90s Rewind

I own Labcabincalifornia & Bizare Ride to the Pharcyde. 

The 90s Pharcyde foursome dominated my CD-player and tape deck from 1992-1996.  Musically the talent was pretty evenly dispersed among the 4.  I can recite lyrics from all of the original members of the Pharcyde, but my personal favorites were Fatlip and Slimkid3 (Tre) so you can imagine my disgust when I heard Fatlip was kicked out of the group.  Tre went his own way about five years after Fatlip was cut.

I heard about fatlips departure about the same time I noticed they had an album called “Plain Rap” come out:

It was anger that made me not buy the album or even try an jack the songs off the Internet (to be honest I’m still mad about the break up and its been fuckin’ 10 years since Fatlip left).  I’ve got to say that as a fan who grew up listening to the Pharcyde, the more I know about the circumstances that split them up, the more pissed off I get about the whole thing.  Fatlip appearently got kicked out at Slimkid3 insistance:

Fistfights and arguments between Tre and Fatlip convoluted the creativity somewhat, but the group still managed to deliver a solid work of art.

Imani further explains the reasoning behind their decision to let Fatlip go his own way: “Tre was the driving force behind Fatlip not being in the group. He made it clear that he couldn’t be creative with Fatlip there. Fatlip was more accomplished as far as lyrics and beats and we knew he could handle things on his own..”— daveyd interview

Fatlip apparently starting doing cocaine and extasy: 
— delicious vinyl - Spike Jones documentary (highly recommended for pharcyde fans!)

I don’t want to take anything from Imani & Romye (booty brown), the remaining members of the Pharcyde, but it is NOT the same.  I suppose that much is obvious.  Don’t get me wrong, they are good as a duo.  Even alone Romye tore some shit up when he contributes on the Gorillaz song “Dirty Harry” BootyBrown - on Dirty Harry (gives me the chillz). And I  heard a little taste of Imani’s up coming solo album “Blaque Star Dust” (sic, man).  But the soul of the original Pharcyde remains broken in three parts. When I listen to Drop on Labcabin (lol which a tight ass hip-hop album),I listen to “Knew U” one of their more current songs as a duo.  Knew U is good but the the synergy that made Pharcyde off the charts is not there.  Knew U by the way is a must hear for fans.  Listen to Imani’s lyrics on Knew U and its clear he is talking about Tre Hardson abruptly leaving.  Imani and Tre were actually good friends before the Pharcyde even existed. The ODBesque raw talent of Fatlip, the other worldly abstract poetic rythm of Tre, the shrill energic tenor of Booty Brown and the steady foundation of Imani… that synergy is gone (for good?).  The skills of each is what made the Pharcyde “the Pharcyde“… at least for me.  So I am ever reluctant to buy their new album.

FATLIP
Fatlip waited a long time to release his solo album which was noticed on the underground but broke no ground above (its too bad, the guy is good the album is a level of integrity you only hear on the early Slim Shady albums -rare in hip hop): Fatlip is crazier than I could have ever imagine.  I love this guys honesty and courage.  He seems to explode with creativity but has no means of releasing it on his own.. no structure and that is a real shame. 
Then again what the fuck do I know.  He just did some shit with the Chemical Bros:

its… different.  I bet its even better if your on some sort of medicinal herbs.

He needs to put out more material. 

Tre Hardson
I guess Slimkid3 is doing his thing under his given name, Tre Hardson.  I’ve heard his stuff and it sounds cool (no surprise here).  He’s got a level of style I wouldn’t have expected.  He spit some stuff on a Free Mumia song (eclipsed by the likes of underground militant bad asses like Immortal Tech).  He’s definitely grown musically.  No denying it.

“The press tries to make us out to be the bad guys and Tre to be the good guy. The only people who are really suffering are the fans – because they give a fuck. The least he could do is give them the real.” — Imani (Daveyd - Interview)

At this point, the way I feel is who ever has the best music will get my ear [period].  I disagree with Uncle Imani’s statement, Its not the fans loss… its their’s (all 4 of the original Pharcyde).  They could have been as legendary as Run DMC.  They could have been a house hold name like the Beastie Boys.  

Fuck ‘em.  I’ll listen to Jurasic 5.

Imani was right about one thing:  “I’d love to do a show and have Fatlip and Tre open for us with their own music – so people can see who’s really holdin it down.”

The Pharcyde duo would obliterate fatlip and slimkid on the stage: