Hailing from … Read Full Bio ↴Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth is a rap group from the 1990s.
Hailing from "Money Earnin'" Mount Vernon, New York, this DJ-MC duo first made noise in the rap world on the 1991 EP, All Souled Out. It sold moderately well enough to justify Elektra Records clearing the way for 1992's Mecca & the Soul Brother LP.
As a producer, DJ Pete Rock (Peter Phillips) tended to prefer obscure soul and jazz sides for sample sources, frequently making use of horn-driven hooks. Lead vocalist C.L. Smooth (Corey Penn) tended to be philosophical in his raps, and he mostly avoided profanity. Their signature hit was “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”, a dirge for fallen friends, specifically, Troy "Trouble T-Roy" Dixon, a dancer for fellow Mount Vernon, New York rapper and cousin of Pete Rock, Heavy D. (Dwight Myers).
1994's The Main Ingredient was the follow up, and they appeared on a string of guest appearances for remixes, soundtracks, and other works. Public Enemy, EPMD, Heavy D and Johnny Gill were among the artists they collaborated with, and they can also claim credit for producing (and performing on) Run-DMC’s 1993 comeback single 'Down with the King'. Despite all this, the duo failed to go gold on any of their own releases.
Separating in 1995 (shortly after a well-received Sprite TV commercial), they eventually reunited on a handful of cuts from Pete Rock’s solo recordings: Soul Survivor (1998), PeteStrumentals (2001) and Soul Survivor II (2004). They also went on a brief reunion tour as a warm up for their then-anticipated new album, which ended with a show at London's famous Jazz Cafe. Despite these intermittent collaborations, the pair has exchanged dismissive comments toward each other in separate interviews, disavowing plans for a full-fledged reunion.
Their compilation, The Best of Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth: Good Life, was released on Elektra in 2003.
Carmel City
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where CL's God, and the ladies gotta hit me off
Ballin on the set now baby what's the matter
When all this is Hot Sex served on a platter
Enter my flow so I can hit this show with somethin rugged
It's mainly how all the honies dug it
Like every single day and, bounce around the way and
Chicks are never waiting when the bodies start marinating
To turn my stumbling blocks, into my stepping stones
The pound Donna Karan New York down found
Where there can be no type of slacking in your macking
The whole agenda is for me to decide; the major hustle
Is God, when brothers coincide, with the bonafide
CL Smooth, you know the Mecca Don
With lovers only for me, in Carmel City
C'mon ya'll
Top notch, butterscotch, lyrics hits the mode
To make the most gorgeous women wanna get nude
Your eyes stay glued, when this is popping word is bond
Wifey's gone, now I'm about to get my swerve on
Lay my clothes across the bed, cause I'm here to make a point
Plenty chips, got me balling in a hot joint
Respect the sextafied aura you could never take light
It's like bringing a knife to a gunfight
My large releases got me mixing with the dimepieces
And down to rival one of Uncle L's little nieces
In my palace of pleasure, everything is done properly
And if you didn't know, you better ask somebody
Right now, the players are the power structure
Check the roly-poly, now it's time you see the brother
CL Smooth, you know the Mecca Don
With lovers only for me, in Carmel City
It's freaktacular, wasn't hard to get em out the blouse
If only wifey knew, hubby got a stash house
And what moves your man got with so much emphasis
Maybe one or two many get ridiculous
So scandalous, the honey arrives with her crew
And now they're talking bout coming back without you
Yeah my boys are balling, here's the raw deal:
Come to my house, you gotta get naked for real
Indulging, my peoples said let's have a talk
About the time my lady's plane hit New York
I'm bailing off the set, heading for the crib G
Cause I'm the first thing the woman wanna see
Take a hot shower, slip on some linen
Now it's a new time, a new day, a new beginning
CL Smooth, you know the Mecca Don
With lovers only for me, in Carmel City
The song "Carmel City" by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth describes a journey through a luxurious and sensual city, where CL is a god and the women are eager to please him. The lyrics suggest a life of extravagance and indulgence, indicating that CL is a player and a lover who enjoys the company of many women. The city is described as a place where everything is done properly, and where there is no room for slacking in one's macking. The chorus emphasizes that the women of the city belong only to CL, reinforcing the message that he is a powerful and desirable figure.
The verses of the song are filled with references to sex, money, and power, all of which serve to paint a vivid picture of the lavish lifestyle that CL enjoys. The lyrics suggest that he is able to attract women effortlessly, and that he uses his wealth and fame to impress them. The chorus repeats the idea that the women in Carmel City are his and his alone, further reinforcing his status as a alpha male.
