Reviews (page 3 of 9)
In general, I don’t like Rapp. Or at least not the Rapp that has dominated the scene with ho’s and misogyny etc. This album is different. It’s clever it’s fun. Reminds me of a West Coast Beastie Boys without the rock influence. More jazz and soul but still the humor and the weirdness.
Creative lyrics. Fresh Prince vibes. One go was enough though..
Transphobia and misogyny. Nope.
Dienstag 05.05.2026 Lustigerweise exakt gleichen Setting an 2 verschiedenen Tagen: Ringbahn von Beusselstraße bis Heidelberger und dann Fahrrad von da bis zur Mensa 2 der FU
It feels like a more carefree Cypress Hill, with none of the political bite and more of the swagger of hip-hop on full display. Fun to listen to once, but not exactly something to return to.
Even the skits on this one don't stop the excellent jazzy beats. Finding out it came out in a backdrop of gangsta rap only makes it more deserving of respect.
The fresh prince meets NWA
hip hop, rap, rnb, 1992 -> 2
Incredibly creative
A frustrating album. One you want to love and tell everyone about, but the reality is it’s kind of a mess. the rappers are almost indistinguishable from each other and the mix (to my ears way too much mid range) doesn’t help. Great samples but too many damn skits. Some good lyrics mixed in but mostly just ok stuff.
Had high hopes at the start, some classic sounding beats and accomplished rapping. As it went on it settled into a fairly immature rhythm, mostly sounded like a group of people messing around without worrying too much about the quality. Aspects of this are decent but I know I won't listen again. 2.5. but more a 2.
Really enjoyed how earnest it all was, skits apart. Passin Me By and Otha Fish were the top tracks, definitely heard them before. Sort of cool, sort of not cool - these guys are rapping about weird shit.
Was aware of the pharcyde but never properly listened. Enjoyed it, sure it influenced a lot of hip hop I like. My main complaint, is that it's a bit too silly, could do with being a bit more serious in parts and with fewer skits. Still good though. Passin me by and otha fish were the best 3.5
En nyt mitenkään erityisesti tykännyt. ⭐️⭐️
Aika samaa mättöä alusta loppuun.
Meh, the usual for the hip hop/rap category, adult male teenagers with all their acid disdain for the world and giant egos. No thanks.
Not for me
Old school rap
This is truly not the genre for me. But it was a fun album, and I much prefer this lighter hearted hip hop to the other 90s rap that I’ve encountered on the list. 3/5. Won’t revisit though.
pretty fun for a rap album
Wasn't for me. Stands out from other 90s hip hop, but not in a good way.
pretty tight as far as 90's rap goes. kind of unserious, but it's quality for sure. favorite song is Officer or Return Of The B-Boy, but Passin' Me By is also classic
Rating: 7/10 This is pretty cool, always went under my radar so I'm happy for its inclusion. With a collection of good emcees, and a fun lighthearted and comedy angle, the group feels kinda ahead of its time in the world of west coast hip hop. I could go back to this more and appreciate it more over time.
(genre bias) Great album. Beats are sick and the lyricism and flow are pretty fun. Also weird thing to praise but the album cover goes so fuckin hard. Best song has to be Passin Me By, runner up Ya Mama. I will say it fizzles out a bit towards the end but still an album I would be happy to listen to any time 7.5/10
the beats r great but sr the bars r givin the ick
Passing me By will always be an amazing song. But the rest of the album is a step down after that.
funny album
8/10
Good at what it is, but not my style.
Between Freestyle Fellowship and The Pharcyde, the West Coast really had something special in the early 90s
They wanted to be called The Farside, but Gary Larson wouldn't let them. Solid album!
Pretty cool old school hip hop. Wasn’t just the same ol nursery rhyme singsong Mary had a little lamb shit. They mix it up a bit and do some decent syllable rapping. The beats are good. Solid
Pretty good hip-hop!
Oh shit, so much shit.
