ThaFormula.com - When you dropped the Creator EP what was the reaction to most of the people out there, and did it do really well?

Pete Rock - Yeah it actually did well but I mean we never reached Platinum status or anything but we did it just so we could get a feel of the people and what they thought about us and our music, so we put it out there as a test to test the waters. Then we came back with a great reaction and people you know loved the beats you know, they loved the new style and I was very excited. I remember the day I got the news of how people took us and you know…we basically did that just so we can see the response and the reaction and then we went on to make the first full length album which was "Mecca and the Soul Brother."

ThaFormula.com - You know its funny, growing up as a kid in the 'hood I always assumed you guys were platinum since in the 'hood everyone was bumpin' that shit. It wasn't 'till some time later that I realized that it wasn't like that everywhere. So I'm wondering did you guys make any money off of that EP and even the LP's that followed?

Pete Rock - Yeah, I mean we didn't make a whole lot of money but we sold some units and we made some money off of it and it stills sells even to this day. So the money we didn't make we probably made it back by now hopefully.

ThaFormula.com - And did you guys sign a wack contract like most of the groups from the era?

Pete Rock - Yeah of course, everybody does. I mean we didn't sign it in our best interest. We've made some money but there is a lot of things that they don't tell you or that they will never tell you. It's up to you having a great attorney that's gonna tell you how to renegotiate or negotiate your contract 'cause when you're at a young age you're just happy to get on and get paid and not think about all the paper work and all the shit that you getting taken for and teaching you about publishing and radio spins and Billboard and things like that. Now it's been a great learning experience, I learned a lot and there is still more that I have to learn.

ThaFormula.com - So after the EP you guys dropped "Mecca and The Soul Brother," I actually thought that that album went Platinum with the amount of radio play you guys got and MTV playing that shit daily…

Pete Rock - If it did go Platinum I didn't know about it. If it did I need to go and get my copy.

ThaFormula.com - Would you consider "Mecca and the Soul Brother" the most fun you ever had recording?

Pete Rock - Probably I would have to say that that was the most fun I had making an album with C.L. Smooth 'cause it was our first full-length album and we were hyped on the beats and we were confident of everything. Actually when the album was done we weren't too confident but we were confident enough in ourselves to know that we made something great and when we put it out to the people its like they gave it back to us just like that.

ThaFormula.com - Now rumors have gone around that "T.R.O.Y." was a Large Professor beat that he gave you?

Pete Rock - No. How is it a large professor beat?

ThaFormula.com - Well I have heard from different sources that have said that Large Pr...

Pete Rock - Nah, Large is my man and Large will tell you himself that he didn't make that beat. That's it! Cats know. I don't have to front, if you want I can make the beat over right in front of you. I'm tired of cats asking me stupid questions.

ThaFormula.com - No doubt Pete, but you know I got to ask you that 'cause people wanna know?

Pete Rock - But see what's important is how you put it down in the mag 'cause some of them interviewers they twist and turn shit around and turn your words around.

ThaFormula.com - Nah, we always represent correct and give to the people word for word no matter what...

Pete Rock - Okay, but nah Pete Rock made "Reminisce." So let's just make that clear for the record and just do that line in big letters, PETE ROCK MADE REMINISCE ALL BY HIMSELF!!!

ThaFormula.com - Well I figured you did 'cause I didn't see how you couldn't have done "T.R.O.Y.," and then done "Straighten it Out"...

Pete Rock - Yeah you know how people are man. They just make up stuff and just throw it out there.

ThaFormula.com - When you look back at "T.R.O.Y." now, did you ever see it becoming the timeless classic that it is now?

Pete Rock - Actually I didn't but now I look back at it and I'm like "wow," it did a lot for people. They played it everywhere, weddings, funerals and all kind of places, so you know I can't complain at all, period. I'm just glad that it worked out and I'm glad that people you know kind of adapted to the song cause I basically wanted everybody to feel my pain when I made that.

ThaFormula.com - Speaking of that Pete, why do you think we can't get any songs with that kind of feel to them anymore man?

Pete Rock - I don't know man, you know Hip-Hop has changed drastically and the original way that I believe Hip-Hop is done is not being done that way. It's being done a little different today. I feel that you know its all about longevity and making classical music and today to me it just seems like the music that I'm hearing today is not gonna last 10 years from now or 20 years from now. People are not gonna be saying, "yo that record made me feel like this." My records give you feeling inside. It makes you feel and that's why its real Hip-Hop 'cause you know it touches the soul and that's what's important. Like these records today they're not touching anything on the inside. Really I did this album to put back out there the original way Hip-Hop was done and to teach the young youth about how Hip-Hop was done and how it always should be done.

