Over a decade after the release of their breakthrough debut, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde, the two remaining members of the Californian quartet, Pharcyde, are still finding ways to reach out to their hip-hop loving, Visine toting fans. From four members, to three, to the eventual pair, the Pharcyde has been able to maintain a level of credibility and consistency within their music, to remain powerful impact characters in the ever-evolving world of hip-hop. After the departure of Slimkid Tre and Fatlip, Humboldt Beginnings marks the Pharcyde’s first album as a duo, consisting of original members, Imani and Booty Brown. While the dynamic of the group has obviously changed, the Pharcyde still carries with it that ironic combination of carelessness and seriousness, that gets heads from all over putting down their textbooks, packing up their pipes, and zoning out to the sounds of the Pharcyde.
Glide recently caught up with Imani and Booty Brown to discuss the band, the album and the state of hip-hop.
How would you describe your latest album, Humboldt Beginnings, and how does it compare to previous albums?
Booty Brown: Different. I would just say different. I mean, none of the albums have been the same. So, this album is different compared to Bizarre Ride, and that’s different from Labcabin. They’re all different. That would be the first thing I would say. As far as what I want from the listeners…I just want them to listen. Just start out with one thing…just listen first.
What would it take at this point for the four original members of the Pharcyde to get back together?
Imani: Aww man, B. You dealin’ with different people, you know? One man might feel something different. I mean, Fatlip is tryin’ to do a record right now. Tre’s tryin’ to put out records. So, I mean, I don’t know how they feel about that situation, but…you never know. It would take a message from God
BB: For me, it would take a whole lot of money man, and that’s just honest, you know. Because, I look at it like right now, it ain’t the best, but it’s the closest. And to put everything into that situation and go back, there would be no bouncin’ back from that. So it would be an all in situation. Bein’ that it’s that way man, I would just have to be all in paid, man. And just know that, whatever goes on, I’m still gonna be able to function, and have whatever I need to have happen…happen.
What do you think about the hip-hop world today…is there anything out there that impresses you, or anything out there that depresses you?
Imani: It’s just like “it is what it is.” There’s always been high points and low points. I’m mean, there’s never been a time where it was like “Oh my God, I love everything about it, everything is incredible.” I can’t remember a point like that. There’s always been some shit that was real dope, and some shit that was real wack. I mean, there was an era were everyone was sayin’ it was the Golden Age and all that, but, before we came out there was Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, Biz Markie, and all that kind of shit – and that was my Golden Age. And now you got people sayin’ “oh, the Golden Age was Souls of Mischief, Pharcyde, Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang.” So it’s like, everybody has a Golden Age of when they thought hip-hop was at it’s best, I guess it all just depends on how old you are.
But wouldn’t you say that as it’s received more and more corporate attention, the quality of the actual music itself has changed?
Imani: Aww shit man, I guess you haven’t heard that new Mobb Deep and 50 Cent joint? I mean, there’s a lot of shit that’s out. I mean there’s just so much shit out and everybody just turns on MTV and the radio for the answers. But there are just so many different outlets, and so many different forms of music. But shit, if you really check, there’s shit out there. I mean, I’ve be bumpin’ the Madlib…that Madlib and MF Doom MadVilliany album, Platinum Pied Piper…that shit is incredible, and Atlantiquity… then you got your record groups, like Outcast. I mean, there is shit out there that’s dope, it’s just there’s so much shit that you probably don’t like, that you got to weed through to get to it.
BB: The media always was the media, and it’s always been like that. I mean at one time you had Vanilla Ice, at another time you had Hammer. And those were the MC’s at that time that were bein’ shown. Its just that now, it’s just more. Like Imani said, you have more wack, and you got more dope.
It just scares me, because, if you look at how it was.. like back in the day, in the early 90s, if you were comin’ up in the game, you weren’t expected to be so huge, so more young rappers were like “I wanna be a rapper, I love this shit!” Now though it’s like all or nothing from a business standpoint. So more young people are discouraged from taking it to a new level, and the ones that are going for it, are basically just in it for the money and the fame, and not for the art.
