B. Cox looks back at *The Pharcyde* 's debut classic album Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde as it turns 30. In the midst of a genre shift of power over their home base of California, the former dancers turns emcees and producers released their debut album to little fanfare, but would become recognized in the industry for their easy going and humorous style.
Produced entirely by group member *J-Swift* , the group (also made up of members *Slimkid3, Bootie Brown, Fatlip* and *Imani* ) provided audiences of a view of living in Southern California that was noticeably different in tenor and landscape than most of their counterparts in 1992.Using humor, witty banter, clever bars with bravado laced with references of sex, weed and female entanglements catered to an audience seeking an alternative to the party and gangster rap that made West Coast hip-hop popular.
The album released two notable singles: the wise-crack song "Ya Mama" and the classic single "Passin' Me By", which has become their more recognizable track to date. While not a commercial success, the album was critically acclaimed and largely credited along *Freestyle Fellowship'* s To Whom It May Concern and *Del the Funky Homospaien* 's I Wish My Brother George Was Here with helping to popularize the West Coast alternative hip-hop scene which helped lead to the success and visibility of later acts such as *Hieroglyphics, Jurassic 5, Blackalicious, Dilated Peoples* and more.
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*Show Notes*
*Albumism: The Pharcyde's "Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde" Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective*
*Medium: BackSpin- Pharcyde "Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde"*
*Anywhere The Dope Go: The Pharcyde: Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde-Throwback Thursday Review*