Pete Rock: Soul Survivor II : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

From his two classic lp's with C.L. Smooth to his productions for Run-DMC and Mary J. Blige, up through his 1998 solo debut, Soul Survivor, Pete Rock has been crushing grooves with consistency. Soul Survivor II is no exception to Rock's rule. On "One MC One DJ," Skillz performs lyrical double Dutch atop groovy Seventies keyboard stabs. "Head Rush," with RZA and GZA, sounds like the great lost Wu banger. The crunkish "Warzone" -- thanks to M1 and Stic Man of Dead Prez -- might be the freshest anti-party party joint ever. And when Rock and C.L. reunite on three tracks, one wonders why they went their own ways in the first place.