Win a Session with the Legendary Pete Rock

“I only sample stuff that gives me a good feel," Pete Rock said in an interview last year. "Something that sets my soul on fire.” Now it's your turn to do the same with a chance to get first-hand feedback on your production and sample flips by The Chocolate Boy Wonder himself. On top of that, the winner gets an MPC Live II Retro Edition (worth: $1400)—signed by Pete Rock himself!

Need some fresh inspiration to get to it? Watch Tracklib's exclusive interview with Pete Rockbelow, recorded in his studio in New York. A deep-dive into his sampling technique, his best tips and tricks for beginners, and dissections of classics including "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)," "The World Is Yours" by Nas, and his official remix of Public Enemy's "Shut 'Em Down."

1. Sample the master and/or multitracks of 'Handle With Care - Take 1' by Ben Aiken.
2. Post your beat on Instagram with the hashtag #peterockbeatbattle, include your Tracklib account username/email in the post description, and tag at least two producer friends in your post who should join this competition.
3. Follow Tracklib on Instagram.

Submit your beat before the end of the day, Sunday, November 28th, 2021 (all timezones included).

The winners will be announced on all our socials, in our newsletter, and on this Blog page in December, 2021.

FIRST PRIZE:

• A one-on-one remote session with Pete Rock himself! In a video call live from his studio in New York, he'll give you first-hand feedback on your beats and process.
• An MPC Live II Retro Edition (worth $1400)—signed by Pete Rock.
• A video shout-out from Pete Rock.
• A one-year standard subscription to Tracklib.
• A Tracklib Category C Sample License (Value: $50)

2X RUNNER UPS:

• A one-year standard subscription to Tracklib.
• A Tracklib Category C Sample License (Value: $50)
• A video shout-out from Pete Rock.

• You need to sample 'Handle With Care - Take 1' by Ben Aiken, featured on this competition page.
• You can sample only the master of the song, only one of its available multitracks, multiple multitracks, or any other combination.
• You need to download the track(s) you will sample via Tracklib (yes, we will check).
• You can submit however many submissions you'd like — as long as they all follow the rules.
• To share or release your submission containing a sample from Tracklib (outside of this competition), you need first to obtain a sample license from Tracklib.

• You can use and sample any legally obtained royalty-free sounds next to the track(s) you will sample on Tracklib — but nothing else that needs to be cleared.
• You can manipulate the sample any way you want. Chop it up, find the perfect loop, reverse it, go crazy with FXs, or all combined. It's all up to you!
• The sample needs to play an important part in your submission's production. This means, for example, that you can not just sample one snare-hit or similar.

• The prize is as stated. No cash or other alternatives will be offered.
• The prizes are not transferable.
• The winners will be awarded a full Category C sample license. The winner will, however, still have to pay the original rightsholders their share (5, 10 or 20% depending on sample time) of any eventual revenue earned on the new song.

For any questions not answered by the information above, please contact support@tracklib.com.

Ben Aiken had two passions in life: working in his family’s barbershop and singing gospel/R&B. The music by the Philadelphia singer was part of Philly Groove Records, also home to acts like The Delfonics, First Choice, and Coupe De Villes.

Philly Groove Records provides you with the unique opportunity to sample original multitracks from 1968-1978. You can find more multitracks to sample from them here.

“I promised myself I would make the sampler my instrument,” Pete Rock once told **Wax Poetics **about mastering the SP-1200 at the age of nineteen. “So I read the manual, like, fifty times. You couldn’t find me for months after that.” His production work since (32 years later now), is nothing short of legendary. From mastering the art of sampling as Soul Brother #1, all the way up to fully working with live instrumentation with his band The Soul Brothers on last year’s PeteStrumentals 3.

Producers including RZA, 9th Wonder, Just Blaze, and Kanye West all cite Pete Rock as a big source of inspiration. He undoubtedly left a long-lasting impact on hip-hop production, first together with emcee CL Smooth as a powerhouse duo from Mount Vernon, New York, who released two albums together in 1992 (Mecca And The Soul Brother) and 1994 (The Main Ingredient). Producing a sling of iconic material from there including for Nas (“The World Is Yours”), Public Enemy (official remix of “Shut ‘Em Down”), Run-DMC (the title track to Down With The King) his cousin Heavy D ("Blue Funk"), Rakim ("The Saga Begins"), Ghostface Killah ("Be Easy"), Jay-Z & Kanye West (“The Joy”), among others.