• View Comments
• Share with Shortlink:

Washington, DC’s beautifully remodeled Howard Theater hosted a Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, Live! Near freezing temperatures and a light dusting of snow did not prevent their loyal fans from filing into the venue. After about thirty minutes of their DJ playing some classic old school joints, it was time for the main event. The headliners were urged onstage by a brief chant, “Pharcyde! Pharcyde! Pharcyde!”

The members of Pharcyde, Slimkid3 (Trevant Hardson) and Fatlip (Derrick Stewart)
opened with the group’s callout classic, “Oh S**t” to a fan-filled audience hungry to keep
the party going. Pharcyde music videos played simultaneously giving the audience
a visual of the other two original members, Imani (Emandu Wilcox) and Bootie Brown
(Romye Robinson), who also continue to perform as Pharcyde. Original Pharcyde
producer J-Swift, L.A. Jay and K-Natural lent their vocals onstage to provide the
richness of sound for which the group is known. The atmosphere ascended to another
level on “Passing Me By”, followed by “Running” produced by legend, the late J-Dilla.
Before leaving the stage – as if to answer a burning question – Fatlip shouted, “We are
still here. Y’all are still here. Hip-Hop is still here!” After the show, the group discussed
cohesion between the group, new projects, the other original group members and the
loyal fans that continue to support them.

“What’s Happening Right Is A Blessing”

The group seemed at peace and to revel in the bond they share for music and
performing together. “What’s happening right here is a blessing with J-Swift, with L.A.
Jay, with Fatlip. It is that synergy that created Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde. Everybody’s
having fun, there’s new music floating around, song ideas, beats. It has nothing to do
with anybody’s ego, [there’s] occasional divaness,” Slimkid3 said to agreement and
laughs. “It’s easy to forget that as a unit we accomplish our dreams…not so much on our
own”, Fatlip said. “Everybody got to take a break from all that ‘90s madness. Here we
are on the second go around.”

I Don’t Wish Them Anything

Slimkid3’s view of Imani and Bootie Brown could be classified as neutral. He said, “I
don’t wish them anything. There were times when I was really wishing this could work.
They really didn’t want to see it that way. We are all entitled to do this…to connect with
the fans.”

The Fans

“I think we have loyal fans. We have fans that are truly hurt that all this is happening.
They can’t really understand.” Slimkid3 asks Pharcyde fans to forgive them for the split.
“I definitely don’t want what is happening to be happening as far as us being separated
like this. I think the universe is the painter and we are the paintbrushes and paint.”
Pharcyde maintains its fun and energetic vibe that propelled them to the music scene
twenty years ago. The group is now heading to Europe for 17-city tour. They are due
back in the states late February.

New Projects

The group is currently working on a Bizarre Ride 3 album. They recently released a
record for Japan called “The Love Album” that is due out in the states soon. J-Swift is
finishing his solo album, “The Adventures of Negro Knievel.” Slimkid3 is finishing up two
albums that he is working on with DJ Nu-Mark from Jarassic 5 and a Portland-based
group called Doo Doo Funk.