Imani: Well, different people have different ways of looking at it. I mean, us, like certain people have their opinion of how it should be. And if they’re not livin it like that then it’s wrong. Like the whole southern hip-hop thing, and a lot of hip-hop people are like “I’m not into that thing.” But I mean, if you were from Arkansas or Mississippi, or certain places that have hip-hop, it’s just the shit. I mean everyone has their time. Like what were they sayin’ down south when everything was just NY, NY, NY? They was probably like “damn man, they don’t have nothing that sounds like we doing, or what we like, or whatever from where we come from.” Then West coast came along and had their time. And it’s like, if you love hip-hop, you like the many facets of it and the different sides of it. And everybody has to get their chance…that’s the way I look at it.
BB: People gotta break they minds man. You know man, it’s just good to still be doing it. I mean, I just look at it like, “Damn, not everybody knows about Atmosphere.” Some people, I mean, they know ’em. Their shows be sold out. Come back and do more shows. So I just look at it as, it definitely levels the playing field at different levels.
Imani: The hip-hop game has changed so much too. Hip-hop is the shit. It went from being like, not wanting to be accepted, to just being like the shit. It’s everything, it’s everywhere.
BB: Definitely. You got to look at it like, now people who don’t want to conform to the labels, who want to do what they want to do, and do their own thing – that’s why you have independent rap. You know, those are the people who are not gonna have their album out on time, you know, they gonna do it like they wanna do it. But if you do it the corporate way, you gotta do it the way they wanna do it, and it’s always been that way. And whenever you don’t do it their way, then you’re gonna have to sacrifice. And I just think it’s cool, cuz hip-hop has actually made it in some places where you don’t have to sacrifice, you can do it the way you want to do it.
Imani: And lookin’ at it from where we came from, I mean, we came into this in like the early 90s, so we were seein’ the people that were doin’ it in the 70s and the 80s. And the people they took it from bein’ in the streets and bein’ in the park – to being on shows like MTV and Arsenio Hall, the rap city, and Yo! MTV raps. It’s like, “dude, hip-hop is great” That’s why people ask me about “the state of hip hop.” “What’s the state of hip hop?” I laugh (laughing). I mean the state of hip-hop is incredible! It’s great. You know how many jobs have been made, money, how many opportunities have been offered, and how many doors have been opened because of hip-hop? I have nothing bad to say about hip hop – ever.
BB: I remember people hatin’ on R&B.; Everyone was talking bad about R&B.; Now man, shit, who don’t wanna do a song with J-Lo? Like Jadakiss doin’ R&B; joints. Does that mean he don’t have lyrics? It’s just different. I don’t think Jadakiss is a wack rapper at all. People make moves to do what they need to do.
Do you feel you have a distinct role within this contemporary hip-hop culture? Most serious hip-hop fans have a lot of respect for you guys.
Imani: I feel like I have a role to do what I wanna do. And makin’ music that I wanna make. I don’t have no role to represent no certain people, or speak nobody’s mind, or represent no certain sections of the culture. Dude, I talk to some people and it’s like, they feel like their role is bigger than it is. I just look at it like, we’re some dudes who got together to make music and got some opportunities to go and play music around the world in different places and just make music. That’s it, that’s my role that I’m feelin, that gets the party started and bumpin’, and you feel it.
BB: Yeah, once you start getting into making yourself appeal to everybody…man. I mean, I have kids come up to me like “man, where’s your throwback man? You ain’t hip-hop!”
Imani: Like, “Where’s YO ice nigga?!”
BB: Then, once somebody major comes out. Like once Kanye comes out and don’t wear a throwback, then it’s cool. Now all of a sudden, you don’t have to wear a throwback. So that just let’s you see that you can’t be following’. Cuz people out there…they are the masses. And they’re called masses for a reason. I mean, you want people to buy your album, so you want the masses to buy your album. But at the same time, the masses go with what’s out, and what all the masses are doin’, you know? I mean, if everybody got an iPod, then they gotta get an iPod. If everybody got this, then they gotta go get this, you know? And I don’t consider myself a part of the masses, I consider myself a person that wants to set things up. I mean, as far as our albums, we’ve always been ones to set and pave the way. And that was just like, us being us. It wasn’t us tryin to follow the footsteps of other people – like “everybody’s making art, so let’s make art.” It’s just us being us.
For more info see: thepharcyde.com
