The Main Ingredient (Pete Rock & CL Smooth album)

The Main Ingredient
Studio album by Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Released November 8, 1994
Recorded 1993–1994
Genre Golden age hip hop, jazz rap
Length 76:13
Label Elektra
61661
Producer Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Pete Rock & CL Smooth chronology
Mecca and the Soul Brother
(1992)		 The Main Ingredient
(1994)
Singles from The Main Ingredient
  1. "I Got a Love"
    Released: 1994
  2. "Take You There"
    Released: 1994
  3. "Searching"
    Released: 1995

The Main Ingredient is the second album by Pete Rock & CL Smooth, released on November 8, 1994. It would become their last album together.

Music

Characterized by sultry soul and jazz samples, The Main Ingredient saw a more polished sound than the duo’s debut, building on the praise that they had already garnered. The album is notable for its snappy, crispy drums and extensive use of vocal scratches, usually from songs by Biz Markie. Although missing a centerpiece on the scale of "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)", the album contains some of the duo's best known work, in the form of tracks such as the upbeat "In The House", and the catchy "Sun Won't Come Out", which features a lush vocal sample from the song of the same name by Harvey Scales.

Continuing a theme initiated by Mecca and the Soul Brother, brief instrumental interludes are placed at the beginning and end of songs. With the exception of just a few tracks, this feature is recurrent throughout the album. In addition, The Main Ingredient saw Rock fleshing out and defining his trademark production style, which is now recognized for often containing smooth basslines, swirling horns, filtered samples, and spacious grooves. The production on this album proved to be influential upon a legion of latter day producers.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Q Magazine[2]
RapReviews(9/10)[3]
Rolling Stone[4]
The Source[5]
Tiny Mix Tapes[6]

Though overlooked at the time of its release, the album has since been re-evaluated with high critical acclaim. Allmusic's Stanton Swihart called it "an album that is far more focused" and "just as good as the first record, perhaps an even more satisfying single listen." Swihart described Rock's production work as "among some of the most seductive in hip-hop", and CL as "lyrically on point, spitting out intellectual rhymes and narratives that are just as propulsive and engaging as the music."

"I Got A Love" was the album's lead off single, followed by "Take You There" and "Searching", released in 1995. That same year, the duo appeared in a well received Sprite commercial; however, they soon announced their breaking up citing creative differences, although both parties have since admitted that an unstable working relationship was the main cause of their split. The album was a favorite of the late producer J Dilla, who played it while meeting with Pete Rock to record Slum Village's "Once Upon A Time" for the album, Fantastic, Vol. 2 in 1998.

Track listing

# Title Performer(s) Time
1 "In the House" 5:27
2 "Carmel City"
  • C.L. Smooth
 3:52
3 "I Get Physical"
  • C.L. Smooth
 4:54
4 "Sun Won't Come Out"
  • Verses: C.L. Smooth
  • Chorus: Pete Rock
 4:24
5 "I Got a Love"
  • C.L. Smooth
 5:04
6 "Escape"
  • Pete Rock
 5:14
7 "The Main Ingredient"
  • Intro: Pete Rock
  • Verses: C.L. Smooth
  • Chorus: Pete Rock
 5:17
8 "Worldwide"
  • First verse: Rob-O
  • Second verse: Pete Rock
  • Third verse: Rob-O
  • Fourth verse: Pete Rock
 3:02
9 "All the Places"
  • C.L. Smooth
 5:39
10 "Tell Me"
  • C.L. Smooth
 4:17
11 "Take You There" 4:47
12 "Searching" 4:45
13 "Check It Out"
  • C.L. Smooth
 3:57
14 "In the Flesh"
  • Intro: Deda and Pete Rock
  • First verse: C.L. Smooth
  • Second verse: Rob-O
  • Third verse: Deda
  • Fourth verse: Pete Rock
 5:48
15 "It's on You"
  • Verses: C.L. Smooth
  • Chorus: Pete Rock
  • Outro: Pete Rock and Grap Luva
 5:21
16 "Get on the Mic"
  • Verses: C.L. Smooth
  • Chorus: Pete Rock
 3:50

Samples

Source: Rap Sample FAQ[7]

In the House

Carmel City

I Get Physical

Sun Won't Come Out

  • "Nautilus" and "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" by Bob James
  • "Outside Love" by Brethren
  • "I Like Funky Music" by Uncle Louie
  • "Sun Won't Come Out" by Harvey Scales
  • "Just the Way You Are" by Billy Joel

I Got a Love

Escape

The Main Ingredient

Worldwide

All the Places

Tell Me

Take You There

Searching

Check It Out

In the Flesh

It's on You

Get on the Mic

Album singles

Single information
"I Got a Love"
  • Released: 1994
  • B-side: "The Main Ingredient"
"Take You There"
  • Released: 1994
  • B-side: "Get On The Mic"
"Searching"
  • Released: 1995
  • B-side: "We Specialize"

Chart history

Album

Chart (1994) Peak
position
scope="row" US Billboard 200[8] 51
scope="row" US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[9] 9

Singles

Year Song Chart positions
Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Hot Rap Singles Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1994 I Got a Love - 69 20 2
1994/1995 Take You There 76 67 33 9

References

  1. ↑ Allmusic review
  2. ↑ Q Magazine review
  3. ↑ RapReviews review
  4. ↑ Rolling Stone review
  5. ↑ The Source review
  6. ↑ Tiny Mix Tapes review
  7. ↑ Search
  8. ↑ "Pete Rock – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Pete Rock.
  9. ↑ "Pete Rock – Chart history" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Pete Rock.
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