While it might not have made the Billboard Top 100 when it was originally released in 1992, but “Straighten It Out” by Pete Rock and CL Smooth, from their LP “Mecca and the Soul Brother,” still got its fair share of spins on the radio and in the clubs at the time. Hip hop heads then and now consider “Straighten It Out” a classic from Pete Rock and CL Smooth alongside “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” and “On and On.”
Like many hip hop artists in the early 90s explosion, it’s hard to find a whole lot of info on them if they faded from the limelight shortly thereafter. The same seems to be true for Pete Rock and CL Smooth. I’ve read that they released a few albums, broke up and reunited a few times over the years. I did see a recent video performance from them on November 9, 2009 in London that was posted on Okayplayer.com.
In any case, this definitely takes me back to my earliest days at Morgan State– parties in the ballroom at McKeldin Center or down in the basement that was the game room at the time (eventually the bookstore and now who knows what). I have to thank DJ Patrick Scientific (twitter: patscience, website: www.patrickscientific.com) who replied to my tweet this morning with this Throwback Friday song request. He knows about those parties at McKeldin and has had an ongoing radio spot spinning house music on Morgan State’s radio station WEAA 88.9 FM on Saturday mornings from 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM.
Here’s this week’s Throwback Friday “Straighten It Out” by Pete Rock and CL Smooth. Big up to DJ Patrick Scientific! 😎
If you would like to submit your own Throwback Friday request, hit me up via my…
- CONTACT page
- TWITTER (@ifelicious)
- MYSPACE (myspace.com/ifelicious)
- FACEBOOK (facebook.com/ifelicious)
Feel free to share a story to go with your song request as well!
Related Links
- Ifelicious Thoughts– all of my Throwback Friday posts
- Sing365.com– Pete Rock and CL Smooth (biography)
- Yahoo! Music– Pete Rock and CL Smooth (biography/discography)
- Facebook– Pete Rock and CL Smooth recent London concert invite (from Nov 9, 2009)
This song brings back good times in Hip-Hop. CL Smooth with the lyrics (which were oddly enough clean) and Pete Rock’s classic bass line and horns were a great combination. Too bad the stopped making music together. As separate individuals they were still very good but not a special as when they were together. I was waiting for them to come out with a 3rd LP. I guess I can still hope for it but I’m not holding my breath either.