In hip-hop, everyone at one point in time or another declares themselves to be the greatest, best, number one, or finest talent on the scene.  From the marketing schemes of 50 Cent to the catty rivalries of female MC’s claiming to be the “queen,” of this or that—the air of competition hangs thick in the hip-hop atmosphere.

Cut through the thickness and you’ll find a select few legends that truly do stand the test of time and can rightly claim elite status.  Legendary hip-hop producer and rapper, Pete Rock, is one such talent. 

Ever since 1991, when he was joined by up-and-coming rapper CL Smooth and released the debut EP, All Souled Out, Rock has made an indelible mark on the hip-hop music scene.  His moody atmospheric production, selective jazz, funk, and soul samples, and distinctive horns have distinguished him as one of the greatest producers in hip-hop. 

Not one to rest on his laurels, Rock, returns from a four year absence to reintroduce himself to the mainstream and a younger generation with the February 26th release of NY’s Finest.  The mostly self-produced album (with the exception of one Green Lantern track) finds Rock collaborating with Jim Jones, Papoose, Little Brother, Redman, Styles P, and more.

Rock t ook a moment to discuss the present, future, and reminisce with Sixshot as we talked Rock’s need to reach a younger generation of listeners, what he needed to get off his chest with this album, why he lost the thrill of making music and how he got it back, his thoughts on the NY hip-hop scene, the state of his relationship with CL Smooth, why he almost sued Keyshia Cole, and more.

The title of the album reads as a declaration of yourself as one the greatest talents in hip-hop history.  With a four year absence do you feel the need to remind people of who you are and of your numerous accomplishments since the industry can be so fickle?

I feel like its important that I do that because I still have a lot to offer to the younger generation that I’m aiming to reintroduce myself to.  I want to put out the best music I can put out to get their attention, and let them know how much of a contributor to hip-hop I was and still am.

What is your proudest contribution to the development of hip-hop music?

Just the change in the way hip-hop is made and being more creative with the music side.

Would you say that this album is a step forward in your musical evolution or more of a return to your roots?

A little bit of both.  I feel like it’s the return and a mixture of what I did in my early career.  It’s advanced to today’s sound and the way people use hand claps, finger snaps, and little light snares in their beats.  I put the heaviness in it to really make people feel it.

You rhyme on this record and noted that you had a few things to get off your chest.  What issues did you want to address with this album?

Well to let people know what I did from the past to now and the history of what I do.  The music it’s different, it’s better, and it has more substance than what you hear on the radio.  It’s real heavy.  I think if people buy it they’ll get it.  It’s not a pigeonholed album and everything doesn’t sound the same. 

The industry is steadily changing so what challenges have you encountered along this journey to reintroduce yourself to a younger generation?

I think just working with outside producers that’s doing stuff of today’s stature.  Green Lantern is the only outside producer on my album that did a song for me that I feel like is what today’s sound is about.  He’s a mixtape DJ/producer, so I feel like doing that song with him was important because of the things he’s already done with Jay-Z and all these other big people.  I felt like his music would set a certain example and get people’s attention and hopefully with my album I can do that.

So are you saying that the greatest challenge to reintroducing yourself has been finding the right collaborators?

No—finding the right music.  The collaborators are cool but it’s about finding the right beats as well.  Working with certain artists like Jim Jones, Papoose, Doo Wop—even though Doo Wop’s a little older than the younger generation—are the people that appreciate real hip-hop music.  I want to get them to appreciate the real s*** that came before what you’re hearing now and whatever you like right now.

In interviews you’ve said that this album is a reaction to you feeling good about making music again.  When did you stop feeling good about making music and why?

I think when I was doing Soul Survivor II.  I wasn’t very comfortable with the label situation and just the people that they had hired as a staff.  They had an A&R guy at my sessions trying to tell me how to make my music.  That felt really uncomfortable to me.  I didn’t like that album as much as I should’ve because a lot of things went down during that period.  I didn’t have proper management at the time so I was doing everything on my own.  Me and my fiancée were kind of picking up the pieces of things that were going down.  In the business you have your ups and downs and you gotta work through the downs and that’s what we’re doing.  At that point in time it was like a bad period.

How did you get your love of making music back?

I think my love of music has always been there, but it was just a time when I took a break.  I didn’t really wanna do anything.  It got a little stressful for me, but during the break I learned from my own lessons and mistakes I’ve made.  It also taught me a lot as well so that was that.  The knowledge and support of my family and stuff like that helped me get the feeling back that I wanted to do another record.

