USM: It’s Chris B. sittin’ down with Pete Rock, How you doin’ Pete?
P.R.: I’m chillin’, hangin’ out enjoyin’ myself…
USM: Is this California weather treatin you good?
P.R.: Very good, Very Good…. VERY GOOD!
USM: Everybody knows who you are so we’re not tryin’ to go into the past… But, I do wanna talk a little bit about INI, that was your brother right?
P.R.: Yeah, that was my brother “Grap” and his friends, know what I’m sayin’? And it was just a one time thing, but it didn’t work out due to Sylvia Rhone not liking the project.
USM: How would those who are long time Pete Rock fans be able to get there hands on some of that “INI” material?
P.R.: Go on-line, you can go on I-Tunes and buy the album…
USM: Is there any chance of a Pete Rock & CL Smooth reunion?
P.R.: Next question. (as he smiles looking in the other direction)
USM: Okay… Is Heavy D. your cousin?
P.R.: Yeah…
USM: So then, did you have anything to do with
“Redhead Kingpin” ?
P.R.: I knew “Redhead” but never worked together.
USM: Cool, check it out we’re gonna’ talk a little bit about the future too… I know you said you had some work on Redman’s and Method Man’s new album. Is that right?
P.R.: Yeah, yeah… yeah….
USM: Kurupt, what are you doing with Kurupt?
P.R.: We did a song called “Yes Sir” and it was supposed to be a follow up single to a Dogg Pound produced album by me, yeah… but that’s kind of in limbo so we don’t know what’s gonna’ happen with that, but I’m looking forward to workin’ on that.
USM: All right, and for any young producer’s tryin’ to get in the game… what advice would you have for them?
P.R.: Just to make your music to the best of your ability and stay focused and be passionate about what you love doin’. And, don’t do it just for the moment, you know? It’s like… Don’t do it just to make money, cause then it can come back and bite you in the a**!
USM: You’ve been around a lot of the dopest MC’s, what’s your most memorable moment in the studio and who was it with?
P.R.: Um, my most memorable… I have lots of stories like that, so I can’t really pinpoint on one, but there were lots of times where I’ve had great experiences with artists and then, some not so great… know what I mean? But, I’m very grateful for what God has put in front of me over the years.
USM: A little bit about the “Juicy” single… You were the original producer on that demo, am I right?
P.R.: Yeah… -yeah.
USM: I just wanted to throw that out there for
our reader’s and let them know.
P.R.: Oh yeah, definitely… definitely! That was all Pete Rock.
USM: What does the future hold for Pete Rock?
P.R.: Right now, just keep a slew of artists under my belt and workin’ with outside people as well.
USM: What do you look for in an unsigned artist? I know you said talent is one of the biggest things, but is it an artist that’s easy to work with, or one that can take direction, I mean what is it that you’re looking for in that next big thing?
P.R.: It starts from going to certain talent shows and like an amateur night, stuff like that finding MC’s. Or, just being in the street, you know what I’m sayin’? Being in the hood, you’ll find some of the dopest artists in the hood.
USM: Do you seek out artists that you want to work with?
P.R.: I mean, you can say so… I kind of seek them out, but then again I just go see people in other places or I just meet people on the whim. That’s one of the great things and one of the downfalls about being Pete Rock, is that you get to meet people who are talented and a lot more who are not so talented.
USM: Anything that you can give from your experiences to our young readers about… I know in New York the vibe is different between the “black” & the “brown”, it’s a melting pot. We’re out west and the “black” & “brown” don’t click as well, primarily because of the gang stuff.
P.R.: This is another way of life over here… you can’t really judge. Only thing I can have is my own opinion of it, which I feel I wish that it wasn’t like that. I wish that every one of us could get along. We already had so many issues with racism growin’ up, so why keep it going in this time and day in age when we’ve suffered enough. Dealing with racism….
USM: Right now before we wrap it up, did you vote for Obama?
P.R.: Of course I did…!
Interview by Chris B
-T. Lewis