To all vinyl junkies, think of the five most esoteric records in your collection. Then remember, Pete Rock has them and more. Film buffs think of the most radical and exploitive blaxplotation flick that you’ve seen. Now remember, Pete Rock has seen it and more.
The point being, with each Pete Rock album one has grown accustomed to expecting the most obscurest of samples. If you ever asked Rock what his favorite Earth,Wind and Fire record is, he’d probably vainly laugh at you the same way a wine connoisseur would, if you asked for a glass of Carlo Rossi. It’s this discerning taste that made that sax loop on “T.R.O.Y.” instinctively recognizable.
The horn powered “We Roll” proves that Rock hasn’t lost a step in terms of nailing soul loops and his ear for proper frequencies is unmatched. On top of the production, Rock’s jazz to hip hop alchemy really classes up Jim Jones. That being said, a majority of the tracks on NY’s Finest sound like they were taken out of the oven too early. “The Best Kept Secret” is exemplary of what seems like a blind assigning of MCs to random beats, creating an overall non-sequitor and dull dynamic. Even maverick word-bender Redman seems lyrically fatigued on “Best Belive.” NY’s Finest shows glimmers of what Rock can do, but it’s unfortunate the album came out before Soul Brotha #1 was warmed up.

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