Pete Rock & CL Smooth - They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) (Official Video)

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) (Official Video) from the album 'Mecca & The Soul Brother' (1992)


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Lyrics:
[Intro]
(I reminisce, I reminisce)
(I reminisce, I reminisce)
(I reminisce, I reminisce)
I reminisce, I reminisce
Uh! (I reminisce, I reminisce)
Yeah (I reminisce, I reminisce)
(I reminisce, I reminisce)
(I reminisce, I reminisce)

[Verse 1: C.L. Smooth]
I reminisce for a spell, or shall I say think back
Twenty-two years ago to keep it on track
The birth of a child on the 8th of October
A toast, but my granddaddy came sober
Countin' all the fingers and the toes
Now I suppose you hope the little black boy grows
Huh, eighteen years younger than my mama
But I rarely got beatings 'cause the girl loved drama
In single parenthood, there I stood
By the time she was 21, had another one
This one's a girl, let's name her Pam
Same father as the first, but you don't give a damn
Irresponsible, plain not-thinking
Papa said chill but the brother keep winking
Still he won't down you or tear out your hide
On your side while the baby maker slide
But mama got wise to the game
The youngest of five kids, hon here it is
After 10 years without no spouse
Momma's gettin married and a house
Listen, positive over negative for the women and master
Mother Queen's rising a chapter
Déjà vu, tell you what I'm gonna do
When they reminisce over you, my God

[Bridge 1: Pete Rock]
My God
It's so
Yeah, so lovely
That's how we like to do it in the 90's
Pete Rock & CL Smooth comin' atcha

[Verse 2: C.L. Smooth]
When I date back I recall a man off the family tree
My right hand Poppa Doc I see
Took me from a boy to a man so I always had a father
When my biological didn't bother
Taking care of this, so who am I to bicker
Not a bad ticker but I'm clocking pop's liver
But you can never say that his life is through
Five kids at 21 believe he got a right too
Here we go while I check the scene
With the Portuguese Lover at the age of 14
The same age, front page, no fuss
But I bet you all your dough they live longer than us
Never been senile, that's where you're wrong
But give the man a taste and he's gone
Noddin' off, sleep to a jazz tune
I can hear his head banging on the wall in the next room
I get the pillow and hope I don't wake him
For this man do cuss, hear it all in verbatim
Telling me how to raise my boy unless he's taking over
I said pop maybe when you're older
We laughed all night about the hookers at the party
My old man standing, yelling "Good God Almighty"
Use your condom, take sips of the brew
When they reminisce over you, for real

[Bridge 2: Pete Rock]
For real, baby
Like that
We for real
Comin' atcha
In '92
Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Yeah, c'mon, hit me!

[Verse 3: C.L. Smooth]
I reminisce so you never forget this
The days of way-back, so many bear witness the fitness
Take the first letter out of each word in this joint
Listen close as I prove my point
T to the R the O-Y, how did you and I meet?
In front of Big Lou's, fighting in the street
But only you saw what took many time to see
I dedicate this to you for believing in me
Rain or shine, yes, in any weather
My Grandmom Pam holds the family together
My Uncle Doc's the greatest, better yet the latest
If we're talking about a car, Uncle Sterling got the latest
I strive to be live 'cause I got no choice
And run my own business like my Aunt Joyce
So Pete Rock hit me, 'nough respect due
When they reminisce over you, listen

[Outro: Pete Rock]
Listen, just listen
To the funky song as I rock on
And that's word is bond
I'm not playin'
Everybody, just coolin'
This song we dedicate
To the one and only
Never be another
He was my brother
Trouble T-Roy
It's like that y'all
And you don't stop
Pete Rock and CL Smooth for '92
And we out, later

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[jrsams]

This song is probably one of the greatest Hip Hop songs ever laid on wax.

[ucre]

Almost 30 years later, and STILL one of the greatest Hip-Hop songs ever made.

[brownhulk]

I get the chills as soon as the horns(saxophone) kick in.

[pbwmanagement]

It's strange how I could sing this word-for-word 30 years ago, but it's only decades later that I understand it.
Song hits deep.

[dirtykay]

One of the coldest beats in hip-hop history💯

[shaunglover]

My man is telling his whole life story, and remembering those who helped him become greater.
I mean, damn.
The love. The respect.

[ghostlover]

It breaks my heart that we'll never experience another era like the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s

[BlackDollCollectors]

I loss my mom in 1990 to cancer… I was a freshman in High school that year… When this song dropped in 92. It touched my soul. The lyrics were so profound…This entire album..but this song right here.. no words for how it connects me so deeply to my beautiful mom…. I love hip hop.

[mustangvsz]

As a little kid playing NBA Street Vol 2....Was amazed. Made me start checking out older hip hop and found a bunch of joints...

[rexx]

This song was hiphop in its purest form.

[psychokitty]

Really like how CL broke down how all these folks who helped him grow are bigger than their flaws... The teen mom who didn't take her frustrations out on him and found a supportive partner in the end, the pops with a drinking problem who made sure he had a father figure looking out, the rival who believed in his talent. Real lyricism right there.

[adamfitzgerald]

It wont ever be this good, ever again. That's what makes us reminisce to begin with.

[jasonott]

The sax in this track is so classic!!! As soon as you hear it, it takes you back!!

[drewski]

When you lost so many loved ones. This shit made me cry 💔🔥

[mathewm]

The opening sax still gives me chills, and no matter how much I revisit this I come away with full tears in my eyes due to memories stronger than nostalgia✌️

[DomPeriod]

Lost my uncle in November of 2019. We used to sit on the balcony late into the evening blasting hip hop classics from the speaker and enjoying a beer or two. This song in particular was one of his favorites. Can't believe it's been so long. I miss you, old man. Hope you're doing good on the other side.

[ebonpaladin]

2024, ya out there? Man, there are songs, then there are songs that are anthems - this is one of the anthems of the 90s. What were you doin when this hit dropped? I was still a teen running amok in the streets in NY, loving life and not knowing what the future held...

[idriveanywhere]

It was 1992 and I was living in Brooklyn. I was taking a cab home at like 6 in the morning, and I was 2 of my boys. One of them pulled out a tape and asked the taxi driver if he could play it. This is the first song that came on and I was blown away by this sound. The taxi had a system too so he pumped it and I remember this song making me feel so good. Everybody in the cab was rocking their heads back & Forth including the cab driver. Memories of Brooklyn, memories of tape deck's. I reminisce on that New York City that once was, and is now gone.

[rpina]

Still one of my favorite beats reminds me of my childhood playing NBA street vol2 and this was the opening menu song 🥲 my step dad really opened my mind to hip hop best blessing in the world

[jamesmorgan]

Ruth was rocking this one on "Ozarks", old school hip hop will never get old