Known for his jazz and R&B samples, producer Pete Rock emerged in the early ’90s to become one of hip-hop’s most influential beatmakers. • Rock was born in the Bronx to Jamaican parents. His father was a DJ who’d spin reggae and soul records at a local cricket club called Wembley. • He met rapper CL Smooth after moving to Mount Vernon. They made their debut with the 1991 EP All Souled Out. • The signature Pete Rock sound features dense layers of samples, often recorded straight from vinyl records to create a hazy feel, as heard on his and CL Smooth’s 1992 classic “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”. • After releasing 1994’s The Main Ingredient, his second album with C.L. Smooth, Rock went to work on his solo debut, Soul Survivor, which arrived in 1998. He followed it up with a sequel in 2004 and NY’s Finest in 2008. • Rock has released several instrumental beat albums, including 2001’s Petestrumentals and its 2015 sequel.