There’s an old saying that goes “If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, it’s probably a duck.” When The Pharcyde named their 1992 album Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde they certainly talked like a duck. And almost immediately after hitting the first note, it’s clear The Pharcyde is here to also walk the walk.
With songs about shameful masturbation, picking up unusual sex partners, late-night prank calls, and juvenile troublemaking, the irreverence found throughout Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde is simply hilarious. Nowhere is that more evident than on “Ya Mama” which is basically a four minute diss track where the four MC’s trade insults of each others mothers, effectively playing out a game of the dozens in real-time for the entire world to hear. Even on “Officer”, which delves into commentary on racial profiling, the mood and tone is light. This playfulness, back and forth banter between multiple MC’s, and ability to put themselves in the crosshairs of the joke echoes a lot of what made The Beastie Boys great— it’s a record that feels like a conversation between friends, set in an underground jazz lounge while the drinks and laughs flow freely.
That playful and carefree feel in every inch of this record is somewhat ironic considering in-fighting doomed the group during the production of Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde and eventually led to them sporadically release future albums before breaking up for good after 2004’s Humboldt Beginnings which featured only two of the original foursome.
Standout Songs: “Oh Shit”, “Ya Mama”, “Passin’ Me By”. “Otha Fish”, “Quinton’s On The Way”
