother, like, loved everything Like, she was one of the only rappers.

Everybody's mama loves it. Seriously. And us too, and then he was one of the only MCS that translated into the commercial world Like when he started acting and doing no life and then this thing, don't get me started You know, Martin Living single

All the black stuff He was good on rock He was good He appeared on a lot of stuff You know what I'm saying Even in New Jersey Drive movie New Jersey New Jersey Drive

He was in Who's the Man Who was in Who's the Man? Who was in Who was? You were in Who was? Yeah, me and Ciel were the robbers with Eric King Yeah I was gonna say Wait a minute in the bar scene

Yeah, we was sticking up the joint Yeah that's us in the mask We got the mad. You can't see our faces. We was mad about that. He was like, why, we can't be seen. You still get a check for that, though, right? I mean, how many times they're showing?

I think the checks are finished with that. Yeah. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's

a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should

live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that, trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of the girlfriends, Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck.

I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care, so they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Ego Vodam. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman, Saturday Night Live and the Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with them one day, and I was like, and Dad, I think I want to really give this a sharp. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place that come look for up and coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet.

Yeah. He goes, but there's so much luck involved. And he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be.

Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to thanks, Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. One question I have you, Pete, was about the period. So after UNCL broke up. And so the period where you were working on, that's my joint. Oh, wow. Oh, my God.

Extra large professor. Come on. Soul Brother Records So you were doing this I and I and I made Bob What happened with those records man Every man is still

It was mad bootleg It was never Why didn't officially Electra had it Electra had all of that They had I and I and Dina The single game out but not the album Not the album I don't know

BBE put it out Yeah and but when Sylvia came in To take over from Bob Krasna who was the president of Elektra Who set me up for all that stuff to come out, it was all going to come out under Elektra. Then she came and just, you know, deaded it.

So what was your relationship like with Sylvia Rome? Um, shaky. Like, she just doesn't like... I just felt like she didn't understand who we were. You know what I'm saying? Even with the success of Troy and... After a while, it was like 1995, 96. They were trying to do some changing, some game changing.

and stuff. All right, so what is going through your mind with... Now, this is the perfect plot to things fall apart. Where... No, you have a warrior, someone very skilled

in a particular craft who goes off the war and then comes back to his homeland to see that the environment has changed. And, you know, it was colonization and all those things that... So, what is your response?

Because actually, if I recall correctly, the night, I believe the night, so there was a night that when we were working, the roots were working on, on, oh, things fall apart.

Of Detroit, Pete was also, I think, was that the first night you met Dilla when you came to the basement? Yes, and I stayed there. Yo, the most magical night ever. Because is literally remaking

like beats over and we're just standing at like kids in this candy store yes dude I was there and so the thing is the thing is that I was shocked that by that point

you said like I don't use the 3,000 and I was shocked I was like wait a minute you're still using a 1200 I know like your tools are your tools but

how do you with technology moving at the speed of sound the way it is now? I used the 12 all the way up until 2000. I know. And that's when I started doing the 45 thing. Really? Yeah, when we came to see you in 2002, I think that was when you had just started the A-V.

You were the 3,000. Yeah, yeah. So you finally graduated to the 3,000? Yeah, I'm on the 2000-XL. And it feels like an upgraded SB-12. So I feel like I don't need nothing else. Justified. You know what I'm saying?

Justify. Yo, James Poyser? Yeah. I won't even. Me and James talk on Twitter. I won't even disrespect him. But I'm holding him of a middle finger jeep. James Poyser.

James Poyser teases me, he calls me like a played out 90-year-old because I can't let my 2000 XL go. No, man. No, that feels so good. I can't, yeah, I can't let it go. Like, I still use it to this day. That's right. And he, yeah, he makes me feel horrible for this. But I'm saying for you...

I use a Wren too sometimes. I mess with the Renaissance. Really? Yeah. So does it... Is it vintage? It's cool. I like it.

