Mecca and the Soul Brother

Recorded across 1991 and 1992 and released on Elektra, Mecca and the Soul Brother is the record most often reached for when the sample-based era is discussed. Its centerpiece, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)," was written in memory of Troy Dixon of Heavy D & The Boyz. Three decades on it remains one of the most recognizable records in hip-hop, and the reason a C.L. Smooth booking still fills a room.