ThaFormula.com - Do you sometimes feel though Pete that it's a lost cause?

Pete Rock - Yeah, I felt like that plenty of nights, plenty of times. It kind of depressed me to even think about it because you know its a money thing with everybody. It's not about dignity and pride anymore and its not about just putting your good music out there for good use. It's healing music. Like this stuff that I hear today it doesn't heal you at all. To me it just bangs you in the head too much and makes you a different person and not on a good level. I hear a lot of people complain. That's all I do is hear people complain. It's a lot of people that feel the same way you feel, the way I feel.

ThaFormula.com - But why did we let this happen man and why are some of the legendary artists that are coming back following the same trend that...

Pete Rock - Well there is a ugly snake running about the industry and its spreading it's poison everywhere and you know until we can figure out a way to deal with what's going on in Hip-Hop man, I think its just gonna be the way it is until somebody like myself or somebody like Premier or Kanye or anybody can bridge the gap in Hip-Hop. 'Cause today some of this music is not inspiring at all. I listen to some of the new stuff but I cant listen to it too much so I break it up but I do give it a listen.

ThaFormula.com - So after the "Mecca" LP you guys were large and up next came the sophomore LP "Main Ingredient." How did you feel about that album?

Pete Rock - I think it was a good look. You know people really loved that album but it was kind of weird to me because it was different for me. It didn't sound as young as "Mecca and the Soul Brother," so it was more of a mature sound. There's a song that I did called "In the Flesh" on "The Main Ingredient" which I had made in front of Biggie, he was watching me make the beat so that album to me is kind of special cause even though he wasn't a part of the album, he was a part of my thoughts which was still important to me at the time and still is.

ThaFormula.com - The more time that goes by man it seems wack that you and Biggie never recorded together. I mean I know you did the "Juicy" remix but I don't know if you were actually together for that?

Pete Rock - Yeah, we never really worked together. He came over to my house and I gave him a few beats to write to and stuff, but we never got to do anything. There was an interlude beat that he wanted that was on "The Main Ingredient," that he was really, really lovin' but we didn't really get a chance to do that as well.

ThaFormula.com - How big was Biggie on the streets before Bad Boy?

Pete Rock - He definitely was a voice that was known before he got signed. In the hood, on the streets and on mix tapes, kids were checkin' for him like "yo who is that cat?"

ThaFormula.com - So when "The Main Ingredient" dropped, did you guys feel you got the props you deserved on the album?

Pete Rock - Yeah, I think so. As far as the label working it, I didn't think they worked it hard enough but I was definitely proud of that album. I just was sad that it didn't do as well 'cause the label didn't get behind it and push it properly. They didn't know how to promote a Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth.

ThaFormula.com - But they did push the first one pretty good right?

Pete Rock - Yeah, even with the first one back then we didn't even reach gold status at all. So from what I'm hearing now is that we're gold so I don't know.

ThaFormula.com - So at what point in time did you guys decide that was it?

Pete Rock - I think it was after "The Main Ingredient." The label was giving us a lot of problems with that album and you know behind the scenes stuff, paperwork, all kinds of stuff…money, everything was just too much at the time for a young man like myself so I just called it quits and went on to produce and do underground stuff.

ThaFormula.com - During the time of "Mecca" and "Main Ingredient" were the labels the same back then as they are now as far as pushing you to make more radio type tracks and jingles?

Pete Rock - Not really, we would just be going in the studio and doing whatever. We didn't listen to the radio to much. I never made beats in mind that I have to make a radio record. I did what I wanted to do and whatever my body felt like doing.

ThaFormula.com - 'Cause I look back at how you guys were on a major like Elektra and real Hip-Hop ain't on major labels no more. So I was wondering if maybe that's what led to you calling it quits?

Pete Rock - Hmm, you could say that. When Sylvia Rhone came and took over the label it was basically a wrap for me cause we didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things. She came in with the new shit, that bullshit. So of course we're not gonna see eye to eye when she is saying to me that I should be making beats like Puff and I'm my own person. Puff, he's learned a lot from me and that's all. I got no problems with Puff, I think he's a great person, I think he's smart and I think he's a good business man.

ThaFormula.com - Now you did get to drop a single for "Fakin' Jax" on Elektra before you left...

Pete Rock - Yeah but that's what I'm saying. That's when our working relationship severed with Sylvia 'cause she didn't put that album out and then all of a sudden people get copies of it and its bootlegged and all kinds of shit is going on.

