Common “The Bitch In Yoo” (1996)

Album: "The Bitch In Yoo" Single

Label: Relativity

Pete Rock: “I remember getting a phone call from [Common] saying how upset he was about getting disrespected by Ice Cube. I told him, ‘If you need my help, I’m here.’ He came to New York and we hung out at a friend’s house. I made that beat at a friend’s house with records that I had given him so he could make beats, because he made beats too. I left them over there, [so I used them] and came up with the track. I couldn’t believe that [Common] would like it. I thought I would have to go home amongst my stuff. He was right there with me when I made it.

“He was charged up. I felt, as a man, if you feel disrespected, and you feel that in your heart, you fire back. That’s what it is. That’s how real men are supposed to get down. But this was a wax thing. I think Common stood up as a man and told him how he really felt. It was memorable, man. Very classic moment.

“I think Ice Cube might have been mad at me for the beat. But I mean, I make beats. It is what it is. It doesn’t matter to me if someone wants to use me for a beat to get at somebody. What I thought was dumb was saying if you make the beat then you have something to do with it. Nah, this is a man who’s gotta get something off his chest. If you don’t respect that, then I don’t know what to tell you. But I don’t think Ice Cube’s thinking about that anymore. He has a great career. I don’t think he’s mad at me for that.

“Common put [the intro that samples The Education Of Sonny Carson]. I didn’t put that in there, they put that in there. He likes movies, so that must have came up in his head and he said, ‘I’m gonna use that part.’”