You’re noted for using jazz elements in hip-hop.  What do you think of the state of jazz music now?  Do you still find it inspiring?

Yeah I love jazz.  I always listen to jazz.  There’s this young cat, a piano player from Brooklyn, his name is, Robert Glasper, and I really like his band.  I think he has one of the dopest jazz bands today that people are aware and some people are unaware of—but I think he’s a very talented piano player.  I also enjoy Wynton Marsalis and all the greats; Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, and so forth.  That’s what kind of molded me as a kid when my father used to play these records.  Plus, James Brown was like one of my favorite soul artists.

And the cover art for the album is inspired by James Brown.

Of course.

You once stated that you see hip-hop headed more towards commercialism and pop.   

I just feel like if you’re gonna do pop, R&B, and hip-hop and mix it in together you should do it with more effort.  There’s a lot of the music today that sounds just effortless.  It doesn’t stick to you and ten years from now it’s not even a classic.  You probably won’t hear it anymore.  To me songs like "Reminiscence" and "Straighten It Out", is stuff that you remember.  I made that when I was like nineteen or eighteen years old and then people still love it today.  You play it in the clubs and you get a great reaction.  Even the young kids who don’t know what that record is—when they hear the horns it’s something that you will always remember.

If you could change one thing in the music industry what would it be?

It would be some of the music and a lot of the business. 

What part of the business would you change?

I would change the corporate politics of it.  Music is music and I believe it comes from the heart and soul.  Whatever artist out there is basically making music from the heart.  So when people get to understand that that they can accept what the artist has to offer without the label or anybody telling them how to make music.  You can voice an opinion.  I’m not saying the record label can’t have an opinion; but if the opinion works with the artists then so be it, but if not—know what I’m saying?

What are your thoughts on the state of the New York hip-hop scene?

We need to unify more.  We need to come together because too many of us have egos.  Everybody is just for self, every man for self, and that’s what it feels like right now.  Nobody’s really coming together and really making dope music.  If you could remember back in the day you had jazz artists working with each other, making their own records, and still coming together and doing stuff with one another. 

In recent years you and your former partner CL Smooth have been in an up/and down relationship.  Last we heard you stated that there was no bitterness between the two of you but there would also be no further collaborations.  Do you still rule out any collaborations between the two of you?

Well it’s not happening and that’s not my main focus.  I’m not really thinking about it.  I’m just thinking about putting out good beats whether it’s an album that I’m doing or whether I’m working with somebody else.  It’s about making music and being a mature and growing person and doing what you gotta do to survive.

Do you guys keep in touch at all?

No, not at all.

Lately you’ve been working heavily with Wu-Tang Clan.  How did that relationship evolve?

I think from being on Loud Records that kind of came about.  I did the first Soul Survivor album and Wu-Tang [Clan] was on Loud.  So when we met it was beautiful because it just felt like they had a certain style of rapping that I liked.  They love the way I made music and some of the old stuff I did and the classics, and even all the way up till now.  That was like a match made in heaven.  I was fortunate enough to work with them.  I’m blessed. 

How have they influenced your musical style?

They gave it more of a street edge.  I always though that it mattered in the streets whether or not your music was hot.  When I used to make beats I used to play them for cats in the streets; and all I used to do it for was to share my talent with people that I knew.

I read that you did a song on Keyshia Cole’s last album Just Like You, entitled, "Got to Get My Heart Back".  However the production credit is given to Geffen executive, Ron Fair.  What is the deal with that?

Yeah, actually if you look on the credits it doesn’t even say produced by anyone—it says additional production by Ron Fair.  That’s my beat.  I made that beat and what happened was the manager forgot that I sent him those beats a long time ago.  They just took the beat and used it.  I guess she [Keyshia Cole] liked it.  I love the way she sang on it.  I think she made it a great song, but they should have credited me for it.

So they haven’t made any acknowledgment of the fact that you created that beat?

Oh yeah they actually have—we’re working it out right now.

So no lawsuit?  [Laughs]

Nah.

What other projects are you working on?

Right now I’m working with a few different people.  I don’t wanna say names yet because I just wanna make sure it happens.  But I got things in the works.

I read somewhere that you might be working with LL Cool J.

I want to work with LL.  I heard that he’s doing a new album and hopefully we do get to work together, but we’re not working together right at this moment.  I would like to. 

What more do you wish to accomplish in your career and personal life?

Basically, anything positive.  I want to keep doing music for as long as I can do it; putting good albums out, putting good songs out, and making dope beats for dope artists.  That’s it.

For more information please visit:
http://www.myspace.com/officialpeterockpage