Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

Mount Vernon, NY hip hop duo Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth began making music together in 1991 with a focus on philosophical rhymes rapped over obscure, horn-filled soul and jazz samples. Though they collaborated with multiple hit artists, including Run DMC and Public Enemy, the band failed to ever gain huge success and due to this, along with personal disagreements, the duo broke up for intermittent periods. They have perhaps fared slightly better in the past decade with multiple greatest hits compilations released. The duo tours occasionally.