Overall, "Carmel City" is a song about the pleasures and excesses of a hedonistic lifestyle, in which the pursuit of pleasure is paramount. It is a celebration of the power of money and fame to attract and seduce, and a testament to the appeal of a life lived to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me take you on a journey through Carmel City
Come with me as I show you what life is like in Carmel City
Where CL's God, and the ladies gotta hit me off
In this place, CL is worshipped like a god and the women cannot resist him
Ballin on the set now baby what's the matter
I am living the high life and it's no big deal
When all this is Hot Sex served on a platter
Everything that I have is just a tool to get women
Enter my flow so I can hit this show with somethin rugged
Join me in my lifestyle so we can have a wild and exciting time
It's mainly how all the honies dug it
Women love everything about me and my lifestyle
Like every single day and, bounce around the way and
I live this way every day and women are always around me
Chicks are never waiting when the bodies start marinating
Women are always ready for me because they know that I have everything they want
We expand in player's land to unknowns
I am always exploring new places where I can find even more women
To turn my stumbling blocks, into my stepping stones
I use setbacks in my life as opportunities to improve my situation and find even more women
The pound Donna Karan New York down found
I have the best designer clothes and always look my best
Where there can be no type of slacking in your macking
I always have to be on my game when it comes to picking up women
The whole agenda is for me to decide; the major hustle
I am in control of my life and my goal is to find even more women
Is God, when brothers coincide, with the bonafide
When men like me come together, we can achieve anything and get even more women
CL Smooth, you know the Mecca Don
I am the leader of this lifestyle and everyone knows it
With lovers only for me, in Carmel City
Women are only interested in me and no one else in Carmel City
Top notch, butterscotch, lyrics hits the mode
My style and charisma are unmatched
To make the most gorgeous women wanna get nude
My appeal to women is so strong that they can't resist me and want to have sex with me
Your eyes stay glued, when this is popping word is bond
People can't stop watching me when I'm out in public
Wifey's gone, now I'm about to get my swerve on
Now that my wife is out of the picture, I am free to pursue other women
Lay my clothes across the bed, cause I'm here to make a point
I am so confident in my ability to seduce women that I take off my clothes as soon as I enter a room
Plenty chips, got me balling in a hot joint
I have so much money that I can enjoy the best things in life
Respect the sextafied aura you could never take light
I exude a sexual energy that cannot be ignored or dismissed
It's like bringing a knife to a gunfight
Nobody can compete with me when it comes to getting women
My large releases got me mixing with the dimepieces
My successful music career has allowed me to be around the most beautiful women
And down to rival one of Uncle L's little nieces
I can even compete with other successful men like LL Cool J when it comes to getting women
In my palace of pleasure, everything is done properly
My home is set up perfectly for me to seduce women
And if you didn't know, you better ask somebody
Everyone knows about my ability to get women
Right now, the players are the power structure
Men like me who can get women are the most powerful in this world
Check the roly-poly, now it's time you see the brother
Look at my expensive watch and recognize that I am a successful man
It's freaktacular, wasn't hard to get em out the blouse
I can easily convince women to have sex with me without much effort
If only wifey knew, hubby got a stash house
My wife would be shocked if she knew about all the women I have on the side
And what moves your man got with so much emphasis
People are amazed at my ability to seduce women so easily
Maybe one or two many get ridiculous
Sometimes I have so many women that it becomes overwhelming
So scandalous, the honey arrives with her crew
Women will do anything to have a chance with me
And now they're talking bout coming back without you
Women are willing to abandon their friends just to be with me
Yeah my boys are balling, here's the raw deal:
My friends and I are having a great time living this lifestyle
Come to my house, you gotta get naked for real
If you want to be with me, there is no need for clothes
Indulging, my peoples said let's have a talk
My friends and I want to discuss how much we enjoy being able to get women so easily
About the time my lady's plane hit New York
We are discussing my wife's recent trip to New York
I'm bailing off the set, heading for the crib G
I am leaving this location and going back to my home
Cause I'm the first thing the woman wanna see
I am so attractive to women that they can't wait to be around me
Take a hot shower, slip on some linen
I need to refresh myself and look my best for the next woman
Now it's a new time, a new day, a new beginning
Every day is a new opportunity to find more women and enjoy this lifestyle
Lyrics © Royalty Network
Written by: COREY PENN, PETE PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind