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)

Producer Profile: Large Professor (part 1, 1990-1992)

In 1990, under the tutelage of producer Paul C, Harlem-born Large Professor programmed beats behind the scenes for Eric B. and Rakim's album 'Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em' at the age of 17. In the following years, Large Professor would lend production to two of hip-hop's most influential albums of all time: 'Breaking Atoms' and 'Illmatic'.

Large Professor produced two tracks for Cold Chillin' rap unit Kool G Rap and DJ Polo's album 'Wanted: Dead or Alive'. The album's opening track, 'Streets of New York' contains a sample of the Fatback Band's 'Gotta Learn How to Dance'. Large Pro's stock hit the stratosphere in 1991 when 'Breaking Atoms' by Main Source was released (the album was covered extensively in two past posts in this blog here and here). One of 'Breaking Atoms''s biggest tracks is 'Live at the Barbeque'; built on a crushing sample of Bob James' 'Nautilus', it also introduces the world to Nas. Though 'Illmatic' was not released until 1994, Nas' first single 'Halftime' (originally released under the name Nasty Nas) was released in 1992. 'Halftime' contains drum samples from Average White Band's 'School Boy Crush. I'm personally not the biggest fan of AWB, but 'School Boy Crush' is an absolutely essential open drum track.

Check back to this blog for part 2 of the Large Professor Producer Profile for coverage of Nas and ATCQ.

The Lowdown:
Kool G Rap and DJ Polo 'Streets of New York'
from 'Wanted: Dead or Alive' (1990) (MP3/CD not available)
The Fatback Band 'Gotta Learn How to Dance'
from 'Yum Yum' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD)
Main Source 'Live at the Barbeque'
from 'Breaking Atoms' (1991) (MP3/CD)
Bob James 'Nautilus'
from 'One' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Nas 'Halftime'
from 'Illmatic' (1994) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Halftime'
Average White Band 'School Boy Crush'
from 'Cut the Cake' (1975) (MP3/CD)