Bootie Brown

The Pharcyde is an American hip hop group, formed in South Central Los Angeles in 1989. The original four members of the group are Imani (Emandu Wilcox), Slimkid3 (Trevant Hardson), Bootie Brown (Romye Robinson), and Fatlip (Derrick Stewart).Coleman, Brian. '' Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies''. New York: Villard/Random House, 2007, p. 317. DJ Mark Luv was the group's first disc jockey (DJ), followed by producer J-Swift.

The group's debut album '' Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde'' (1992), featuring the hit single " Passin' Me By", was highly acclaimed and has gone on to be cited as one of the greatest albums in alternative hip-hop. In 1995 the group released second studio album ''Labcabincalifornia'' to further commercial success, featuring crossover hit singles " Drop" and " Runnin". ''Labcabincalifornia'' received mixed critical reception upon its initial release, but has since achieved retrospective critical acclaim.The group began to unravel in the late 1990s with the departures of Fatlip and Slimkid3. The remaining members of the group released the follow up albums ''Plain Rap'' (2000) and '' Humboldt Beginnings'' (2004), but the group never regained its former commercial or critical success.

In 2008 all four members of the group temporarily reunited for performances at that year's Rock the Bells festival. Since the 2008 reunion, legal disputes over The Pharcyde name has led to various combinations of the four members touring under various names including "The Pharcyde" and "Far Side (Formerly of the Pharcyde)"; however, the four members last reunited in 2022 on Fatlip’s sophomore album, “Torpor”, for the single titled “My Bad”, which sees them apologizing to one another over their past transgressions. Imani, Fatlip and Slimkid 3 released the EP '' Timeless'' in 2025.

History

Early years

Pharcyde group members Slimkid3, Bootie Brown, and Imani met as dancers in high school the late 1980s. Dancing was their main ambition as late as 1990. Around this time, Imani and Slimkid3 were in a group called "As Is" and later a group called the "Play Brothers", while Bootie Brown was a backup dancer for Fatlip (Fatlip being the last member to join the group). Bootie Brown recalls that their earlier dancing careers influenced their rapping – "sometimes the way I rap is almost like the way I used to dance". The group met Reggie Andrews, a local high-school music teacher who worked with the Dazz Band and Rick James, and who was a major musical influence on their debut album.Coleman, Brian. '' Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies''. New York: Villard/Random House, 2007, p. 318. The group also met producer J-Swift around this time at SCU (South Central Unit), as he was Reggie Andrews's "star pupil" according to the book '' Check the Technique''.Coleman, Brian. '' Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies''. New York: Villard/Random House, 2007, p. 319. Before group settled on the name "The Pharcyde", they were almost called "The Rappers" and "True Jiggaboo", with the latter serving as inspiration for their interlude "It's Jiggaboo Time".

''Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde''

The Pharcyde recorded their first demo in 1991, which contained the songs " Passin' Me By", "Ya Mama", and "Officer",Coleman, Brian. '' Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies''. New York: Villard/Random House, 2007, p. 320. and hired a manager, Paul Stewart, who had worked for Cypress Hill, De La Soul, and House of Pain. Mike Ross of Delicious Vinyl heard the demo and the group was signed to the label in the summer of 1991. They were first featured on Brand New Heavies's album '' Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1'', on the song "Soul Flower", released by Delicious Vinyl in 1992.

The group, along with producer J-Swift, recorded their first album '' Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde'', which was released in November 1992. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1996.Coleman, Brian. '' Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies''. New York: Villard/Random House, 2007, p. 323. The album was highly acclaimed, and became one of the most praised and influential alternative hip hop albums of the 1990s.

Their second single "Passin' Me By" became a minor ''Billboard'' hit, peaking at No. 52 on the Hot 100. The song was later featured in the hit movie '' Big Daddy'' and was also a crossover modern rock hit. The album featured a couple of guest MCs, including Bucwheed (known then as Buckwheat, formerly of the alternative hip-hop group The Wascals) on the tracks "On The DL" and "I'm That Type of Nigga".

