Pete Rock
| Pete Rock | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Peter Phillips |
| Also known as | Soul Brother #1 The Chocolate Boy Wonder |
| Born |
June 21, 1970 The Bronx, New York |
| Genres | East Coast hip hop, alternative hip hop, experimental hip hop, jazz rap, turntablism |
| Occupation(s) | Music producer, disc jockey, rapper |
| Instruments | Turntable, sampler |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | Babygrande Records Elektra, Loud, Rapster/BBE, Nature Sounds, Mello Music Group |
| Associated acts | CL Smooth, Grap Luva, Marley Marl, INI, Heavy D, The UN, YGz, DJ Premier, Ed O.G., 9th Wonder, DJ Green Lantern, Rakim, Nas, J Dilla, AZ, Wu-Tang Clan, Pharoahe Monch, Kanye West, Smif-N-Wessun, DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, Ill Bill, Non Phixion, Big Mello, Smoke DZA |
Peter Phillips (born June 21, 1970), better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth. After the duo went their separate ways, Rock continued with a solo career that has garnered him worldwide respect, though little in the way of mainstream success. Along with groups such as Stetsasonic, Gang Starr, A Tribe Called Quest and The Roots, Rock played a major role in the merging of elements from jazz into hip hop music (also known as jazz rap). He is widely recognized as one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, and is often mentioned alongside DJ Premier, RZA and J Dilla as one of the mainstays of 1990s East Coast hip hop production. Pete Rock is also the older brother and younger cousin, respectively, of rappers Grap Luva and the late Heavy D.
Pete Rock was born in The Bronx, New York, the sixth of seven children born to Jamaican immigrant parents. His family moved to Mount Vernon, New York when he was seven years old. During high school, he met his future recording partner CL Smooth. According to Rock, his father was also a part-time DJ who had an impressive record collection. Rock would often accompany his father to a cricket club called Wembley in The Bronx and watch as he spun records for the guests. His first job was as a paperboy, in his neighborhood.
His first major exposure to the hip-hop audience was in 1987 with Marley Marl, as a DJ on New York's WBLS radio show "In Control With Marley Marl." The 17-year-old Phillips was recognized by the listening audience as the man "puttin' in work", as he would use double copies of each record to cut up every song he played, when most New York DJs would only use double copies on every third or fourth song. Propelled by the growth of his popularity, he began producing in the early 1990s. In 1991 he joined with CL Smooth to release the EP All Souled Out.
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