Pete Rock Productions

For the past 15 years, Pete Rock has held a special place in hip-hop as the ubiquitous producer you often hear but whose name you may not know. Some primary pieces of evidence: intricate, puzzle-piece remixes of Public Enemy ("Shut 'Em Down") and House Of Pain ("Jump Around"), a Hitchcock reading of Rakim ("The Saga Begins"), a freshly picked Ghostface Killah banger ("Be Easy"), and horn-stabbing throwback tracks with C.L. Smooth.

Another quality that sets Pete Rock apart from other producers is his versatility — his innate ability to drop a bumpin' beat beneath a wide spectrum of MCs. "All I Know" features the funky-fresh beat-boxing of Rahzel; "Shut 'Em Down 2002" coasts along to an insistent, lo-fi horn section; the fire hydrant flow of Busta Rhymes' "What They Call Me" is phoned in from an old-school class taught by Rah Digga; and "G's Up" is a piano-led slice of Dipset action jumpstarted by Jim Jones.

Oh, sure, Pete Rock's scuffed up the classic sound of Run-DMC ("In the House," "Wreck Shop") and KRS-One ("Get Yourself Up") before, but that only scratches the turntable surface of his solo albums and consistent collaborations with C.L. Smooth. "Fly Till I Die" shimmers in the backyard BBQ sun with Talib Kweli, "Head Rush" drops members of the Wu-Tang clan into the mic ring amid vintage soul samples, "You Remind Me" caresses a hi-hat like a lover, and "Good Life" rides a spy groove straight 'til sundown.

What's so special about Pete Rock? Seriously now. Well, for starters, the rapper/DJ/producer has his own trademark sound — a margarine-smooth melding of '70s soul, '90s rap, and modern R&B, rounded out by shades of funk and hard jazz. Meaning: lots of dusty drum loops, vocal samples from beyond the grave, feel-good rhythms, and more horns than the pit of an orchestra. Along the way, you get to hear from some of the game's tightest MCs, including Rakim, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, KRS-One, Nas, and early cohort C.L. Smooth.