Celebrating the​ ​25th​ ​anniversary​ ​of​ ​​Bizarre​ ​Ride​ ​II ​The​ ​Pharcyde​​​ at​ ​Coda

The Pharcyde | photo by Reji B. for WXPN | rejibphotography.com

Every​ ​musician​ ​alive​ ​can​ ​name​ ​at​ ​least​ ​a​ ​couple​ ​albums​ ​that​ ​genuinely​ ​impacted​ ​them, whether​ ​they​ ​were​ ​direct​ ​influences​ ​on​ ​their​ ​own​ ​work​ ​or​ ​just​ ​sources​ ​of​ ​pure​ ​nostalgia;​ ​we​ ​all have​ ​some​ ​of​ ​THOSE​ ​albums.​ ​Some​ ​of​ ​those​ ​albums​ ​that​ ​will​ ​forever​ ​be​ ​dope​ ​to​ ​us,​ ​maybe because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​place​ ​and​ ​time​ ​we​ ​were​ ​in​ ​when​ ​we​ ​first​ ​heard​ ​them,​ ​or​ ​maybe​ ​because​ ​they’re just​ ​THAT​ ​important,​ ​that​ ​seminal,​ ​that​ ​damn​ ​good.​ ​LA-based​ ​hip-hop​ ​legends​ ​The​ ​Pharcyde’s debut​ ​​Bizarre​ ​Ride​ ​II​ ​The​ ​Pharcyde​​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​those​ ​albums​ ​for​ ​me.​ ​When​ ​I​ ​heard​ ​that​ ​former members​ ​Fatlip​ ​and​ ​SlimKid3​ ​would​ ​be​ ​performing​ ​the​ ​album​ ​in​ ​full​ ​at​ ​Coda​ ​in​ ​Center​ ​City,​ ​I already​ ​knew​ ​I​ ​had​ ​to​ ​go.

On​ ​the​ ​way​ ​to​ ​the​ ​venue,​ ​I​ ​wound​ ​up​ ​randomly​ ​sharing​ ​an​ ​Uber​ ​with​ ​my​ ​friend​ ​Slaughter Rico,​ ​a​ ​Philly​ ​rap​ ​legend.​ ​He​ ​was​ ​performing​ ​in​ ​the​ ​opening​ ​set​ ​alongside​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Sensi Starr​ ​collective,​ ​a​ ​crew​ ​that’s​ ​been​ ​making​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​noise​ ​in​ ​the​ ​tri-state​ ​underground​ ​hip-hop scene.​ ​Luckily,​ ​we​ ​made​ ​it​ ​to​ ​Coda​ ​right​ ​on​ ​time​ ​for​ ​him​ ​to​ ​hop​ ​on​ ​stage​ ​with​ ​his​ ​squad.

The​ ​rugged​ ​group​ ​put​ ​on​ ​an​ ​entertaining​ ​but​ ​surprisingly​ ​long​ ​set,​ ​considering​ ​they​ ​were opening.​ ​The​ ​charismatic​ ​energy​ ​of​ ​Ghetto​ ​MC​ ​was​ ​welcomed​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​the​ ​crowd​ ​of​ ​roughly​ ​150 engaged,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​new​ ​material​ ​Slaughter​ ​Rico​ ​premiered​ ​was​ ​on​ ​point.​ ​Despite​ ​some​ ​sound issues​ ​(mainly​ ​uneven​ ​mic​ ​levels)​ ​and​ ​very​ ​limited​ ​lighting​ ​(nothing​ ​but​ ​purple​ ​and​ ​yellow​ ​for some​ ​reason),​ ​Sensi​ ​soldiered​ ​on​ ​through​ ​their​ ​over​ ​45​ ​minute​ ​(!!!)​ ​set.​ ​Jersey​ ​wordsmith Skrewtape​ ​rocked​ ​some​ ​bangers​ ​including​ ​his​ ​arguably​ ​best-known​ ​track​ ​to​ ​date,​ ​the​ ​Mr.​ ​Green-laced​ ​“‘94​ ​Ecto​ ​Cooler.”​ ​Chill​ ​Moody’s​ ​cousin​ ​and​ ​fellow​ ​emcee​ ​Boogieman​ ​Dela​ ​joined​ ​his labelmates​ ​halfway​ ​through​ ​the​ ​set​ ​to​ ​perform​ ​some​ ​songs​ ​from​ ​his​ ​new​ ​project​ ​as​ ​well.