About the group's sense of humor, Imani was quoted in a 1993 interview saying, ''"We find humor in things other people don’t. Everyday situations. People might look at things around here and say, like, ‘Damn!’ We say, ‘Hah, hah, hah.’ We just chill out."''

Problems between the group and producer J-Swift began during the recording of the debut, with infighting and "personality conflicts".

After the ''Bizarre Ride'' album was released, the group began touring with A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul, culminating with an appearance at the Lollapalooza show in 1994.

In 1994, Pharcyde appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation album, '' Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool''. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by ''Time''. Also in 1994, the group did the soundtrack to the film ''Street Fighter'', with the song "Pandemonium". They were also featured on the song "Phat-T" on the On Anotha Level album by '' Anotha Level'' in 1994.

Before the success of ''Bizarre Ride,'' the group moved to Inglewood, California, where they shared a home dubbed the Pharcyde Manor. Lew of ''Dirt'' magazine reports of the Manor, ''"...you can tell their laid-back style meeting rapid-fire rhyme delivery is a product of the virtual telepathic rapport that only comes from eating, sleeping and breathing under the same roof."''

''Labcabincalifornia''

In 1995, The Pharcyde released their second album, ''Labcabincalifornia''. The album received mixed reviews upon release, maybe due to a different musical direction from the light-hearted playfulness of their debut. The album included another big crossover hit, " Runnin", peaking at No. 35 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. This single was later featured in the movie '' 8 Mile'', as well as the '' More Music from 8 Mile'' soundtrack. ''Labcabincalifornia'' featured production from Jay Dee, who handled the majority of the production. Member Slimkid3 has stated that the group met Jay Dee by way of Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, who handed them the tape that contained some of the production that would end up on the LP. This album generated lower sales, not reaching gold status. A music video for the song " Drop" was directed by Spike Jonze.

Problems grew between Fatlip and the other MCs after this album, resulting in his leaving the group. In the documentary ''Cydeways: The Best of the Pharcyde'', while the group is performing in shows they still offer their support to Fatlip, telling the crowd that if they support Fatlip on his solo career then they support The Pharcyde and vice versa.

1997–2002: ''Plain Rap & Testing the Waters''

The group was largely missing from the hip hop scene between 1997 and 1999, although they were featured on some songs during that time like their version of the Sublime song of the same name "'' Doin' Time''" in 1997. They were also featured on the song "Westcyde 242" on ''The Lawhouse Experience, Volume One'' compilation album in 1997. In 1998 they released the song "Manifest" on the ''Beats & Lyrics 2'' compilation. They were also featured on the song "Bloody Murder (Diamond D Mix)" in 1999.

The three remaining members returned in 2000 with an EP titled ''Chapter One: Testing the Waters,'' which consisted of seven new songs. An unreleased song from the EP, "Nasty Habits" didn't release until it was leaked in 2015. They also released the song "Jealousy" on the compilation ''Delicious Vinyl Presents Prime Cuts, Volume 1'' in 2000. They were also featured on two songs, "It Ain't Nothing Like" and "Let it Go" on the Rae & Christian album, ''Sleepwalking'' in 2000.

The group released a full studio album later in 2000 titled ''Plain Rap''. The album received lukewarm reception, although it was praised by some critics and fans. The single and also song on the album, "Trust" was a diss track on Fatlip, dissing his solo carrer. In 2001, they released the new song "Panty Raid" on the ''Cydeways: The Best of The Pharcyde'' compilation album in 2001.

Soon after the release of ''Plain Rap'', member Slimkid3, now going by his birth name of Tre Hardson, left the group to pursue a solo career. In 2002, he released his first solo album titled ''Liberation''.

2002–2005: ''Humboldt Beginnings''

With only two members remaining, Bootie Brown and Imani continued with the group name and released '' Humboldt Beginnings'' in 2004. The album received even less attention critically and commercially than their last effort, although it was praised by critics. This album introduced Schmooche Cat and Spaceboy Boogie X as new members and Spaceboy Boogie X as producer to the group. The album was released on the group's own independent record label, Chapter One Entertainment.

As well, the two of them had four different versions of the song "Can’t Give In" in 2002 on a compilation project, and released the song "Sticky Green" on a compilation project in 2002. As well they had five new tracks, "Intro", "Can't Give In (Remix)", "Still Got Love", "Bonus Track" and "Outro" on the ''Peacock Series Vol. 1'' compilation in 2003, as well as Bootie Brown three songs, "How To Kill a Beat Pt. 1", "How To Kill a Beat Pt. 2" and "Invasion" on his other musical project, ''Pitch Hitters'' alongside Spaceboy Boogie X also known as Savona Fran. The Pharcyde also released the song "Medieval" in 2003 and the song "Girls Town" in 2004. A compilation of The Pharcyde was released in 2005, titled '' Sold My Soul: The Remix & Rarity Collection'', featuring a number of remixes and rare songs, including the song "Pork" which was an unrealised song recorded in 1993.

2005-2020: Numerous Performances and Tours

Though '' Humboldt Beginnings'' is to date the last Pharcyde album, its members have since been keeping busy with various contributions and projects.

Former members Fatlip released his solo debut in 2005, titled '' The Loneliest Punk'', and Tre Hardson's second full-length solo album ''SLIMKID3's Cafe'' was released on April 4, 2006. In late 2007, Tre toured with L.A. Latin-funk-hip hop band Ozomatli on their Winter Tour throughout the United States. In 2005, Bootie Brown made a guest appearance on Gorillaz' single "Dirty Harry", from the album ''Demon Days''. He has toured off and on with Gorillaz ever since, sometimes also filling in live for Mos Def on the Gorillaz' song " Stylo" in 2010. Fatlip and Slimkid3 released the song "All I Want for Christmas (Is Somebody Else)" featuring St. Imey (formerly of The Wascals) and produced by J-Swift on Delicious Vinyl records in 2007, although it is not formally a Pharcyde song. The Pharcyde was featured on the songs "Don't Be Fooled" and "Back And Forth" on a Spaceboy Boogie X album in 2008. The Pharcyde was featured on the song "Get That Doe" in 2008 and on the song "Classic" in 2009. Remixes of The Pharcyde's "Runnin and "Passin' Me By" appear on Delicious Vinyl's 2008 release, ''Rmxxology''. Imani and Bootie Brown toured Australia in February 2009 as part of the ''Good Vibrations Festival.''

From 2008-2009 all four members performed together three different times. On April 22, 2008 it was announced that all four members of The Pharcyde would be reuniting for the first time since 1996, for the annual Rock the Bells Festival Series. This was due to all four members getting paid one million dollars for the gig. The first performance was Saturday, July 19 in Chicago. The Pharcyde also reunited at Rhymesayers Entertainment's Soundset '09, Memorial Day Weekend in May 2009, and were the co-headliners of the festival, which was also headlined by Atmosphere and featured many other underground artists. They also headlined at the All Points West Festival in Liberty State Park, NJ on July 31, 2009. That remains the last time all four members came together and performed together.

The remaining members of the Pharcyde and Souls of Mischief collaborated to form a group called "Almyghty Myghty Pythons" and were going to realse a collaboration album entitled ''Almyghty Myghty Pythons''. Production died down, but it was said by Imani in an 2013 interview that it was to be an ongoing project, although nothing more seemed to happen. As well, the Pharcyde was working on a project called "Karma" around 2011 alongside a song that was performed once called "Shame", that was likely a scrapped album according to Bootie Brown on a Reddit AMA thread in 2020. In 2013, Imani and Bootie Brown released the song "1st Place" under the Pharcyde name, featuring artist Moka Only. Also in 2013, they were featured on the song "Firstborn" on the album ''My Tape Deck''. In 2014, they were featured on the song "Hard Days" on the Diamond D album, '' The Diam Piece''.