Has that 90s hip hop sound that makes me just want ti immediately give it a high score. But it’s all a little bit silly, to the point I don’t think I’ll go back to it again.
Couple of cool songs but nothing to write home about.
I've never heard this album before...and I love it. It's got great soulful beats often based with a nice jazz vibe. There's a real sense that these guys aren't taking themselves too seriously. They're having a great time and so was I listening this! Liked Songs Added: Oh Shit Soul Flower - Remix On The DL Officer Ya Mamma Passin' Me By Otha Fish
it was ok
Fun album, and works perfectly as the soundtrack to me getting whipped at Virtua Fighter 5. Favourite track: On the DL
Not a bad listen.
passing me by is classic and some really interesting lyrics throughout
There weren’t a lot of albums covering these topics in this way in 1992. So it was definitely ahead of its time. But I’m just not getting greatness from it. Maybe it’s because I’m not a true hip hop head (although I do really like it), that I can’t fully appreciate it. Or maybe it’s possible to be influential without being amazing.
Another one that was tough to get thru. Please make it stop. I just want to listen to good music!
This is my favorite kind of hip hop.
Lowkey offbeat.
Not the best but not terrible. 4/10
4 better or 4 worse threw me off. What the fuck.
It’s nice to see some artists in this genre not taking themselves too seriously. A nice counterbalance to a lot of the other rap/hip hop artists at the time. I can’t say it was a fully enjoyable listen, but the tongue n cheek bent helps elevate this bizarre ride.
Some days, the album is like taking your medicine I guess… I’m sure I’m missing something but not sure what gets this the nod vs others from this genre.
This is a solid 2.5 for me. And some days I might round up. Some days I might round down. It was interesting. Some good 90s beats and rhymes were decent. But felt like some songs were way too long and didn’t love the skits. So for today I’m going ⬇️
This was a bizarre ride and I liked it. 3/5
Not my thing
コメディの要素があり面白いらしいけどよくわからなかった
This album is pretty solid from top to bottom. Some of the late tracks are great, Otha Fish has great samples… a much deeper/interesting album than NWA and tribe albums.
This is one of my favourite hip hop eras when I was 19, so it will always be nostalgic for me. It's still great, except for the skits.
That's not my taste in music - But ok
Fik ikke hørt færdigt - det har helt sikkert banet vejen for meget hiphop i dag, så jeg forstår godt hvorfor det er nice, men for mig bliver det hele også lidt ensformigt. (passin' me by var fed, forstår godt at det er hittet ) ville give 2.5
The flow and the rhymes are fantastic, proper fun listen
2.5
Awesome shit
Not my favorite. The production is great but the verses aren’t. One of the rappers is super annoying.
I had not listened to Pharcyde but man did I really enjoy this album!
Совсем не моё...
Somehow I'd never heard this even though it's right up my early 90s rap alley.
Underrated classic.
I had never heard of this one before, it was fun!
Kult dette, men mye av denne typen hiphop høres veldig likt ut (90-talls - eks. A Tribe Called Quest, Jurrasic 5, Fugees..). Sterk 2 fordi det begynner å bli litt kjedelig.
While it doesn't really hold up to the artists of the same time period, this album and group is fun and energetic. They aren't trying to be NWA, but I think they equally succeed in progressing the style of goofy off beat rap music that is culturally important.
We've been getting a slew of early 90's hip hop lately and I've been enjoying it. This one maybe a little less so, but I can't say it's because they aren't talented. The subject matter is a lot more goofy and casual than the Ice T, Tribe, and other albums we've gotten, but that doesn't mean the rapping is any worse. There's a lot of funny lines in here, particularly "Ya Mama", to bring humor to one of it's most base forms, in a complimentary way of course. "Oh Shit" was also really good, and it showcases that the guys in Pharcyde aren't afraid to make fun of themselves. What I don't really enjoy was some of the more horror/violence stuff on here, particularly in "4 Better Or 4 Worse"...it's just unnecessary over the top stuff. I also realize this a group album, but because there are 3 or 4 verses per song plus a hook and the intro/outro, it makes everything go on about a minute longer than it should. The styles and voices are all fairly distinct but none of them are a real individual standout so it's hard to get excited that there's gonna be a really killer verse or something. Anyway, this wasn't bad at all, and it shows a side of hip hop that is different from mainstream acts. It's worth being on the list for sure, but I don't think I'll be listening to it much later.
