Next to N.W.A. [click to read], The Pharcyde [click to read] is perhaps the second-most influential Hip Hop group to emerge from the Left Coast rap scene. A far cry from the nihilistic anthems that laid the groundwork for the gangsta rap sound which would ultimately become the preeminent California staple, Imani, Bootie Brown, Slimkid3 and Fatlip provided a breezy, alternative approach to west coast Hip Hop with jazzy rhythms, sing-song flows and a humorous, everyman style, showing that not everything in Southern California involved Raider caps, khaki pants and Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers.
Although their debut album, Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde originally established the quartet as light-hearted, playful comedians with the dozens-influenced “Ya Mama” and schoolboy crush hymn “Passin’ Me By,” their sophomore opus Labcabincalifornia showcased a darker, more serious side, featuring production from a then-burgeoning producer known as Jay Dee. While inner turmoil led to the group separating by the new millennium, they made their triumphant return during last year’s Rock The Bells festival. Now as a reminder of The Pharcyde‘s legacy, Bobby Evans – producer/deejay and one-half of the California (by way of North Carolina) group Brother Reade – lends his chops, scratches and cuts to vintage label Delicious Vinyl‘s timeline compilation of The Pharcyde‘s first two long-players with The Pharcyde: Bobby Evans Mix.
An actual “mixtape” in the literal sense the deejay using his skills to transform the aged tracks into seemingly new cuts, Bobby Evans nimbly blends the sometimes many B-sides of Pharcyde singles as seen by the five versions of “Soul Flower” which kicks off the album. While perplexing at first, if anything the multitude of remakes is a shining example of what hip hop music was before corporate mumbo jumbo and legal red tape have all but eradicated the delicate art form of sampling. Overlooked gems like the drug-influenced “Pack The Pipe” and L.A. Jay‘s remake of “Otha Fish” are scratched in beautifully, while the aforementioned “Ya Mama” and “Passin’ Me By” are brought back to life with their respective remixes.
With more than half of the album focused solely on Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, the nostalgia tends to wear thin. With “Runnin'” and “Drop” being Labcabincalifornia’s recognizable singles, quick cuts and sudden song swaps bog down the latter half of the mixtape, unable to fully display the wide range The Pharcyde possessed.
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Although some tracks were curiously omitted (Jay Dee‘s breathtaking remix of “She Said” being the most glaringly obvious) and the mixtape only limited to the crew’s first two efforts, Bobby Evans turns in a faithful ode to The Pharcyde that both fans and newcomers can enjoy. While their reunion at Rock The Bells was seemingly a onetime only occasion, this mixtape serves as a reminder of how memorable and impactful their music was.
