Beefs 2012: Pete Rock Blasts Lupe Fiasco over "T.R.O.Y." Sample

BY Gregory AdamsPublished May 22, 2012

Last night (May 21), Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco dropped "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)," the first track off his upcoming Food & Liquor 2: The Great American Rap Album, and the song has already come under fire from iconic producer Pete Rock.

Rock took to his Twitter account to express disappointment that Fiasco's new cut samples Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth's 1992 number "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)." You can hear both tracks down below.

"No disrespect to lupe fiasco and i like him alot but TROY should be left alone," Rock posted. "Feel so violated,the beat is next to my heart and was made. Outta anguish and pain. When it's like that it should not be touched by no one!"

Rock has taken offence to the pilfered beat, used by producers Simonsayz and B-Sidet, because the track was dedicated to a close friend, the late Troy Dixon (aka "Trouble" T. Roy of Heavy D & the Boyz).

"Man I'm a lupe fan and everything but TROY was my homie man. I think about him and Hev every fucking day!!!! Smh," he continued. "Yo hev and t-Roy I love and miss da shit outta y'all. U guys have been violated with no Vaseline. So fucked up this business smmfh!!! And I don't care who got something to say about it, kiss my.. I'm not flattered @ all. Dat shit is wack, and the producer should be ashamed of his fuckin self."

While "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" itself contains a sample of Tom Scott's "Today," Rock reminded people that he got clearance for the sax lick. "And let me be clear cuz a lot of y'all don't know this. But Tom Scott himself gave me an approval for TROY, told me I did a great job!!"

Fiasco hasn't yet responded to Rock's critique, but he did tweet a link to the video for "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)"

UPDATE: Apparently all is now good between Pete Rock and Lupe Fiasco, as Rock has since tweeted, "I just got off da phone lupe, we worked out our differences and we bout to get it in. Gonna be epic and we gonna give Troy and hev the proper respect they deserve and make history with lupe."

Thanks to XXL for the tip.



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