ThaFormula.com - How did it feel not seeing that INI album drop? 'Cause that was an incredible album…

Pete Rock - I mean it's out now but I just felt like it was a great and should have came out back then, but she didn't understand, she didn't see. She was coming in with a totally different mind frame. She cleaned out the real Hip-Hop and hired you know the trip-flop.

ThaFormula.com - Now it wasn't just you though Pete. It seemed like around this time of '96 and '97 every label started cleaning house and dropping everybody?

Pete Rock - Yeah, it was a bad period in the music business at that time. People were getting dropped, people were losing their jobs and then they brought in a whole new horizon of artists and producers that we couldn't understand because they didn't have the passion or the love for the music. They were just doing it for the money and you could hear it in the music.

ThaFormula.com - So I'll ask you Pete…why do you think the labels all decided to wipe out the real artists and bring in this new bullshit?

Pete Rock - I have no idea, but like I said its someone at a round table that doesn't know anything about Hip-Hop music that doesn't have any love for the music and its that person who I call the devil basically who makes the plan on how to destroy Hip-Hop and you know that's basically how it goes down because if you look at it like with some of these rappers you know doing shit like not unifying with each other this type of thing happens. When we don't unite as Black people and come together and especially from a music that we created, it kind of looks bad when we don't unify and when we focus on things that we shouldn't be focusing on. So when were not focusing and looking that other way, that other little devil is coming in right behind you and slippin' right past you to fuck shit up and that's how I feel. The person that's doing it has no soul and no kind of means what so ever. They are focused on one thing. HOW TO DESTROY HIP-HOP AND MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY IN THE PROCESS.

ThaFormula.com - So when shit got tough in '96 it seems like that was the time when a lot of the unity between many artists just started to fall apart...

Pete Rock - Yeah everybody was breaking up and shit. I think with groups they don't seem to realize what I learned now…that this industry can pit you against your partner. Record companies are good for infiltrating, coming between a group or not working out proper negotiations with their contracts and stuff like that but all of that stems from just not being on top of your shit.

ThaFormula.com - So what was the plan after the Elektra situation?

Pete Rock - I mean the West Coast kind of was running it for a little while and then that died down and you know now I believe New York has to come back strong and you know I think I'm one of their strong entities that is doing something in May with releasing this "Soul Survivor II" album. A lot of albums have come out over the years and a lot of the times I would just sit there not impressed just going through records. I like a whole album that you can just sit and listen to the whole thing from start to finish like a Gangstarr album or a Tribe or Pete Rock album.

ThaFormula.com - So how did the first solo joint come about?

Pete Rock - I think that came about with just me being out there you know at certain functions and I met someone who introduced me to Steve Rifkind and Steve was interested in me and meeting with me. So we met and talked about doing an album through Loud and I said I wanted to do it like this. Sort of like a compilation, like done by me but it's never been done before 'cause I never produced an album with different rappers on every track and I think it's a cool series that I'ma keep going.

ThaFormula.com - I think that only two people have ever done that to perfection and that is you and Dre with "The Chronic." How was recording that project and was it a hard project to put together?

Pete Rock - Nah, not really at all. It was actually fun and easy. I got to meet a lot of people. I got to make working relationships with a lot of artists and it was great for me. It was a good thing and good exposure so I was happy..

ThaFormula.com - Now did that LP turn out like you would have liked as far as Loud supporting you?

Pete Rock - Nah, they didn't really you know do a…I guess what was required to blow the album up. Also the industry had changed and things were different 'cause they were looking more to push like the 3/6 Mafia and the other shit coming out. But people and things change so I could never understand but I can always try to keep up and show people that I'm a versatile producer and that I can do any type of music.

ThaFormula.com - When the keyboard era came in a little after that, how did you feel about it?

Pete Rock - To be honest and truthful, I didn't like the sound. I felt like there was no soul in the music and then you know, just like…you know there was no real time spent on making a hit record. I mean you don't have to spend hours and hours on a beat, but my thing is you know the music with the keyboards just sounds empty and there is no soul and no care and nobody is doing the music like to the best of their ability. They are just doing it and getting it out there and getting paid and doing what they gotta do instead of caring for what they do and saying nah you know I don't like this beat, I wanna go back and change it and put this in it and make it sound better. I don't think that's being done at all today except for the real cats who really want there shit to sound dope.

ThaFormula.com - Was there a lot of beats that you didn't get credit for?

Pete Rock - Yeah I have mentioned a few before but other then that I'm not gonna let that cat out the bag. But of course I did a lot of ghost producing and arranging.

ThaFormula.com - Did that happen a lot to you?

