By Francesca Scott, Third Year, English
A mainstay from a uniquely special era of hip hop, Pete Rock graced the Lost Horizon stage for a one-off performance, delivering a set of classic tracks whose jazzy, boom bap grooves have left an indelible mark on the genre.
Stepping into Lost Horizon, the neon glow cutting through the misty drizzle of the city centre immediately lifted my spirits. The cold and rain couldn’t dampen my anticipation — I had been looking forward to this show for months. I first came across Pete Rock on Spotify through tracks like ‘Grown Man Sport’ and later, ‘After the Storm’ with Kali Uchis and Tyler, the Creator. His music has been a fixture on my playlists ever since, and tonight I would finally see him live.
Pete Rock first emerged on the scene alongside his collaborator CL Smooth in the early 1990s, reaching a career-defining peak with the release of their seminal single ‘They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)’ in 1992. The early ’90s marked a pivotal period for the genre, and the duo soon became main players in the hip hop arena as it was coming into its own. Their funky jazzy beats and breezy style likened them to New York–bred contemporaries such as Black Star and A Tribe Called Quest. Amid the rise of the East Coast sound, artists such as these are often hailed as key figures in the development of classic hip hop.
Fast forward to the present day and many artists from that era are still touring, bringing their personal blend of funk and jazz-inflected beats to venues around the UK. I’ve been lucky enough to see The Pharcyde, Souls of Mischief and Slum Village in Bristol over the past six months, and the run of ’90s hip-hop greats continued on Thursday evening with Pete Rock.
I had never attended a gig at Lost Horizon before. Albeit a little out of the way, the venue had a great atmosphere. While we waited for the main act, they kept us entertained by a DJ set spinning a mix of all-time classics, including tracks from Q-Tip, Beastie Boys and Eric B. & Rakim. The crowd itself was an eclectic mix: longtime fans who had followed Pete Rock since his early days, alongside a large contingent of students making up the front row; everyone revering the old-school sound. Drinks were flowing and heads were bopping to a set rarely heard at a typical club night, setting the perfect mood for the evening ahead.
With the crowd fully warmed up and positively buzzing, Pete Rock took his position on the decks at around nine. The night celebrated timeless lyricism, genre-fusing beats and the enduring power of true-school hip hop, delivering waves of nostalgia as the audience rapped along to every line. He then sliced through selections of his own catalogue, including ‘Straighten It Out’, ‘The Creator’, and the highly anticipated ‘They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)’, its unmistakable trumpet riff sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Later joined by rapper AMXXR, the pair displayed an easy camaraderie on stage. Their connection with the audience quickly became one of the defining features of the night. Through call-and-response exchanges and constant crowd interaction, they got everyone hyped and quickly dissolved any distance between the stage and the floor, turning the venue into a collective celebration of hip hop’s golden era.
Pete Rock waved his goodbyes with a few fist bumps at the end of the set and a promise to hang around after the concert to meet fans. In the end, that moment never quite materialised, leaving a few of us lingering in the venue in the hope of a final appearance — along with a few slightly impatient staff members (looks like we’ll have to catch him next time!)
Still, it’s safe to say that from start to finish, the night captured the quintessential vibe of the boom bap sound Pete Rock helped define. With legends of ’90s hip hop consistently bringing the East Coast sound to the South West, Bristol’s love for old-school hip hop appears to be in very good hands.
Featured image: Epigram / Francesca ScottDid you see Pete Rock at this one-off show?
