The Pharcyde

Biography

The Pharcyde is an American alternative hip-hop group formed in 1989 in South Central Los Angeles, emerging as one of the most distinctive voices of the first wave of alternative hip-hop acts in the early 1990s. The group's origins trace back to three childhood friends—Imani (Emandu Wilcox) from Compton, Slimkid3 (Trevant Hardson) from Inglewood, and Bootie Brown (Romye Robinson) from Altadena—who initially met as dancers in high school and formed a B-boy dance group called "242" in the late 1980s. Their main ambition was dancing until they decided to venture into music production, eventually recruiting Fatlip (Derrick Stewart) from the Fairfax District to complete the quartet. Working with producer J-Swift, the group recorded their first demo in 1991 featuring tracks like "Passin' Me By" and "Ya Mama," which caught the attention of Delicious Vinyl Records, leading to their signing in the summer of 1991.

The Pharcyde achieved mainstream recognition with their debut album "Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde" (1992), which established them as innovators in alternative hip-hop with their playful, introspective lyricism and jazz-influenced production. The group became best known for hit singles including "Passin' Me By," "Drop," and "Runnin'," which showcased their unique blend of west coast hip-hop sensibilities with jazz rap elements and old school hip-hop aesthetics. Their musical style stood out from the dominant gangsta rap trends of the era, emphasizing clever wordplay, humor, and social commentary over aggressive posturing. However, the group began to fragment in the late 1990s as members pursued different directions, with Slimkid3 departing in 2002 to launch a solo career, releasing his debut album "Liberation" that year.

Despite the group's dissolution into separate projects, The Pharcyde's influence on alternative hip-hop remained significant. With only Bootie Brown and Imani continuing under the Pharcyde name, they released "Humboldt Beginnings" in 2004, introducing new members Schmooche Cat and Spaceboy Boogie X. After decades of limited contact, the original members reunited in 2022 under the moniker "The Far Side (formerly of the Pharcyde)" and resumed touring, demonstrating the enduring legacy and fan appreciation for their pioneering contributions to hip-hop. The group continues to record and perform both collaboratively and in solo projects, with recent work including Slimkid3's collaborative EP with DJ Nu-Mark of Jurassic 5 released in 2014 on Delicious Vinyl.

Fun Facts

• The three founding members—Imani, Slimkid3, and Bootie Brown—were originally professional dancers who performed on the television show 'In Living Color' and appeared in Herb Alpert's music video before transitioning to hip-hop music production.
• The group's name 'The Pharcyde' is pronounced 'Far Side,' a reference to the comic strip, reflecting their playful and humorous approach to hip-hop that distinguished them from the more serious gangsta rap trends of their era.
• After the group fragmented in the late 1990s, members performed under different monikers: Slimkid3 and Fatlip performed together as 'Bizarre Ride,' while Imani and Bootie Brown continued as 'The Pharcyde,' creating a complex legacy with multiple iterations of the group.
• The Pharcyde reunited in 2022 after multiple decades of scarce contact, rebranding as 'The Far Side (formerly of the Pharcyde)' and resuming touring, demonstrating the enduring fan appreciation for their pioneering alternative hip-hop contributions.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• J-Swift - Producer who worked with the group from their early formation, helping them develop their sound and producing their first demo (First demo (1991), early Pharcyde productions) [1989-1992]
• Paul Stewart - Manager who had previously worked with Cypress Hill, De La Soul, and House of Pain; hired by the group after their demo and helped secure their record deal (Management and label negotiations) [1991-1992]
• Mike Ross (Delicious Vinyl) - A&R representative who discovered the group's demo and signed them to Delicious Vinyl Records (Label signing and early releases) [1991-1992]

Key Collaborators

• J Dilla - Producer who worked with the group as their DJ/producer during their career (Various Pharcyde productions) [Early-to-mid 1990s]
• DJ Mark Luv - The group's first disc jockey (Early Pharcyde releases) [1989-1991]
• Brand New Heavies - The Pharcyde made their debut as emcees on this group's album, performing on the track 'Soul Flower' (Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1 (1992)) [1992]
• DJ Nu-Mark (Jurassic 5) - Collaborated with Slimkid3 on a collaborative EP (Collaborative EP on Delicious Vinyl) [2014]
• Amerigo Gazaway - Producer who created the 'Still Got Love (Bizarre Tribe Megamix)' for the group (Still Got Love (Bizarre Tribe Megamix)) [December 2014]
• Ozomatli - Slimkid3 toured with this L.A. Latin-funk-hip hop band (Winter Tour) [Late 2007]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Passin' Me By (Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde)
2. Runnin' (Labcabincalifornia (Deluxe Edition))
3. Drop (Labcabincalifornia (Deluxe Edition))
4. Moment In Time (Labcabincalifornia (Deluxe Edition))
5. Oh Shit (Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde)
6. Otha Fish (Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde)
7. Runnin' (Phroduced By J Dilla)
8. I'm That Type Of Nigga (Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde)
9. Ya Mama (Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde)
10. Runnin'

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia