"They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" is a song by Pete Rock & CL Smooth, inspired by the death of their close friend Troy Dixon (better known as "Trouble" T. Roy of Heavy D & the Boyz) in 1990. The song was the lead single off their debut album, Mecca and the Soul Brother, released in 1992, and later became a staple of early 1990s hip hop. The song peaked at #58 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. The song contains a sample from "Today" by Tom Scott and the California Dreamers. Overview Pete Rock in a 2007 interview with The Village Voice: Content Over a saxophone and bass sample of Tom Scott's cover of "Today" by Jefferson Airplane, CL Smooth unravels fond memories of his own childhood, being the son of a young teenage mother, her father and four siblings, and the love he feels for other family members in working class Mount Vernon. The chorus's ad libs are provided by Pete Rock. The 12 second intro is sampled from the 1971 song "When She Made Me Promise" by The Beginning of the End. The B-side of the 12" pressing is "The Creator", which is taken from the group's 1991 EP, All Souled Out. Acclaim Although not a chart topper at the time of its release, "Reminisce..." has since gone on to become a staple in hip hop; one that immediately recalls a certain period in time (the early 1990s) as well as paying respect to lost ones, and acknowledging family members. Many critics consider it one of the best produced hip hop songs, and it continues to appear on many "Greatest Songs" lists such as Q Magazine's "1001 Best Songs Ever", Spin Magazine's "Top 20 Singles of the 90s", and The Source's "100 Best Rap Singles Of All Time". It was voted #6 in About.com's Top 100 Rap Songs. It was also number 90 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. Pitchfork included the song at #35 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #12 on its list of "The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time." It was ranked #430 on "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2021. Summary "They Reminisce Over You" features a jazz bass line with a constant saxophone riff, and a backup singers' harmony in the background.