The Remnants Of The Pharcyde: Starting Again From Humboldt Beginnings

The Pharcyde, in my mind, have been one of the best artists of all time from the West Coast hip-hop scene. Coming from California, the same state which produced some of the most infamous hip-hop artists like Dr. Dre and 2pac, The Pharcyde were an anomaly in the early 90's. With two phenomenal albums, namely Labcabincalifornia and Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, with Pharcyde have established themselves as one of the legendary groups of all time. Things went fairly downhill after Labcabincalifornia though, when key member, arguably the most talented, Fat Lip, left the group. The merely okay album, Plain Rap followed, with the three remaining members of the quartet (Slim Kid Tre, Imani, and Booty Brown) performing. The group soon lost another member, Slim Kid Tre, and were down to two. Now in 2004, the two remaining members, Imani and Booty Brown, have come back to release another album for us. Will the decline continue?

In fact, it doesn't.. quite surprisingly. After losing arguably the strongest half of the quartet, Imani and Booty Brown still manage to hold it down on Humboldt Beginnings. The beats are straight butter on this release, such as on Uh-Huh. Though the subject matter on this track isn't exactly mindblowing, Imani's flow and the beat keep it listenable. Composed of staccato notes and a hard bassline, the beat would surely be able to get a party going. The production on Knew U is just heavenly, with its soulful grooves permeating the backdrop of the song, coupled with piano keys. This is definitely one of the better beats created this year. Lyrically the track deals with lost friendships and takes a more serious tone than appears on other tracks on the album.

One of the first flaws on this release is the numerable skits. Seven of them, all simply titled Skit. Out of 21 tracks, thats exactly 1/3 of the tracks. But fortunately, the skits do not exceed 40 seconds, and the majority of them lay in the range of 10 to 20 seconds in length. Still, they could have been omitted, in turn making the album as smooth as its beats. The only other thing wrong with this album is the fact that the absence of Fat Lip and Slim Kid Tre is unfortunately fairly noticable. With so many personalities, the Pharcyde were always able to keep the listener's attention throughout the tracks. Along with that, Fat Lip and Slim Kid Tre were probably the strongest rappers in the group, leaving the group considerably weaker in the emceeing and lyrics department.

But still, if you're willing to sacrifice some lyrical complexity in exchange for straight up ill beats and delivery, this album is a worthy purchase. Imani is still a decent emcee on the mic, and Booty Brown isn't half bad when he lends some vocals either. Rules & Regulations shows that the 'Cyde can still hold it down on the mic, flaunting smooth, distinguished flows and decent lyrics throughout the track. The beat hear is composed of quick, quirky notes and a thumping bass notes which kicks in between the high notes. Illusions sports a ridiculously nice beat as well, using several instruments I can't even begin to identify and name. The beat here obviously has many layers and a depth that is missing from many of the beats in the rest of the industry. The Pharcyde dedicates this track to addressing some of the issues people are facing as well as shutting down the whack emcees. "I hate it when n!ggas act all hard when the cameras on/When the lights go off/They're soft like lamb skin and camel hair/Pharcyde gon' clear the air and take you there." The half chant half singing chorus kicks in, blending perfectly with the beat. The rapping on this track is fairly impressive, considering the void left by Fat Lip and Tre.. "Please, don't make me laugh/You're style is faker than the man who cuts the lady in half"..

The Pharcyde still manages to make those soul-brimming tracks like they used too, no more evident than on Right By, a hushed track that exudes an aura of both relaxation and romanticism. Even the emceeing on the track is quietened, with the lyrics telling stories of relationships and such. Definitely a song that would fit on a love-mood-creating compilation like ?uestlove's Babies Makin' Babies.

To tell you the truth, I really was not expecting much from this release. After the forefront of the group, Fat Lip, left, it seemed like the Pharcyde was doomed, and they certainly did nothing to prove otherwise with the dull and average Plain Rap. With Slim Kid Tre gone, this album seemed destined for failure. Surprisingly and fortunately, Imani and Booty Brown have proven that they can still represent Labcabincalifornians across the world, well surpassing their previous, disappointing effort. Filled with beautiful beats ranging from soulful to traditional West Coast hotness, flows as polished as ever, and lyricism that still manages to impress, the Pharcyde have definitely dropped one of 2004's better albums with their latest release. I recommend Humboldt Beginnings, especially if you're a fan of the group and already have their two early 90's albums..

4.0 Stars