The​ ​crowd​ ​became​ ​noticeably​ ​restless​ ​and​ ​somewhat​ ​inattentive​ ​by​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​set, despite​ ​how​ ​dope​ ​the​ ​collective’s​ ​unorganized​ ​but​ ​fun​ ​performance​ ​was.​ ​Regardless​ ​of​ ​the talent​ ​level​ ​of​ ​Sensi​ ​Starr​ ​(which​ ​is​ ​very​ ​high),​ ​almost​ ​an​ ​hour​ ​is​ ​simply​ ​too​ ​long​ ​for​ ​a​ ​local opener​ ​to​ ​play​ ​at​ ​a​ ​hip-hop​ ​show,​ ​period.​ ​If​ ​Coda​ ​is​ ​to​ ​continue​ ​booking​ ​hip-hop,​ ​it​ ​would​ ​be wise​ ​to​ ​book​ two ​or​ three​ ​locals​ ​on​ ​each​ ​show​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​maximize​ ​draw​ ​and​ ​diversify​ ​their​ ​line​ ​ups. Personally,​ ​I​ ​always​ ​enjoy​ ​watching​ ​my​ ​peers​ ​do​ ​their​ ​thing;​ ​that’s​ ​just​ ​my​ ​business​ ​side​ ​talking.

[DISCLAIMER:​ ​WXPN​ ​REQUIRES​ ​ME​ ​TO​ ​BE​ ​HONEST​ ​WITH​ ​MY​ ​REPORTING​ ​WHEN I​ ​COMPOSE​ ​THESE​ ​CONCERT​ ​REVIEWS,​ ​SO​ ​I​ ​HAVE​ ​TO​ ​ADMIT​ ​TO​ ​ALL​ ​OF​ ​YOU READING​ ​THIS​ ​THAT​ ​I​ ​DID​ ​NOT​ ​WATCH​ ​THE​ ​TOURING​ ​OPENERS.​ ​INSTEAD,​ ​MY​ ​GIRL AND​ ​I​ ​WENT​ ​NEXT​ ​DOOR​ ​TO​ ​PIETRO’S​ ​AND​ ​DEVOURED​ ​LASAGNA​ ​AND​ ​FRIED MOZZARELLA.​ ​I​ ​WOULD​ ​LIKE​ ​TO​ ​FORMALLY​ ​APOLOGIZE​ ​TO​ ​THOSE​ ​OPENERS​ ​IN​ ​CASE THEY​ ​READ​ ​THIS.​ ​EVERYONE​ ​KNOWS​ ​PIETRO’S​ ​IS​ ​FIRE​ ​THOUGH,​ ​SO​ ​I’M​ ​NOT​ ​REALLY THAT​ ​SORRY].

I​ ​reentered​ ​Coda​ ​just​ ​in​ ​time​ ​for​ ​Fatlip​ ​and​ ​Slimkid3​ ​to​ ​start​ ​their​ ​set,​ ​pleasantly surprised​ ​to​ ​see​ ​that​ ​the​ ​crowd​ ​had​ ​grown​ ​to​ ​around​ ​250.​ ​While​ ​this​ ​still​ ​looked​ ​pretty​ ​paltry​ ​in the​ ​large​ ​venue,​ ​it​ ​really​ ​wasn’t​ ​a​ ​bad​ ​turnout​ ​for​ ​an​ ​old​ ​school​ ​hip-hop​ ​show​ ​in​ ​Philadelphia​ ​on a​ ​Sunday​ ​night.​ ​The​ ​main​ ​attraction​ ​of​ ​the​ ​show​ ​was​ ​that​ ​the​ ​two​ ​Pharcyde​ ​alumni​ ​(plus replacement​ ​K-Natural,​ ​whom​ ​would​ ​be​ ​rapping​ ​all​ ​of​ ​Imani​ ​and​ ​Bootie​ ​Brown’s​ ​verses)​ ​would be​ ​performing​ ​the​ ​entire​ ​​Bizarre​ ​Ride​​ ​LP​ ​live,​ ​from​ ​beginning​ ​to​ ​end.​ ​I​ ​grabbed​ ​a​ ​spot​ ​in​ ​the back​ ​and​ ​got​ ​ready​ ​to​ ​take​ ​in​ ​the​ ​set.

DJ​ ​Manwell,​ ​whom​ ​I’d​ ​never​ ​heard​ ​of,​ ​warmed​ ​the​ ​crowd​ ​up​ ​with​ ​a​ ​quick,​ ​impressive​ ​set of​ ​old-school​ ​bangers,​ ​juggling​ ​beats​ ​and​ ​scratching​ ​with​ ​ease.​ ​Then,​ ​the​ ​three​ ​rappers​ ​came out​ ​one​ ​at​ ​a​ ​time,​ ​skipping​ ​the​ ​album’s​ ​intro​ ​and​ ​going​ ​straight​ ​into​ ​lead-off​ ​banger​ ​“Oh​ ​Shit,” which​ ​I​ ​rapped​ ​every​ ​word​ ​of.​ ​The​ ​sound​ ​problems​ ​present​ ​earlier​ ​in​ ​the​ ​night​ ​were​ ​gone​ ​now, with​ ​every​ ​mic​ ​on​ ​par​ ​with​ ​each​ ​other.​ ​I​ ​gotta​ ​admit​ ​that​ ​I​ ​was​ ​skeptical​ ​of​ ​how​ ​well​ ​K-Natural would​ ​fit​ ​into​ ​the​ ​set,​ ​but​ ​he​ ​quickly​ ​proved​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​right​ ​man​ ​for​ ​the​ ​job,​ ​executing​ ​Imani​ ​and Bootie’s​ ​verses​ ​flawlessly.​ ​Slimkid3​ ​was​ ​the​ ​glue​ ​holding​ ​the​ ​three​ ​together​ ​up​ ​there, seamlessly​ ​playing​ ​off​ ​a​ ​mishap​ ​Fatlip​ ​had​ ​with​ ​his​ ​microphone​ ​by​ ​rapping​ ​his​ ​lines​ ​for​ ​him while​ ​he​ ​straightened​ ​it​ ​out.​ ​And​ ​Fatlip​ ​was…the​ ​unhinged​ ​genius​ ​that​ ​is​ ​Fatlip.​ ​Watching​ ​him perform​ ​live​ ​for​ ​the​ ​first​ ​time​ ​was​ ​an​ ​experience​ ​I’ll​ ​always​ ​be​ ​thankful​ ​for.​ ​The​ ​guy​ ​is​ ​still​ ​a​ ​star, all​ ​these​ ​years​ ​(and​ ​drugs)​ ​later.

I​ ​didn’t​ ​mind​ ​them​ ​skipping​ ​the​ ​intro,​ ​but​ ​was​ ​bummed​ ​out​ ​by​ ​them​ ​excluding​ ​the​ ​“It’s Jiggaboo​ ​Time”​ ​skit,​ ​going​ ​right​ ​into​ ​“I’m​ ​That​ ​Type​ ​of​ ​Nigga.”​ ​My​ ​disappointment​ ​quickly​ ​faded when​ ​I​ ​heard​ ​how​ ​sick​ ​the​ ​J-Swift​ ​production​ ​sounded​ ​over​ ​Coda’s​ ​system.​ ​After​ ​Fatlip​ ​defiantly yelled​ ​“FUCK​ ​TRUMP!”,​ ​the​ ​trio​ ​performed​ ​the​ ​“If​ ​I​ ​Was​ ​President”​ ​interlude,​ ​wisely​ ​kept​ ​in​ ​the set​ ​being​ ​that​ ​its​ ​lyrics​ ​have​ ​become​ ​more​ ​timely​ ​than​ ​ever,​ ​for ​better​ ​or​ for​ ​worse.

“Soulflower”​ ​and​ ​“On​ ​the​ ​DL”​ ​came​ ​next,​ ​followed​ ​by​ ​the​ ​rappers​ ​facetiously​ ​claiming​ ​the police​ ​were​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​end​ ​the​ ​show​ ​early.​ ​While​ ​a​ ​portion​ ​of​ ​the​ ​crowd​ ​seemed​ ​to​ ​be​ ​fooled​ ​by this,​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​it​ ​was​ ​a​ ​perfect​ ​segway​ ​into​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​slept​ ​on​ ​joints​ ​from​ ​the​ ​album,​ ​“Officer,” which​ ​was​ ​amazing​ ​to​ ​see​ ​live.​ ​But​ ​what​ ​most​ ​people​ ​were​ ​really​ ​waiting​ ​for​ ​was​ ​the​ ​hat-trick​ ​of classics​ ​that​ ​followed.

“Nevermind​ ​y’all,​ ​that​ ​wasn’t​ ​the​ ​police…”​ ​Fatlip​ ​snickered,​ ​pausing​ ​pregnantly​ ​before shouting​ ​“IT​ ​WAS​ ​YA​ ​MAMA!” ​And​ ​with​ ​that,​ ​the​ ​best​ ​mama-insulting​ ​song​ ​ever​ ​made​ ​blared over​ ​the​ ​speakers​ ​as​ ​the​ ​crowd​ ​(and​ ​performers)​ ​lost​ ​their​ ​minds.​ ​Wasting​ ​no​ ​time​ ​between tracks,​ ​the​ ​three​ ​rappers​ ​went​ ​right​ ​into​ ​the​ ​biggest​ ​hit​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Pharcyde’s​ ​career​ ​next:​ ​“Passin’ Me​ ​By.”​ ​This​ ​song​ ​has​ ​a​ ​special​ ​meaning​ ​for​ ​me,​ ​as​ ​one​ ​of​ ​my​ ​first​ ​demos​ ​was​ ​recorded​ ​over the​ ​instrumental​ ​for​ ​this​ ​track.​ ​I’d​ ​go​ ​as​ ​far​ ​as​ ​to​ ​say​ ​it’s​ ​in​ ​my​ ​personal​ ​top​ ​10​ ​songs​ ​ever​ ​made, so​ ​singing​ ​along​ ​to​ ​the​ ​hook​ ​with​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​the​ ​audience​ ​was​ ​a​ ​spiritual​ ​experience.

Next​ ​came​ ​the​ ​break​ ​up​ ​anthem​ ​“Otha​ ​Fish”,​ ​which​ ​featured​ ​the​ ​music​ ​video​ ​being played​ ​on​ ​a​ ​giant​ ​screen​ ​behind​ ​the​ ​DJ​ ​booth,​ ​just​ ​as​ ​“Passin’​ ​Me​ ​By”​ ​did.​ ​The​ ​visuals​ ​really added​ ​to​ ​the​ ​set,​ ​which​ ​didn’t​ ​have​ ​a​ ​dull​ ​moment​ ​so​ ​far.​ ​The​ ​catchy​ ​“Quinton’s​ ​On​ ​His​ ​Way” interlude​ ​got​ ​unfortunately​ ​skipped​ ​as​ ​the​ ​crew​ ​went​ ​right​ ​into​ ​“Pack​ ​the​ ​Pipe.”​ ​After​ ​flubbing some​ ​lyrics,​ ​Slimkid​ ​didn’t​ ​miss​ ​a​ ​beat,​ ​apologetically​ ​telling​ ​us​ ​“I’m​ ​high”​ ​(he​ ​later​ ​admitted​ ​he was​ ​actually​ ​drunk,​ ​but​ ​I’m​ ​not​ ​mad​ ​at​ ​him).​ ​They​ ​then​ ​finished​ ​the​ ​song​ ​by​ ​doing​ ​the​ ​remaining verses​ ​a cappella​ ​as​ ​Fatlip​ ​and​ ​Slimkid​ ​took​ ​turns​ ​beatboxing​ ​for​ ​each​ ​other.

It​ ​seemed​ ​the​ ​show​ ​was​ ​ready​ ​to​ ​come​ ​to​ ​an​ ​end​ ​with​ ​album​ ​closer​ ​“Return​ ​of​ ​the B-Boy”,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​guys​ ​threw​ ​a​ ​curveball,​ ​instead​ ​rocking​ ​out​ ​to​ ​the​ ​legendary​ ​“Apache”​ ​break before​ ​playing​ ​some​ ​more​ ​classics​ ​from​ ​their​ ​underrated​ ​sophomore​ ​LP​ ​​Labcabincalifornia​. “She​ ​Said,”​ ​“Drop”​ ​and​ ​the​ ​J​ ​Dilla-produced​ ​“Runnin’”​ ​were​ ​welcome​ ​additions​ ​to​ ​the​ ​set.​ ​After doing​ ​a​ ​short​ ​Tribe​ ​Called​ ​Quest​ ​tribute​ ​(complete​ ​with​ ​a​ ​spot-on​ ​Q-Tip​ ​impression​ ​by
K-Natural),​ ​they​ ​followed​ ​up​ ​with​ ​some​ ​new​ ​material​ ​that​ ​approximately​ ​no​ ​one​ ​in​ ​the​ ​crowd knew​ ​(and​ ​also​ ​a​ ​much​ ​less​ ​accurate​ ​Biggie​ ​impression​ ​from​ ​K-Natural).

As​ ​I​ ​noticed​ ​a​ ​large​ ​chunk​ ​of​ ​the​ ​crowd​ ​leaving​ ​during​ ​these​ ​admittedly​ ​mediocre​ ​tracks, I​ ​couldn’t​ ​help​ ​but​ ​wish​ ​that​ ​the​ ​set​ ​had​ ​ended​ ​after​ ​the​ ​trio​ ​of​ ​bonus​ ​tracks​ ​off​ ​the​ ​second album.​ ​But​ ​still,​ ​the​ ​set​ ​was​ ​incredible​ ​on​ ​the​ ​whole,​ ​especially​ ​considering​ ​that​ ​these​ ​men​ ​are in​ ​their​ ​40’s​ ​and​ ​still​ ​performing​ ​with​ ​more​ ​energy​ ​than​ ​most​ ​20-something​ ​rappers​ ​these​ ​days. It​ ​was​ ​a​ ​genuinely​ ​dope​ ​set​ ​overall,​ ​presented​ ​well​ ​and​ ​done​ ​with​ ​real​ ​effort,​ ​unlike​ ​so​ ​many​ ​of these​ ​obvious​ ​cash-in​ ​“anniversary”​ ​tours,​ ​lazily​ ​performed​ ​by​ ​former​ ​legends​ ​tarnishing​ ​their legacies​ ​with​ ​shitty​ ​stage​ ​shows.​ ​While​ ​it​ ​wasn’t​ ​the​ ​same​ ​as​ ​catching​ ​the​ ​complete​ ​Pharcyde during​ ​their​ ​prime,​ ​which​ ​was​ ​way​ ​before​ ​my​ ​time,​ ​it​ ​was​ ​definitely​ ​an​ ​experience​ ​I’m​ ​glad​ ​I​ ​got to​ ​have.​ ​Thank​ ​you​ ​to​ ​Fatlip,​ ​Slimkid3​ ​and,​ ​retroactively,​ ​K-​ ​Natural,​ ​for​ ​bringing​ ​one​ ​of​ ​my favorite​ ​albums​ ​of​ ​all​ ​time​ ​to​ ​life​ ​right​ ​in​ ​front​ ​of​ ​me.