It does things. It doesn't do... Well, at least there it gives you unlimited time. Yeah, but it's a little bit more to it than... My thing is simple to the problem. point if I know what to do it's done I know that machine really so so but with now like are you able do you use Ableton do you use like modern anything like that um I have Ableton and I've used it on New York's finest and do I have just regular you know no nothing crazy pro tools

I had the Pro 2-7, then graduated from that to the 10. Right. You know, to do extra more stuff. Well, I know it's hard leaving your comfort zone because I know that when Stroh Elliott was telling me it was so hard for him to, like, there's a slew of cats right now, like tall black guy, Stroh Elliott. Yeah, tall black guy.

Joe Ron Bombay. Joe Ram Bombay is from Canada, and these cats are, I mean, they're making incredible beats But they're using some of the most primitive Like, I remember laughing at Knife When he showed me fruity loops I was like, wait, this is what you did? Yeah, that's what I didn't know either.

Yeah, but what these new cats are using Are it like even a step Crazier than fruity loops Which is like so basic. And they would tell me like, well, this is how we first, Like they used like Sony acid. Acid, yeah. Like real basic.

I use acid. What? He used acid. still very basic, making miracles out of this shit. And Cyril Elliott told me, like, he finally had to physically force

himself out of using like a lot of that, the primitive stuff, so that he could, you know, really jump in the game of beat making. Yeah, man. So is that, I mean, is that a personal fear? Because to hear anyone else say it, it's like, oh man, it's easy.

Like, once you do it, you won't. But how hard is it to leave your tools of the trade and oh man it's hard it's hard to because you I mean I made all my my head took that 2100 and it wasn't hard it wasn't easy for me to give that up but then when I started playing with the 2000 I started forgetting about this do you still use the 1200 um I haven't the last time you used that was the last time you used that was the beats on it I have still have a lot of beats with that machine so I don't I haven't used it lately. Oh yeah I did on Mac Wiles album, first album. Oh wow.

Yeah. What did you doing that? I did a song called I think so what he named it? Love and then another one called him duck sauce. And those beats were done on the on the SB? Yeah. Wow. Duck sauce wasn't the other one was got you. Impressive. All straight SP. Salam Salam laid that down for me. Okay. Yeah I remember when you you were working on the 2000 and the thing I thought was so dumb. So your bass lines, how is that? Because, I mean, you're like one of my favorite bass players that don't play bass. Humming.

Humming in my head, listening, you know, just, you know, that's just, I think that became a natural thing because that was my thing. I used to want to practice, you know, making baselines, you know what I'm saying? And from all the James Brown records, I heard, the Barry White records, the Isaac records, all the jazz records. I used to hum bass line. I always said that if one particular musician, if you were personified or if you were representing a musician,

you were probably, I'd say you would be Marshall Jones of the Ohio. I think I read it. I read something where you said. I had an hour conversation with Marshall Jones. and the look of shot on his face when I'm trying to explain to him how vital him specifically how vital he was to renaissance hip-hop culture

and he's thinking like, oh, skin tight, I'm like, no, Marshall Jones, you don't get it. And I'm breaking down, like, you know, like, what's going on? Like, you cover what's going on? Pain all that stuff and players balling. It took like it took 10 minutes for it really to sink in that that westbound version of Ohio players was valuable to us now. Oh my goodness. He couldn't he couldn't understand that for the longest man.

But eventually like they have unreleased. Yeah. Oh, dude. From 73. I was going to say like. I would love nothing better. He sent me. He sent me some files, and I was listening to that shit losing my mind.

God. Some record, and it sounds just like, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Like, it's on that vibe. It's on that vibe. It's not that same, you know, bass. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but just, like, next to James Damerson in Motown, like, Marshall Jones is, is, I mean, his bass lines.

are just... Unbelievable, man. It's not flashy. It's... And that's, you know... What I'm trying to explain to the cats is like, the less you do, the more timeless it is.

So, Pete, yeah. All right, we've done a lot about yesterday. Now, talk about your... What are you up to you late? Well, I mixed a new Lox record for their album yesterday for their new album. The styles Pete Jadikis and Shik Loo, shout out to them. And then I got this project with my man Smoke this over there.

Smokes this. How you doing, brother? He's like, man, I'm so fucking hungry, man. Smoke, you know we got chicken sandwiches. Don't be hungry up in here. No, no, no, I'm chilling. I'm cool. No, that's my dude right there.

My God, hanging out. You're like, who are you? Yeah. Yeah, but we got this album that's really, really dope. And it's a long time coming. this long time that we haven't heard something like this, you know, you know,

representing hip hop and live, you know, playing, you know, mixed with, you know, punk. So what do you,

what do you feel the standard of excellence is now for 2016? As far as, like, is it still for you, like, a break B that moves you, the loop that moves you, or like,

are you now thinking of a generational gap thing? Yeah, I'm thinking about the generational gap thing, because I feel, Like what part of you is like I'm gonna take y'all to me and what part of you like? Because have you heard a premiere remix of Timmy Turner? Yes. Timmy, Timmy Turner.

Yes. Timmy, Timmy Turner. Yeah. And I, you know, man, let me see.

What could I say from, from, you know, from the beginning. I know you've had your words with millennials before online or whatever. Yeah. Yeah. No,

I mean, you know, I mean, those are. real words and real thoughts. Like I, I too would like to see us do better.

But, I mean, part of me is wondering, like, are we now our parents and... Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. Now, we're the grown-ups. You know, that we have to teach. You know what I'm saying? So it's wrong for me to

want to hear English or at least words that I know. No, I... No, no. Don't say nothing. You about to tell me to pop hands on too? No. Tarreet.

No disrespect. You're having your Shep Gordon hearing hip hop for the first time. Yeah. No, no, no, no, no, no. I'm just saying, yeah. We're just coming from a little bit of a different place than these kids today. That's what your parents are. As far as I know, Tarut started mumble, right?

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Don't say nothing. That's my shield. No, no, no, no. No, but so let me ask you this then. So since you are so aware of the differences and whatnot, then how do you decide to do? Why smoke then?

Well, because he's a young guy with an old soul, you know what I'm saying? And he's been around for a while he has his own little cult following, you know, which attracted me also with his skill set. And, you know, like, he's not, he's different from certain younger generational artists. You know, like, all right, some of my favorites are like Kendrick and Jay Cole and Action Brons and Joey Badass, you know, the list goes on. you know, and then you have some that do their own thing. You know what I'm saying?

That people try to comprehend. And the part, that's where I come in, where I'm saying, look, you got to say something, man. You know, you got to talk to the people, man. We're not aliens, you know what I'm saying. I don't know where your mind is at, but we people that want to comprehend what you, you know, your message. And it's funny, I made a joke, but in serious, y'all, the title, Don't Smoke Rock. Yeah. That's some serious thought.

That's not a joke. Like tell people it's not just a combination of y'all names. Smoke. You came up with that. Mm-hmm. Yep. Why? It was just to play on words with our names, and I just felt, you know, with the times that we in,

it was just something positive. But I didn't really want to. I mean, it's kind of cliche 88 Ronald Reagan. You know what I mean? But really in the times that we're in right now, I mean, it's not too far from Mali or any of the weird shit that they fucking went out. Yeah. So, I mean, you know, don't smoke.

Rock is kind of like our powerful way of being like Be-all-you-smoking on. Chill, Nick. Chill off that. No, no, but, you know, this is just a great album. You know, we got Rick Bross on there. We got Waleigh, Mac Miller, the locks, Cameron, Davies.

I wanted to ask you, smoke. What was it like? Well, first off, were you aware? you know of i mean feet rock right yeah yeah you got to be

and uh yeah yeah no seriously all them done all them cats man they know me so like working with him like when did it when did it

I guess when did it shift to say like okay like I want to be a fan but now I got to really you know do the work you know what I'm saying like was it ever a shift

during the recording I don't I don't think it was ever a shift I mean once PR made that initial call like yo's up you're trying to do do this. It was like, yeah. It was like, of course, you know, and I kind of like, I'm like a lucky fool. Like, you know, Flex sent me a P. Rock beat. Like, yo, I need you to give me 32 bars for my mixtape on this P. Rock beat. That's how it started, actually. I'm like, what? That's how the work. That's how the working relationship started. And, you know, from there, I was, like, overwhelmed. Like, oh, shit, it's a Pee Rock beat. Like, he could have sent me whatever because he was sending anybody. else of a shit and I got the Pete rock beat so I'm like I let me let me show off so I can impress Pete so you know I can get another one yeah and then you know that just trickle down

to my project and then he's like yo I want to keep this for mine and then it was like yo let's just do a full lymph joint that's dope yeah yeah you know so I came about and it's easy to work with this guy it gets quick are y'all still tracking are y'all you tracking are y'all you tracking in your crib or no we right on 30th low spot okay okay yeah yeah do shit fast in there quick I was gonna say you don't track vocals inside your house do you know I actually did I did a few but but the what's known

it is a I did a mixtape for Camp Lo it's just 30 blocks for Tivis yeah 80 block 880 block and where I just did anything you know I'm saying it's just a mixtape Camp Lo's the type of group. They're spontaneous and they're rap to any fucking thing. Like anything.

Like, you know what I'm saying? So we just wanted to, we thought it would be a good idea to do it. And, you know, it's on my website, p.rock.com. You could download it for free. Because there's a lot of samples on there. We ain't playing that.

We ain't playing that, bro. Well, yeah, how, I mean, that's, even though we're laughing about it. I mean, for me, that's like taking the oxygen out of your tank. How are you able to now navigate skillfully,

at least to the stand of your excellent, especially with a project of this caliber, without your number one tool, which is the sample? I probably just listening to what's going on, listening to radio, listening to what people like, listening to other producers, new one, you know, what they're doing.

and just kind of, you know, take it all in and say, okay, you know, let me do it my way. You know what I mean? And then you'll find that out when you listen to Don't Smoke Rock. Good shit. Yeah, man. Good shit. Yeah. I wanted to ask you, because I was always curious about it, BBE.

Mm. VBE was the label out of London. Disrespectful. That put out Petra Menals and the surviving elements. Yeah. Yeah, that one was stolen. No, yo, I'm gonna keep it all the way buck with you. Yeah.

Somebody very close to me in my camp got a call to mix that record. And we were both, he hit me. I was like, yo, don't do it. I said, don't touch that. I know. That guy is starting trouble. You know what I mean? Yeah.

So what was the real? What happened? You want to know what happened? I saw him on the plane, man. And just let loose on this guy. I couldn't put hands on him. I heard the story. I heard.

So I started spitting on him. No. I think I was there. Because he disrespected me in the utmost worst way ever that no man could withstand. And I couldn't hold it back. What way was that? I was on the plane with it. What way was that?

What would you say, you know, something he said or something he did? Something he did. I'd rather not, you know, going to the personal business. I'm about to say, I don't know what the grace period. Yeah. We ain't doing all right. But what he did angered me. So that was for...

Like Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk. And that was for the Pete Straminals. Because then we did Soul Survivor 2. That was for Survivor. That was surviving of the elements. How many projects did you do for B.D.? I was working on New York's finest and had some leftover beats on a drive that I left in the studio, which I shouldn't have did. And, you know, somebody stole it.

That's so interesting, though, because from a consumer standpoint, BBE had a whole era where it was just like, dope shit, like from... Yeah, dope shit from people... Right. From people from here. The producer-friendly label. It wasn't... He wasn't snatching nobody in Europe or nothing like that.

Ah. So raping you record. So it wasn't... So, BB... They did hype. I mean, we put our first furniture... I remember that. Yeah, yeah.

And they did write by us all about. I mean, you know, when I... When we first discovered them, it was all love in the beginning. You know what I'm saying? And then, you know, we ended up having, you know, took out... lawsuit got paid one took them to court oh okay because both of those

wrecked because it was you did piece tremennels oh yeah I took them to court Soul Survivor 2 was on BB2 right yeah it was because we did the that was after all of that though because then they then the surviving of the elements came after those two done

uh gotcha and then that's when you know that happened man talk about you and CLE and where y'all at right now I know you're touring yeah we just did a month and a half on tour, no off days, just going hard. And I was like looking at CL steaming.

Once, you know, the lights, the stage lights were so hot in one spot that he was sweating so much that when he came in the dressing room to sit down, he was literally steaming. Like, steam was coming up. Like a Marvel character. Steam. And I'm like, I've never seen that shit before.

Like, wow, this cat is hungry again. And that's when we decide, you know, Yeah, let's do this music shit again. So, y'all talking to the album? Yeah, yeah, yeah. He got beats. He's on Cloud 9 right now. Oh, shit.

So there's a chance that we might have a trial. Yeah, and new Pete Rock sales school in 2017. Wow. Something to look forward to, because damn it. Because I would say the records that y'all did, like, from post-breakup, I mean, from the Love Thing, Climax. Yeah, they appreciate. Oh, wow, you like that.

What? Yeah. Wait, wait, wait, climax. She said climax. I said climax. You said climax. Oh, okay. I just felt that was a bad man.

I didn't mix that. I didn't mix that. The beat was cool. The mix might have been real good. Which one was that one? That was, um, it was a white label. Yeah, the Curtis Jones. The Curtis Mayfield, uh, give me your love.

Oh, give me your love. I remember you playing me that beat and I love that beat. Yeah, it was a bad mix of it. Yeah, the minute and the dude they had singing over. I remember I called you. I would have made that dope. You know, if I was behind mixing it, it would have been much better sounding. And back on the block.

Back on. Oh, yeah. Do. MFSB member. Yep. Wait, what was that? MFSB member. One guy who made a solo album that was in MF.

Montana. There you go. Yeah. Yeah. That's what you got to say. Oh, he said his first name. People don't know Montana. If you could just say, they don't know who you're talking about.

unless they have a musician. Now I'm trying to remember the record. Oh. You probably have the album. No, I know I do. Now I'm trying to remember it. Yeah, yeah. All right, start singing and see the vibes in there.

That was a joint, like, yeah, that was one of them joints. But now, y'all, the formula, I mean, you guys still sound, every time y'all put out joints. No steps to sound occurring. No steps missed. No. No steps missed off. Still right now, people are going to drop their jaws on their head of new shit.

What made y'all get to this point? Because I remember for a minute, it was really nasty. I just think even when it was like that, it wasn't totally, you know, it was a time and period where it did get, you know, ugly. But then, you know, even over the years, I put them on piece from instrumental. I snatched them for sole survivor, so survivor too. You know, I was always reaching a handout. And then, you know, when you're old and grown, you know, you're like,

Like, all right, man, we were kids then. You know what I'm saying? Fuck it. Fuck all that shit. You know what I'm saying? That's what I'm saying. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Cliverts Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl.

You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of The Girlfriends, Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me?

The cops didn't seem to care, so they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the Girlfriends. Trust me, babe. on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Ego Wadam. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman, Saturday Night Live,

and the Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with them one day, and I was like, and Dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place that come look for up and coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. Yeah. He goes, but there's so much luck involved.

And he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat just hanging. in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to thanks, Dad, on the Iheart Radio app, Apple

podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. So you still live in Mount Vernon right now? No, I'm in upstate New York. Okay. Yeah. It's quiet. People always, like, try to lure me up there. Like, you know, just try you. There's people up there. It's people up there.

I mean, I say people are you the artist, but I don't want to put nobody. on blast. No, no, but I'm in like, is it, like, are you in the farm area? Yes, it's in the woodsy area. Lots of deers and animals and shit. Really? Yeah.

