Mecca and the Soul Brother

Mecca And The Soul Brother is the critically acclaimed 1992 debut album from the Mount Vernon duo of Pete Rock & CL Smooth. The album contains their best known song, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)".

Overview

Mecca And The Soul Brother followed on the heels of their EP All Souled Out, released in 1991. Despite being a critical success, it had little commercial success in comparison to other noteworthy releases of 1992, such as Dr. Dre's The Chronic. CL Smooth's dexterous lyrics were a suitable match for Rock's jazzy, sampled-laden soundscapes. The first single, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)", a dedication to their fallen friend and back up dancer for Heavy D, "Trouble" T. Roy, has gone on to become not only their signature hit, but also one of hip hop's most highly regarded songs.

Other topics on the album range from life in the ghetto ("Ghettos of the Mind"), the teachings of the Nation of Islam ("Anger in the Nation"), bootlegging ("Straighten It Out"), and the self-explanatory "Lots of Lovin'" (the third single to be released from the album). At 77 minutes, it's a lengthy album, and the large number of songs is tempered by brief musical interludes - a theme Pete Rock would repeat on the duo's second album, and on his own solo albums.

Mecca And The Soul Brother brought a lot of acclaim to the duo they were often compared to the group Gang Starr, which also featured one MC, and a producer/DJ. Although it garnered a lot of praise, sales were slow. The group only grew more popular, however, and next appeared on the Menace II Society soundtrack, followed by Who's the Man?, and Poetic Justice, respectively before returning in 1994, with The Main Ingredient.

In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source Magazine's 100 Best Rap Albums.

Track listing

1. "Return of the Mecca" – 5:42
2. "For Pete's Sake" – 5:48
3. "Ghettos of the Mind" – 5:01
4. "Lots of Lovin'" – 5:07
5. "Act Like You Know" – 4:01
6. "Straighten It Out" – 4:12
7. "Soul Brother #1" – 4:30
8. "Wig Out" – 4:10
9. "Anger in the Nation" – 5:31
10. "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" – 4:44
11. "On and On" – 5:10
12. "It's Like That" – 3:55
13. "Can't Front On Me" – 4:18
14. "The Basement" (featuring Deda, Grap Luva, Heavy D, Rob-O) – 5:22
15. "If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right" – 5:04
16. "Skinz" (featuring Grand Puba) – 4:14

The cassette version contain two bonus tracks: "The Creator (Remix)" and "Mecca and the Soul Brother (Remix)"

Samples Used

Source: Rap Sample FAQ

• "The Return of the Mecca"
• "You're the Fool" by The Three Degrees
• "Country Preacher" by Cannonball Adderley Quintet (intro)
• "Long Red" by Mountain
• "For Pete's Sake"
• "Come Live With Me" by Dorothy Ashby (intro)
• "Gimmie Some!" by Freddie McCoy
• "The Rill Thing" by Little Richard
• "N.T." by Kool & The Gang
• "Ghettos of the Mind"
• "Ghettos of the Mind" by Bama - the Village Poet
• "Lots of Lovin'"
• "What's Going On?" by Ohio Players
• "Player's Balling (Players Doin' Their Own Thing)" by Ohio Players (intro)
• "Act Like You Know"
• "Freedom Death Dance" by Eugene McDaniels (intro)
• "Cameo" by Eddy Senay
• "Down on the Ground" by Grant Green
• "Straighten It Out"
• "Chocolate Buttermilk" by Kool & the Gang
• "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines
• "Bootleggin" by Simtec & Wylie (intro)
• "Heighty Hi" by Mongo Santamaria (intro)
• "Soul Brother #1"
• "Pain" by Ohio Players
• "Bubble Gum" by 9th Creation
• "Soul Man" by Charles "Sweet" Sherrell
• "Headless Heroes" by Eugene McDaniels
• "Long Red" by Mountain
• "The Grunt" by The J.B.'s
• "Wig Out"
• "Turbulence" by Eddie Harris (intro)
• "Jungle Child" by Johnny Lytle
• "Anger in the Nation"
• "Talk to the People" by Les McCann (intro)
• "Sing a Simple Song" by Sly & the Family Stone
• "Funky President" by James Brown
• "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)"
• "Today" by Tom Scott
• "Deliver Me" by Tom Scott
• "When She Made Me Promise" by The Beginning of the End (intro)
• "I'm Black and I'm Proud" by James Brown
• "On and On"
• "Tell Me How Do You Feel" by Lee Michaels
• "Ode to Billy Joe" by Lou Donaldson
• "It's Like That"
• "Mongoose" by Elephant's Memory
• "Can't Front on Me"
• "Where Do I Go?" by Alyn Ainsworth
• "Don't Change Your Love" by Five Stairsteps
• "The Basement"
• "Risin' to the Top" by Keni Burke
• "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton
• "Season of the Witch" by Mike Bloomfield/Al Kooper/Steve Stills
• "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy
• "If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right"
• "Blues and Pants" by James Brown
• "Dr Funkenstein" by Parliament
• "Trespassin'" by Skull Snaps
• "Skinz"
• "Down Home Girl" by The Coasters
• "Funky President" by James Brown
• "McArthur Park" by The Three Degrees

Accolades

The information is taken from AcclaimedMusic.net. and other website links below.

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
Ego Trip	USA	Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980-98	1999	#8
Exclaim!	Canada	100 Records that Rocked 100 Issues	2000	*
Rolling Stone	USA	The Essential Recordings of the 90s	1999	*
The Source	USA	The 100 Best Dance Albums of All Time	1998	*
Mojo	UK	Mojo 1000, the Ultimate CD Buyers Guide	2001	*

(* ) designates lists which are unordered.

Album singles

Single information
"They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" Released: 1992 B-side: "The Creator"
"Straighten It Out" Released: 1992 B-side: "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)"
"Lots of Lovin''" Released: 1993 B-side: "It's Not A Game"

Album Chart Positions

Year	Album	Chart positions
		Billboard 200	Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
1992	Mecca & The Soul Brother	#43	#7

Singles Chart Positions

Year	Song	Chart positions
		Billboard Hot 100	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	Hot Rap Singles	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1992	They Reminisce Over You [T.R.O.Y.]	#58	#10	#1	#20
1992	Straighten It Out	-	#65	#7	#37
1993	Lots of Lovin	-	#66	#1	-

References