Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

"Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde" is the debut album from The Pharcyde. Released in late 1992, the album was hailed by critics and rap fans alike. Produced entirely by J-Swift with easily some of the tightest and most inventive beats of the era, "Bizarre Ride" features only one guest appearance, provided by little known Los Angeles rapper Buckwheat (who would become known as "Bucwheed" from The Wascals). Released during the dominant Gangsta Rap era of the West Coast, the music was described as "refreshing" due to its playful, light-hearted humor and lush, jazzy production. Along with albums like "To Whom it May Concern..." by Freestyle Fellowship, and "I Wish My Brother George Was Here" by Del tha Funkee Homosapien, "Bizarre Ride" helped establish a new alternative scene on the West Coast followed by artists such as Hieroglyphics, The Coup and Jurassic 5.

The album featured four singles, all of which were accompanied by music videos. The group's debut single, "Ya Mama", originally released in 1991, was the song that landed the group their record deal, but it failed to reach any Billboard singles chart. Their first major exposure came with the release of the album's second single, "Passing Me By". The song became the group's biggest crossover hit and is now considered a classic Hip Hop single. The album's third single, "4 Better or 4 Worse", was released in mid-1993 and featured the stoner song "Pack the Pipe" and the throwback track "Return of the B-Boy" as its B-Side. The final single, the SlimKid solo track "Otha Fish", was released in late 1993.

The album was certified gold in 1996, and it's stature has only grown since with the release constantly appearing on Best Of lists such as the 100 Best Rap albums by The Source, Top 100 Favorite Records of The 90s by Pitchfork and Rolling Stone's Top 25 Hip Hop Albums as listed by Chris Rock.