Well this has been my favorite hip hop album so far even if it is a bit rough around the edges. I really enjoyed the beats and flow on most of the tracks, but the lyrics definitely made me uncomfortable at times especially the transphobic verse in Oh Shit which otherwise would be a good song. I think I might also like these songs more on an individual basis as listening to them for an hour is a bit tiring and repetitive. A lot of the songs could have been a minute or two shorter and the album overall could have have been like 10 minutes shorter. Lots of filler in this one. I liked the influence of jazz and funk that made the music stand out. Favorite Track - Otha Fish Least Favorite Track - It's Jiggaboo Time (I know it's just a skit, but I felt real awkward listening to this at work as a white person) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
My brother sent this to me years ago and I only remembered oh shit. After listening to it again 5 minutes ago, I still only remember Oh Shit (and passin me by is very good) because it's a bit outdated and long
Soooo good. Love this album.
This is a perfect example of why this project should allow half stars or be out of 10. This album is a solid 7/10, it’s not quite at that 4 level, but seems better than a 3. Why did all songs in the late 80s/early 90s all have a verse about accidentally being gender tricked into having relations with another man? Whatever, 3
Enjoyed the jazzy production and the overall playfulness of this. Especially when contrasted with other hip hop from the era. Fewer guns and killing here. But it's a bit... Juvenile? Lots of smoking weed, lusting after women, jacking off, etc.
Lyrically it’s a solid showing. However, the early 90s hip hop just isn’t my style. It’s got to much of that uplifting, kinda heavy snare style I dont dig. I’m a fan of the dirtier, heavier bass driven southern hip hop.
Fun, but a bit too long. Did like it, but wouldn't listen to in full in the foreseeable future.
que raro
9/10 uno de mis favoritos hip hop jazz albums. Tiene un lugar reservado en mi discoteca. Canción destacada: Otha fish
good vibe for gym, but not my genre
Hoped for a fun album but instead found it to be a little too sexually graphic for my preference.
6/10
No
Noch nie davon gehört - hat ultra Spaß gemacht. Sehr geil!
Wieder ein Rap Album aus den 90ern mit den bekannten Schwächen bzgl. ausufernder Länge und monotonen Songs. Hier auch zu viele Skits, holt mich insgesamt nicht ab.
Komischerweise nie wirklich gehört, obwohl die ja auch in Rap-fremden Kreisen Anklang finden. Entspannte Beats, entspannte Reime, auf die gesamte Laufzeit etwas zu gleichförmig ohne die ganz großen Standout-Momente. Gestört haben mich auch die vielen Skits oder langen Outros mit ihren Comedy-Einlagen. Auf die Texte habe ich ehrlicherweise nicht so viel geachtet. Kann mir vorstellen, dass es da noch einiges zu entdecken gibt. Kann man gut weghören und hat eine entspannte Zeit dabei.
Konnte ich nichts mit anfangen. Fands insgesamt einfach langweilig.
Steh da zwischen 2-3, interessante Ansätze auf jeden Fall, stellenweise hat mir das auch durchaus gefallen, insgesamt aber nicht ausschlaggebend genug.
Hat eigentlich Spaß gemacht, gerade für die Zeit. Das klang nicht als würde man Trends hinterherlaufen sondern sein ganz eigenes Ding zu machen. Das lässt es in meinen Augen etwas zeitloser wirken. Etwas leider nur, da man trotzdem merkt, dass das aus den 90ern ist. