Rewind: The Pharcyde 'Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde' (Part 1)

In 1992, after only one preceding single, the Pharcyde dropped their highly acclaimed and platinum selling debut album 'Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde'. This three part arc will review the sample sources used on this landmark album, produced virtually entirely by J-Swift.

The vocal version of '4 Better or 4 Worse' samples a trifecta of excellent breaks: Lou Donaldson's 'Pot Belly' from his 1970 album 'Pretty Things', the Emotion's 'Blind Alley' (a previous break of the month from October 2008's Five on It) and Fred Wesley and the J.B.'s awesome 'Rockin' Funky Watergate' from 1974's 'Breakin' Bread'. The Pharcyde's 'I'm That Type of N----' uses a grip of James Brown classics: 'Maybe the Last Time' (b-side to James' 'Out of Sight' single) and the timeless 'Papa's Got a Brand New Bag' plus the J.B.'s 'Pass the Peas' and 'Givin' Up Food for Funk'. The track also samples Sly and the Family Stone's 'Sing a Simple Song' from their breakthrough album 'Stand!'. The Pharcyde's 'Soul Flower' (remix) (a version of their track with labelmates the Brand New Heavies) cuts a sample from the Fatback Band's hit 'Put Your Love (In My Tender Care)'.

Check back for parts 2 and 3 of our look at 'Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde'.

The Lowdown:
The Pharcyde '4 Better of 4 Worse', 'I'm That Type of N----', and 'Soul Flower' (remix)
from 'Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde' (1992) (MP3/CD)
Lou Donaldson 'Pot Belly'
from 'Pretty Things' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Emotions 'Blind Alley'
from 'Untouched' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Fred Wesley and the J.B.'s 'Rockin' Funky Watergate'
from 'Breakin' Bread' (1974) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
James Brown 'Maybe the Last Time'
from 'Out of Sight' 7" (1964) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'Papa's Got a Brand New Bag'
from 'Papa's Got a Brand New Bag' (1965) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
The J.B.'s 'Pass the Peas'
from 'Food For Thought' (1972) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
The J.B.'s 'Givin' Up Food for Funk'
from 'Givin' Up Food for Funk' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Sing a Simple Song'
from 'Stand!' (1969) (MP3/CD)
The Fatback Band 'Put Your Love (in My Tender Care)'
from 'Raising Hell' (1974) (MP3/CD)

Five On It: October 2008's Essentials

Welcome to October's Five On It - the most essential breaks of the past month in one place.

It should be no surprise that James Brown is the most tagged artist name on this blog and with beats like 'Hot (I Need to Be Loved Loved Loved Loved)' from our first post about Above the Law's 'Livin' Like Hustlers', you can be sure that we'll keep covering the godfather of soul. On the second part of our look at 'Livin' Like Hustlers', we covered Isaac Hayes' album track 'Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic' from his classic 'Hot Buttered Soul'. Along with 'Walk on By', 'Hot Buttered Soul' is an essential album for both music lovers and producers looking for beats.

Nina Simone's 'Sinnerman' was featured on this blog's second Kanye West Producer Profile post along with two bonus reggae covers. Check out our review of Das EFX's 'Dead Serious' for our mention of the Emotions' break on 'Blind Alley'. The same post contains the first mention of ESG's essential breakbeat track 'UFO'. Check below for some bonus ESG treats.

The Lowdown:
James Brown 'Hot (I Need to Be Loved Loved Loved Loved)'
from 'Hot!' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Isaac Hayes 'Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic'
from 'Hot Buttered Soul' (1968) (MP3/CD)
Nina Simone 'Sinnerman'
from 'Pastel Blues' (1965) (MP3/CD)
The Emotions 'Blind Alley'
from 'Untouched' (1971) (MP3/CD)
ESG 'UFO'
from 'ESG' (1981) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

BONUS CUTS:
Emerald, Sapphire, and Gold - shortened to ESG - was made of three Bronx sisters from the Scroggins family with an additional guitarist and bassist (later replaced by even more Scroggins family members). Their United States debut was 1981's self titled 6-track EP, but their first recordings were for the UK's Factory Records. Martin Hannett (best known for his work with Joy Division, New Order, and the Happy Mondays) produced three tracks for ESG's debut single 'You're No Good' which features 'UFO', 'You're No Good', and the amazing dance track 'Moody'. All three tracks made up the A-side of the US release of 'ESG' with three new tracks on the B-side.

Rewind: Das EFX 'Dead Serious'

Formed in 1988 and found by EPMD at a talent show, Das EFX's platinum selling debut 'Dead Serious' became part of the soundtrack of 1992 with a series of charting singles with some popular sample sources. This entry into the Crate Creator blog will look at Das EFX's debut album in depth.

Lead single B-Side 'Jussummen' takes its refrain (and a few samples) from Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh's classic 1985 b-side 'La-Di-Da-Di' from their 'The Show' 12". 'Jussummen' also samples the Emotions' open break necessity 'Blind Alley' produced by David Porter for Stax. Das EFX's biggest single was their debut track 'They Want EFX', which samples James Brown's 'Black Caesar' soundtrack album cut 'Blind Men Can See It' as well as the heavy title track from his 1973 album 'The Payback'. Also sampled on 'They Want EFX' is Malcolm McLarens cash-in turned classic 'Buffalo Gals' from the highly suspect 'Duck Rock' album. The album track 'Dum Dums' takes its name from its source material: 'The Happy Song (Dun-Dum)' by Otis Redding. Finally, Das EFX's 'East Coast' samples East Coast phenoms ESG who emulated extra-terrestrial phenomena on 'UFO'. The track also samples Isaac Hayes' 'Ike's Mood I / You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin'' from '...To Be Continued' (worth the price of the album on its own) and the beat from James Brown's 'Funky President (People It's Bad)' from his 1975 album 'Reality'.

The reality of Das EFX's career was their signature rhyming style would be their downfall. After hitting big with the 'Check Yo Self' remix with Ice Cube, many other emcees bit their 'iggity' rhyme style, prompting Das EFX to drop it and more or less drop off themselves. Although they've released four albums since their debut, none have been able to copy the success of 'Dead Serious'.

The Lowdown:
Das EFX 'Jussummen', 'They Want EFX', 'Dum Dums', and 'East Coast'
from 'Dead Serious' (1992) (MP3 not available/CD)
Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh 'La-Di-Da-Di'
from 'The Show' (1985) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Emotions 'Blind Alley'
from 'Untouched' (1971) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'Blind Man Can See It'
from 'Black Caesar' (1973) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'The Payback'
from 'The Payback' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Malcolm McLaren 'Buffalo Gals'
from 'Duck Rock' (1983) (MP3/CD not available)
Otis Redding 'The Happy Song (Dun-Dum)'
from 'The Immortal Otis Redding' (1968) (MP3/CD)
ESG 'UFO'
from 'ESG' (1981) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Isaac Hayes 'Ike's Mood I / You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin''
from '...To Be Continued' (1969) (MP3/CD)
James Brown 'Funky President (People It's Bad)'
from 'Reality' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)