And that's where I want to. I actually like it because it's, you know, it's quiet, but I get work done, you know. When I'm in the hood, everybody's, you know. Are you scared you're going to get chased by a skunk again? Yo, listen, I'm running from them shit too. Man, that shit get on you. You finished. finished. It just stinks.

Tomato soup. My dog got sprayed one time and I, and dog came in the house. My sisters just started immediately throwing up. It's bad up close. It's bad. Is that tomato suit thing real? I think it works. I've never had to do it.

I did it for my dog. It works. Tomatoes soup would get the skunk smell out. Tomato soup, all kind of, even tomato sauce. Anything tomato. Shit, I just want to take a tomato bath. Right, the tomato bag. That's what we was doing for the dog.

Tomato bath. That's crazy. Do you and Grapp lover? Grap. Y'all still work? We haven't worked in a while. I mean, I think he put out an instrumental album of beats that we used to experiment with. Then, you know, he would learn from me and catch on and do shit himself.

and then he put out an instrumental. And actually, half man, half amazing. He produced it first, but he had these drums. And he was like, I don't like the drum. And I didn't like him either. So he was like, you know, just change the drums. Speaking of drums. Okay, so when my beautiful twisted dark fantasy album was getting announced.

Yeah. And he was like, I mean, use Pete rock. Now, in my head, I thought you were going to make a fresh beat. No. I'm not mad. No, no, no. I'm not mad.

Yeah. Because he took one of your, one of your best interlude beats of all time. Yep. The chop, problem, shit. But, okay, when you're working in that environment, and plus you also did the makings of you, Joy. Yeah, sir. Joy.

Yep, joy. Forget about that. Now. That's when I first met Rose A, too. Okay. Cape Cuddy. So when you're in that environment, is it limiting when you're,

well, I don't mean limiting because I also had this question for a Q-tip when he made, on Watch the Throne, that's my bitch. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Beads that don't necessarily sound like it came from their.

You know what I mean? So in that particular environment, because I felt like what they did was they stripped you down to your basic minimum. Like, were you presenting full-fledged ideas to them and they were just like, nope, we just want... No, I was

actually Kanye was picking beats. He picked like eight or nine, and we narrowed it down to the one. But he did like two or three. Rhymed on one. He asked me if I wanted to rhyme on the joy with him, but I wasn't ready. you know to do that yeah okay okay no you know it wasn't nothing you're real sorry about your your your vocal uh powers which

yeah I mean you know nah I'm I'm with you I'm with you but you made it you like I don't know you you you had a cool voice for it like thanks just like you were shy like how come you didn't pursue that I wasn't I don't know man it's a grand poohber like who made you grand pooh by back again i'm here to win the bus rhymes of bees again that's the blame for me rapping i always was curious that they made you do to don't curse verse because i was like did you want to do that those are the first rhymes i wrote by myself wow oh man man yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah and then pooh bar wrote creator and soul brother what three beats that were made were you just like damn i wish i made it

Like, probably. Not I feel some sort of way, like, I could make that better, but just like, fuck, I wish I made that beat. Probably. What three joins did you hear? Or somebody got to the sample first? No, well, that's my second question. But just a completed song, I wish I'd produce this beat.

Probably like the power song. I gave you power, the nage. Oh, okay. That. Primo did that, right? Yeah. What other joint that I thought did? I was a lot of his joints.

But, you know, you have to ask me that another time. Another interview. Then, you know, I have a better thought process. Like any dillard joints? All the dillard. All right. So what sample did you have in your possession that you didn't realize? Fuck, that's where that was.

Oh, a whole lot. of shit. Or one that you had a plan for and somebody beating into it. Oh, kicking a door. Wow. I was playing it. I used to play it, play, play, play out.

