Pete Rock. The name and reputation carries a certain gravitas. The Soul Brother has been digging crates and riding the wheels of steel for damn near thirty years. Smoke DZA, on the other hand, has achieved reputable fame but is still angling for a better spot in the limelight. Together, the two have a mutually beneficial working relationship: Pete gets young blood to work with, and DZA gets an established veteran to play beatsmith. The end result, Don’t Smoke Rock, sees the past meet the present.
A Pete Rock beat always has a certain flavor, whether it be jazzy, or the classic New York grime. Even in 2016, with advanced production methods and software, Pete makes the necessary tweaks without sacrificing anything. The first such instance happens right out the gate on “Limitless,” which gets the adrenaline pumping with multiple booming layers and a dope hook from Dave East. Like Guru said at the beginning of Moment of Truth, “The rhyme style is elevated, the style of the beats is elevated,” but in this case, it’s still P.R. That’s not to say Don’t Smoke Rock is on the same level as the Gang Starr classic, but it does have more positives than negatives.
Don’t Smoke Rock boasts an impressive roster of guest artists, some of whom Hip Hop fans could have only dreamed of hearing over Pete Rock production. Specifically, Rick Ross (“Black Superhero Car”) and Big K.R.I.T. (“Dusk 2 Dusk”) shine in their respective roles. K.R.I.T. spits his classic country tone over Pete’s extra jazzy keyboards, reminiscent of something from Madlib’s Shades of Blue. Another familiar face, Royce da 5’9, stands out from the rest with his acrobatic bars over the percussion-less “Hold the Drums.” The symmetry between veteran and up-and-coming artists is endearing from a fan standpoint, and the corresponding variety in the beats is noticeable, for better or worse.
The production is not without its faults; Pete’s Achilles Heel reveals itself in the form of occasional blandness. “Moving Weight Pt. 1” fits the tonal mood of the track, but wears out its welcome about halfway through its five-minute duration. Similarly “Wild 100s” starts strong but quickly loses its luster. Pete’s aforementioned sound tweaks indicate he’s taking risks, and for the most part, he hits more than he misses (“Until Then”). It’s just a shame he didn’t take more of them.
Pete gets his just dues, but Smoke DZA comes just as correct. Throughout the album, the Harlem spitter attempts to show us that he’s more than just your average weed rapper; he’s no perennial MC, but DZA is versatile and conscientious. He holds his own on “Milestone,” next to Jadakiss and Styles P, delivering a solid banger wrought with New York flavor and an ace hook from BJ the Chicago Kid. Unwavering, DZA also stands tall next to Cam’ron on the street-friendly “Moving Weight Pt. 1” rapping: “If it’s money there I find a way in/They jack a nigga blatant/Call him out they be shocked/The fuck is you raided in the streets?/You was at the crib watching That’s So Raven. He strikes a nice balance between styles, closing the album in grandiose fashion with the delightfully trippy “Until Then” alongside Mac Miller. The break from weed-laced rhymes is a welcome change and speaks to his continued growth as an MC. His bars aren’t particularly profound, but he’s solid, which is all one can ask for.
Don’t Smoke Rock appeals to old and new heads alike, for its rooting in traditional NYC production and attention to contemporary details. Smoke DZA and Pete Rock prove to be a formidable duo on their first official outing, and the guests joining in on the fun comprise the collective cherry on top of the proverbial sundae. DZA holds it down, but considering the legacy of the Chocolate Boy Wonder, he does seem like an odd choice for the MC role. There’s also no denying that he’s aided by the stacked roster of guest performers. His rhymes aren’t exactly tipping the scales, and Pete doesn’t go thirteen for thirteen in the bangers department, but in the end, the overall strength of the final product can’t be overlooked.
I’ve streamed it. I’m from a place where we used to listen to “The Main Ingredient” and “Mecca and the Soul Brother” all day long, I love Pete Rock. Petestrumentals is my jam, his finest work imo. I didn’t enjoy this new record this much although there is some kind of old Pete sample selection feel to it. Don’t like the drum patterns. Anyway, everytime an artist I love releases a record I don’t enjoy that much I am buying another double of his old records I love. So here I am with some new shiny fresh copies of All Souled Out, Mecca & The Soul Brother and The Main Ingredient, thank you Pete Rock 😉
Soul Survivor 1 and (less) 2 is my shit. As well as instrumental projects and even NYs Finest was cool. But all Pete dropped after that has been getting worse and worse. His sound is not so rich and full of details anymore, lacking his signature “soulfulness” and hard drums/bassline. Sad to say but he sounds like an average underground producer now, like he stopped even trying. I’m saying this as producer myself. Still, respect for what he has accomplished.
KRIT has a Mississippi tone since that’s where the brother is from. Where is your editor? Tennessee though?
Right?? This site is off the chain for real…
Don’t Smoke Rock!!!
Dope! Pete still killing it and DZA is Nice wit it!!
Uhh….KRIT is not from TN.
lil boat and summer songs 2 are way better than this piece of shit album. fuck pete rock!
Classic for 2016
???? HIP HOP IS BACK YES SUPER DOPE WELL THOUGHT OUT ALBUM
album of the year nominee…fire all through…
What!!? You aint heard MA!!?? SIKE!! I lied..dope pete rock and dza..show them real hiphop..and ps. I thought MA was a dude til Heard an article say ‘she’…no lol
5/5, album of the year, and it’s not even close. Such flames. Just wish he had a tech verse on it.
fuego
Homer leave hip hop alone. You have no idea what you are talking about.
You’re right, I definitely got this job because I know nothing.
You’re an asswipe and a
JAnet jacme’s douchebag…with chlamydia ….
The world’ greatest man visits here.
Ok, I don’t get it. I’m in love with the old school, and of course Pete Rock, but that don’t mean I have to praise everything he releases. This is soooo far from what he did with CL or on Soul Survivor. Not feelin’ this at all, a few tracks okey, but the album as a whole was actually a dissapointment.
Agreed. Its like Pete lost everything I loved about his production. Similar level to that Smif N Wessun album…
Not bad
Yeah… definitely not as good as the dope albums put out by Alicia Keys and Bruno Mars this year!
HiphopDX, you done it again!!! Nailed it!!!
What is going on with this website? This used to be my go to for hip hop and now it is a joke. They must have been bought out.
…Oh… and don’t forget the 5 mic classics put out by the God M.C. Knowles sisters! HipHopDX is the voice of hip-hop!! Stayin tru to tha game!!!!
It’s ok Pete rock dope as always
I love this! Chocolateboy Wonder and the Harlemite made a classic! Just wait 15 years, and people will still play and love this album. I hope to hear more from them. Word is bond! Sh!ts dope!
Limitless is a great track, feature from up n comin Dave East deffo a strong move. Overall great end product from these 2.
This album is FIRE!! Anybody who says otherwise is obviously smokin rock. The beats and the rhymes are both excellent throughout. This and Tribe are the two best albums of the year.
Dope!! Bring hiphop back my niggaz..is all im saying.
Nowadays on radio.?? They playing the worst songs n creation!!!!
You listen to the radio? Brave.
nice album. the track “MILESTONE” is such fire. no durms is clever. just a good non force blend of styles on this album.
“…advanced production methods and software…” LOL! c’mon, it’s easier to make a beat in 2017 than it EVER was. trying to set Pete Rock up as some kind of dinosaur who’s MPC can’t cope with college drop-outs using Abelton Live, Reason, and prefab keyboard patches is 100% disingenuous.
really good