Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde

Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
Studio album by The Pharcyde
Released	24 November 1992
Recorded	1991-1992 at Hollywood Sound (Hollywood, California)
Genre	Hip hop
Length	56:41
Label	Delicious Vinyl
Producer	J-Swift, L.A. Jay, Slimkid3

The Pharcyde chronology
Next	Labcabincalifornia (1995)

Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde is the debut album by American hip hop group The Pharcyde, released in 1992 on Delicious Vinyl. The album features a lush and jazzy sound that was predominantly produced by J-Swift, with one song produced by L.A. Jay and Slimkid3. It features guest appearances from two rappers: little known Los Angeles rapper Buckwheat of The Wascals, and The Pharcyde's drug dealer Quinton, who would later start a shortlived rap career after his appearances on this album.

Released during the dominant gangsta rap era of West Coast hip hop, Bizarre Ride featured light-hearted and humorous lyrics and a heavily jazz influenced sound. Along with albums such as To Whom It May Concern... by Freestyle Fellowship and I Wish My Brother George Was Here by Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Bizarre Ride helped establish a new alternative hip hop scene on the West Coast. Despite its wide critical acclaim, the album produced only moderate sales, peaking at #75 on the Billboard 200 and #23 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. However, on the strength of its popular single, "Passin' Me By", the album was certified gold in sales by the RIAA in 1996.

Conception

Background

High school friends Slimkid3, Imani and Bootie Brown began their career in the entertainment industry as dancers under the moniker "Two for Two", making numerous appearances in music videos and a short stint on the television show In Living Color. The trio met Fatlip and J-Swift at an after-school music program called South Central Unit, taught by Reggie Andrews. Andrews taught the group about essential elements of the music industry, and later oversaw the group's writing and recording sessions. While attending the program, the group recorded their first demo tape, which included the song "Ya Mama". In 1991, the group signed to Delicious Vinyl, following a performance of "Ya Mama" at an artist showcase. The Pharcyde made their commercial debut on the 1992 Brand New Heavies album Heavy Rhyme Experience: Vol. 1, on the song "Soul Flower" (which later appeared in a remixed form on Bizarre Ride).

Recording

The Pharcyde, along with J-Swift, recorded the entirety of Bizarre Ride at Hollywood Sounds in California, beginning in 1991 and finishing the following year. J-Swift produced ten songs and five interludes, resulting in him producing fifteen of the album's sixteen tracks. Before the completion of the album, J-Swift had a falling out with the group after he believed he was not being properly compensated for his work, and that The Pharcyde were trying to take production credit when he produced the music himself. After leaving The Pharcyde, J-Swift developed a crack cocaine habit, which he has yet to completely recover from. An associate of the group, L.A. Jay, was recruited to produce the album's final recording, "Otha Fish", which was co-produced by Slimkid3.

Track listing

No.	Title	Performer(s)	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"4 Better or 4 Worse (Interlude)"	-	Martinez	J-Swift	0:37
2.	"Oh Shit"	Slimkid3, Imani, Fatlip	Hardson, Martinez, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	4:30
3.	"It's Jiggaboo Time (Skit)"	-	Hardson, Jackson, Martinez, Robinson, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	1:26
4.	"4 Better or 4 Worse"	Slimkid3, Imani, Fatlip	Hardson, Martinez, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	5:05
5.	"I'm That Type of Nigga"	Fatlip, Imani, Buckwheat, Slimkid3, Bootie Brown	Hardson, Jackson, Martinez, Robinson, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	5:32
6.	"If I Were President (Skit)"	-	Hardson, Martinez, Robinson, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	1:02
7.	"Soul Flower (Remix)"	Bootie Brown, Imani, Slimkid3, Fatlip	Bartholomew, Hardson, Kincaid, Levy, Robinson, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	4:23
8.	"On the DL"	Slimkid3, Buckwheat, Imani	Hardson, Jackson, Martinez, Wilcox	J-Swift	4:29
9.	"Pack the Pipe (Interlude)"	-	Martinez	J-Swift	0:21
10.	"Officer"	Fatlip, Bootie Brown, Imani, Slimkid3	Hardson, Martinez, Robinson, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	4:00
11.	"Ya Mama"	Fatlip, Bootie Brown, Imani, Slimkid3	Hardson, Martinez, Robinson, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	4:21
12.	"Passin' Me By"	Bootie Brown, Slimkid3, Imani, Fatlip	Hardson, Martinez, Robinson, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	5:02
13.	"Otha Fish"	Slimkid3	Barnes III, Hardson, Robinson	L.A. Jay, Slimkid3	5:21
14.	"Quinton's on the Way (Skit)"	-	Hardson, Howze, Martinez, Robinson, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	2:10
15.	"Pack the Pipe"	Slimkid3, Bootie Brown, Fatlip, Imani, Quinton	Hardson, Howze, Martinez, Robinson, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	5:04
16.	"Return of the B-Boy"	Bootie Brown, Imani, Slimkid3, Fatlip	Hardson, Martinez, Robinson, Stewart, Wilcox	J-Swift	3:33

Notes

• Drums performed by JMD.
• Piano performed by J-Swift.
• Bass performed by J-Swift.
• Rhodes performed by J-Swift.
• Background vocals performed by The Pharcyde, Rahsaan, J-Swift, Greg and Brandon Padilla.
• Female voices performed by Cedra Walton and Leslie Cooney.
• Scratches performed by J-Swift and Fatlip.

Samples

Oh Shit

• "Beale Street" by Donald Byrd

4 Better for 4 Worse

• "Blind Alley" by The Emotions
• "Pot Belly" by Lou Donaldson
• "Rockin' Funky Watergate" by Fred & the New J.B.'s

I'm That Type of Nigga

• "Sing A Simple Song" by Sly & the Family Stone
• "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" by James Brown

Soul Flower (Remix)

• "Mister Mellow" by Grover Washington, Jr.
• "Put Your Love (In My Tender Care)" by The Fatback Band

On the DL

• "Travelin' Man" and "Equipoise" by Stanley Cowell
• "Hey! Last Minute" by The Meters

Officer

• "The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)" by Ramsey Lewis
• "The Grunt" by The J.B.'s
• "Funky Drummer" by James Brown

Ya Mama

• "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss
• "Season of the Witch" by Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper and Stephen Stills

Passin' Me By

• "It's A New Day" by Skull Snaps
• "Summer in the City" by Quincy Jones feat. Valerie Simpson
• "125 Street Congress" by Weather Report

Otha Fish

• "Today" by Herbie Mann

Pack the Pipe

• "Sneakin' in the Back" by Tom Scott and the L.A. Express
• "Autumn Serenade" by John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman

Return of the B-Boy

• "The Show" by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick
• "Two" by Madhouse