I was, I'm going to make something off this one day. Then boom, Primo does it? Wow. Man. I remember being at the crib, you showed us the sample for Daylau's pony ride. Oh, wow. Yeah, with the record, when you're doing this with the record.

Yeah, you're a real joint. The record goes And they just He just tapped it So I've learned so much today It's overwhelming So I'll just stop at Biggie hearing

Biggie hearing in the flesh Get me That being an audition Take a low What'd you learn today? Man I learned that Pete Rock Has probably the sharpest ears On any human being

that can pick out snare. I mean, that's just amazing. I think that just speaks to this. Sampling them all my life, man. Yeah, but that's, I mean, still, I mean, I've been listening to it all my life, but I can't hear him the way you hear. But no, man, it's just great just to be here

with someone who inspired us and just who played such an integral part in my career and to know that he still just has the love for the music and, you know, just still has that integrity and it's still here. You know, it's so many cats from that era that weren't able to transition

and weren't able to, you know, you know, learn a new set of tools, you know what I'm saying, for the new world, so to speak. So just to see him here and still doing it, you know, doing the records with smoke, reaching out to younger generation and just still doing it, man. It's really inspiring.

And I'm happy he's still here with us. Give him my heroes the flowers while they live. Now wait, now waiting until they pass. Not waiting until they pass, not waiting until, you know what I mean. You gotta have a vigil. Shout out to Tekken Steele too. Oh, yes, right. On that note, on that note, because we did a song about that.

Sugar Steve, you with us? Yeah. What did you learn, man? Again, a lot of information. This was an information overload episode. Yeah, I learned Questlove wants to take a tomato bath. You said that. If he gets sprayed by a skunk, he's going to have to do that.

I've gotten sprayed by a skunk already. Oh, wow. No, I like, I'm worried about your dad's records being in your mom's basement. Is it... It's the first thing I thought about. It's environmentally controlled. It's good money down there. Basement.

Does that mean it's not moist? No. It doesn't fly. I just popped up while? Because you have, and then you said, you know, you still have all your discs from all these, you know. That's where I live now. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's with me.

Close next to me. Wait, you wouldn't take your record collection, would you? Yeah, of course. My records in my house. But you're sentimental, like, you want to see. You know, my father's records are still at my mother's house. So you want them there for sentimental reasons? Yeah, because I have to make room for them.

How many records do you, would you say you have? Like 10,000, 20,000, 30, 40, 50? Somewhere up there. Probably more than that, too. Like, look, my wife. This is nuts because I keep bringing records in the house. No more. She's dead ass, too.

But she knows your Pete Rock, right? It's like the reason why we have this house is. Yeah. One of these records will get you, you know. All right, so Bill. What I learned, I mean, I really just got confirmation of what I've always known is that Pete Rock is still one of my favorite producers and the fact that I was actually able to sit in the room and talk beats.

records with Pete Rock, I can pretty much die a happy man right now. Scenarios and shit. Yo, it's like this is some dream come true shit right. God bless. Thank you for coming. No, no problem, man. Thank you. Quest, me and Quest, go back.

By you? You know what I'm saying? Oh, I have learned... Snares. Yes, yeah, no, I'm learning snares, Pete. Let's keep absolutely real. I have learned that. And I've also learned that, I know, Pete Rock got a lot in common with Ray Parker Jr.

you're seeing is that y'all been making great music since y'all were teenagers i don't know if you realized that yeah yeah yeah rakeer was just on the today's show actually he was just on quest love supreme too that's so crazy the ray parker's story is that we've heard who man jack and jill my favorite joint oh he's yeah and plus he's been on so many records that yeah la lot everything i'm looking at credits on albums yeah damn he's on that shit too yeah he's on some obscure obscure records too. Like, yeah, holy. Is this the same Ray Parker?