Pete Rock - Well it hasn't happened recently. For that you have to pay me for stuff like that now. I can't just do it on spec anymore. I was so happy being in the game of music and making money, I was just like okay I'll help you with this, and not thinking about getting," paid but nowadays if you want me to help you arrange a beat you're gonna have to pay for that.

ThaFormula.com - How do you feel about MTV and how most people feel that it controls what's Hip-Hop now?

Pete Rock - To me MTV only controls what's in their world, they don't control Hip-Hop 'cause I believe I'm Hip-Hop and they don't control me. Like any other producer would say the same thing who has a passion and who is dear to the heart with this will tell you its all about the music man. MTV to me is disgracing Hip-Hop right now how I see it. They can slap the cuffs on me for saying that but who gives a fuck. I remember charting and having records that I produced on MTV everyday and not even Yo! MTV raps. Because it was a good rap record it would be on MTV, but these days they are doing bullshit to me. I don't even watch MTV. MTV2 I gets with because they show a lot of the good videos and a lot of the golden age stuff. MTV2 is like the way MTV should be period.

ThaFormula.com - So after the "Soul Survivor" what did you do from there?

Pete Rock - I basically was going on tour and on the road a lot. I was just out doing DJ gigs and shows and shit and then creating this new album that's coming out on the 11th of May.

ThaFormula.com - How long did you work on this new "Soul Survivor II" LP?

Pete Rock - For about a year.

ThaFormula.com - So you weren't working on it for the last few years like many people thought?

Pete Rock - Nah, I mean I have had beats for that long but I finally just started putting it together the end of 2002 and beginning of 2003.

ThaFormula.com - It's amazing to me that they have completely shut out the real Hip-Hop from the major labels man. Dead Prez seems to be the only real group on a major.

Pete Rock - Not even Gangstarr is on a major anymore and that's sad. That's when you know it's a fucking sad day in Hip-Hop. These fucking major labels is on some bullshit with that wack shit. They're getting rid of the real shit, to sign that wack shit and that shit pisses me off, but you know whatever. Obviously these people have no experience with music.

ThaFormula.com - Now one of the biggest questions people always ask is why weren't you on the "Stillmatic" or the "God Son" LP from Nas?

Pete Rock - You know, I have no idea but you have to ask Nas about that one and that's the end of the story. I would love to work with Nas again but you will have to ask him why I haven't worked on his albums. He will be able to tell you that with no problem.

ThaFormula.com - No doubt. I mean people just wanna see you guys back together on some classic shit like "Illmatic." Speaking of that, did you guys ever record anything over again after the "Illmatic stuff?"

Pete Rock - Nah that was it.

ThaFormula.com - I  hope Nas sees this and you guys can get together and make some classic shit for the heads.

Pete Rock - Yeah, I got a massive collection of beats for him. I used to make beats and put them on the side for him.  Hopefully we can be grown men, work out our differences whatever that is and make music together.  I'm a fan of Nas and hopefully we can squash whatever is going on.

ThaFormula.com - Exactly. How did you feel about the Non-Phixion project you worked on?

Pete Rock - Ill Bill man Ill Bill!!! That's my man. Non-Phixion was one of the dopest white MC's that I've met in a long time besides Eminem. Them cats are fucking ridiculous.

ThaFormula.com - What's the deal with the Ed O G and Pete Rock Project?

Pete Rock - We are almost done with that. He's just gotta finish writing some things. I'm jumping on a song with him and then that's gonna be it. It's like 7 joints I did for him.

ThaFormula.com - What's the deal with you and Foxxx man? People wanna hear some shit from the two of you?

Pete Rock - Well me and Foxxx we been trying to work with each other, but you know there is just a few things we gotta get straight first before we go in and do the music. So that's it 'cause I'm dying to finish that up with Freddie. I laid down a lot of shit with him and you know we're just trying to wait to see when we're gonna do shit. I have no idea what his plans are and how he plans on doing it.

ThaFormula.com - So what's up with the new album Pete?

Pete Rock - Well its "Soul survivor II" and it features a lot of good people on there. Pharoahe Monch, Little Brother, Rza & Gza, Dead Prez, Talib Kweli, C.L. Smooth, Krumbsnatcha, Skillz, Slum Village, J-Dilla, Postaboy, Leela James and that's it. That's what's up right there. Also, make sure with the Nas thing that we spoke on, don't make it seem like I'm trying to get at him. Just let it be known how I feel as far as all that to me is nonsense…'cause this is just music. Do whatever just don't twist it around and make it look fucked up like other journalists do.

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