In 2012, The Pharcyde's debut ''Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde'' had it's twentieth anniversary, and to mark the event Fatlip and SlimKid3 teamed up with the album's producers, J-Sw!ft and L.A. Jay, as well as record label Delicious Vinyl, to play the album in its entirety at a tribute show at The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles. The performance was intended to be a one-off, but due to an overwhelming success and reception, the two of them began touring the show 'Bizarre Ride Live', and, along with MC K-Natural, working on original music under the moniker The Bizarre Ride. In December of that year, The Pharcyde released the Amerigo Gazaway-produced "Still Got Love (Bizarre Tribe Megamix)" garnering significant praise. In 2013, Fatlip and Tre Hardson reunited to perform on 'The Over 30, Dirty Old Men Tour'. Due to Fatlip and Tre's tour, the following year Imani and Bootie Brown sued Fatlip and Slimkid3 (Tre) over using the name The Pharcyde, as the two were no longer members of the group. They won the case in 2013, granting Romye Robinson (Bootie Brown) legal ownership of The Pharcyde name. The year 2015 marked the twentieth anniversary of ''Labcabincalifornia'', resulting in a similar tour through Europe and Japan, but that time Bootie Brown and Imani were touring instead of Slimkid3 and Fatlip. The remaining two members of the group continued touring Europe through 2017. Bootie Brown and Imani continued doing performances all over America, and even released the song "Phantasy" in 2018. In April 2020, the remaining Pharcyde members suspended all of their future concerts because of COVID-19.

The downfall of The Pharcyde was named the 26th (out of 30) worst fall-offs in hip hop history by ''Complex'' magazine in December 2012.

2020-: Revival

In May 2022, The Pharcyde reunited for the 30th anniversary concert of ''Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde''. Bootie Brown decided to leave the group before the reunion. Instead Slimkid3 (Tre) and Fatlip decided to rejoin the group, doing performances with Imani. This ended a long beef inside the group, with the members even saying that "for years it was Bootie and Imani vs. Fatlip and Tre". Later in 2022, it was reported that there would be a reunion of all four members of Pharcyde on Fatlip's upcoming album ''Torpor'', with two Pharcyde tracks confirmed. Eventually there was only one Pharcyde track, which was also released as a single. The single, titled "My Bad", was released on August 1, 2022. "Torpor" was officially released via bandcamp on July 29, 2022 on CD and February 3rd, 2023 on vinyl. The song saw them apologising to one another over their past transgressions. When the song released, Bootie Brown, who was in Australia on a tour performing his song " New Gold" with the ''Gorillaz'' and Tame Impala. Bootie Brown claimed that he had no part in doing the song. It was revealed that only the three current Pharcyde members produced and wrote the song. Bootie Brown responded to the song saying that he sent the voice verses used in the song for a different project that he didn't remember what was, with these verses eventually being used on "My Bad", with Brown claiming that he did not approve of the song and that he had nothing to do with it. In a 2025 interview with Imani and Tre, they admitted that the song does not actually count as a formal reunion song.

In 2023, the Pharcyde released the single "Slhick Tawlk" alongside rapper K-Natural. In 2024, they were featured on the single "Movie Star" with rock band Tropidelic, and on the K-Natural song "Feeling Myself" the same year. In a 2025 interview with Imani and Tre, they said that the group was working on two new albums, one of which was to finish off a trilogy consisting of '' Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde'' and ''Labcabincalifornia.'' They said that when they started doing music, they always pictured doing a trilogy of well-known albums and that they were yet to produce. In May 2025, the Pharcyde dropped the EP " Timeless" consisting of four new songs, produced by NBA 2K song track artist, ''1999 WRITE THE FUTURE''. This was after the title track "Timeless" had released as a single a month before. The song "Citrus Nioxide" on the EP, dissed former member Bootie Brown saying; ''"Left all the brown shit out. I mean bullshit behind"''.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations

EPs

Singles

Features

Music videos

Further reading

*Coleman, Brian (2007). '' Check the Technique: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies''. Random House, .
*Edwards, Paul (2009). ''How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC''. Chicago Review Press, .

Notes

References

External links

The Pharcyde

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pharcyde, The
Musical groups established in 1989
Hip-hop groups from California
Delicious Vinyl artists
Musical groups from Los Angeles
African-American musical groups
Musical quartets from California
Alternative hip-hop groups
Progressive rappers
1989 establishments in California