We learned a lot. Like, like all those Invictus records. Yes. Played on all that. That's him. Unhooked generation,

all that. Ray Parker. Wow. His Barry White stories are barrenum. Man. Messing up his car. Yeah. His Barry White stories are,

oh my God. But wait, I just want, I was like, one other thing that I learned and you don't know this, but this is like the first time that I feel like,

Amir, Bill, and Fonte have fanned out over somebody's world at the same level. Like, we interviewed the revolution, but the levels were different. You know what I mean? But at this moment, it's just a really good feeling to see y'all all just kind of... Yeah. At a point... And I'm standing out, too, because on my third note, I would

also like to say that in all these years, Pete, I always thought it was dope that you got dudes on your side in this way, but you also move women in a different type of way. You know what I mean? We get to talk about that, but I know a lot of my girlfriends are like... Yes. Yes. Yes. You know what I mean, lots of loving

We make heartfelt soul Take your time Yeah, we make heartfelt shit Yeah, man, we need to talk about taking Chicago We didn't even talk about Tories Oh crap! Wow

Right You want to talk about Troy Troy real quick Yeah, I think we should Real quick Reminis Reminis Well, you know

Reminis You know, happened in 19 The beat's making process started at the end of 91, 1991 They want, you know, then, you know, made the full beat 92, blah, blah, blah. You know, y'all want me to go into how I made it? Yes.

Okay. Wait, we didn't ask about yours. No. You're talking about the albums, but we didn't. I suck, man. I'm sorry. Took a drum loop that's familiar, you know, and added that Tom Scott and then the elements afterwards, and the rest was history.

Who directed that video? Marcus Rayboy. Ah. That video, like. actually went on to make movies. It captures the mood of that song. No, I did. Yeah, yeah.

That was the first video that we did, and we said, wow, this shit really matches what you're talking about. Like, Marcus did such a great job on that video. And it was freezing when we did that video. Really? Freezing. There's an emcee from Philadelphia that was, like, way younger, the generation yet.

Youngster. And, uh... Larmint. Wait, but wait, here's the thing with black people. Like, we'll, we'll know the song, but we'll just title anything. Like, you don't say... Well, no, I used to joke that, like, Barbara Stryson's Evergreen used to be called Love Soft and the Easy Chair. Oh, wow.

Or the way we were... The way we were was memories like the corner of my mind. But this kid, who's a dope emcee, used to always say his favorite. song was Mama get married in the house. Oh, wow. Wow. And not say reminisce. That's how they remember there.

You know that song, Mama, get married in the house. That's all he, you know, I love Mama get married. That's my shit. No. Now, he's a young kid. I mean, but he knows it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's funny.

Now, black people in some type of my own-compatible. That is so funny. Talk about, was it? I like that song about my Aunt Joyce. Yeah, right. My Aunt Joyce. Shit, I still called Crossroads Uncle Charles, Charles, y'all.

It's relatable. The song is relatable. Exactly. Smoke this is final words. Did you... This is our nerd out session. Did you... What did you learn?

Trust me. I learned that y'all amos technical... Stupid nerd. In Pandora history. You know, but I enjoyed it, though, because, you know, like, I'm a nerd. I like wrestling. I like wrestling. I'm a wrestling nerd.

Have you done cheap heat, Peter Rosenberg's probably? I'm about to say. I didn't do cheap heat. No. But Peter is my man. So I guess we got cheap heat anytime we texted and talking about it on the phone. But we did WrestleMania together and all that type of stuff. Okay.

I'm one of those kind of marks. Well, he's, it's funny because one time I was in San Francisco on tour and this cat is out there. I'm thinking he's on the road, you know, doing some shows. I'm like, what you doing? here he's like yo I'm at the wrestling shit he's out there just for that he didn't no rap shit no just out there wrestling it's crazy he's crazy with it

from electric lady studios this is Kuestlove Supreme we've had a really amazing show with our guest Pete Rock and on behalf of the team Supreme this this is Kuest Love thank you for listening and supporting the show we'll see y'all next week Kustlove Supreme is a production of I-Heart Radio this

classic episode was produced by the team at Pandora. For more podcasts from IHeartRadio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement

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