Released during the 'Gangsta rap'-era of the early '90s, the Pharcyde's debut album "Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde" was a refreshing dose of originality and freshness that the industry needed.
The album helped establish a new alternative scene on the West Coast, led by Pharcyde and followed by artists like Hieroglyphics and Jurassic 5. The album was a hit critically, and although it didn't sell well initially, it went on to be certified gold. The album was obviously a huge step for Pharcyde, but when a group's debut album does that well, it means only one thing: people want more.
For their second album, "Labcabincalifornia", released in 1995, the group took on a more emotional tone and tackled more serious issues like drugs, broken relationships and the hardships of fame. This isn't what you think about when you think about "west coast classics", but Pharcyde achieved exactly that with "Labcabincaliofornia".
One of the first singles released off the album, "Drop", is a solid track with a fantastic hook. Using a Beastie Boys sample to help craft the chorus, the track is extremely memorable, and so is the video that was made for it.
Directed by Spike Jonze and filmed in L.A. the video is considered to be one of the most creative rap videos of all time. It features the group performing the song backwards, replayed backwards, and when viewed it gives the song a truly eerie, almost surreal quality to it.
While the video is excellent, the lyrics are even better, with Bootie Brown starting the track off with one of the best verses on the album: "10 years in the trade is not enough, you can't cut it/I let you take a swing, and you bunted/for an easy out, I leave mc's with doubt/of exceeding, my name is Bottie Brown and I'm proceeding, leading,/they try to follow but they're shallow and hollow."
"Runnin'" was produced by Jay Dee and features a one of the most unique samples on the whole album. The track uses a cut of jazz musician Stan Getz's "Saudade Vem Correndo", from his 1963 album "Jazz Samba Encore" and features some very illustrative and introspective lyrics.
Fat Lip really brings his best on this track as he raps: I'm kickin' it in the back of the school eatin' chicken at/three, wonderin' why is everybody always pickin' on me/I tried to talk and tell tham chill I did nothing to deserve/this But when it didn't work I wasn't scared just real."
"She Said" is my personal favorite track on the album. It features some excellent verses by Slimkid3 and Fatlip, who both showcase their immense talents on the track. Fatlip's verse is very laid back and its conversational style fits in wonderfully with the subject matter of love and past relationships, while Slimkid3 uses his trademark style of mixing both singing and rapping to perfection.
Fatlip's verse is filled with illustrative lyrics and you can hear how his relaxed style gives it a bit of humor as he raps: " I waste no time to kick my little I say "How ya doin'" she say/"I'm doin' fine" so I commence to mackin to baby to see/what's crackin So maybe I get her back at the cabin and/start attackin Threw back a shot of yack and started jabben/and jibben Fibbin and adibin just to get her to my crib then/We was chilling on the bed bumpin some Isley thought I was/about to spread the thighs."
Although this album wasn't quite as light hearted or fun as their debut, I think in this case the different sound isn't a bad thing. The album showed how the group matured over the three years between records and also that they have the skills to try something new and original and still be pretty damn good.
For an album to truly be a classic, the music has to stand the test of time, and 15 years after it was first released, "Labcabincalifornia"s standout tracks like "Drop" and "Runnin" are still in heavy rotation for any true hip-hop fan, and should be for decades. If only modern artists showed this kind of creativity, we'd never have to hear another "hip-hop is dead again". Viva Pharcyde!
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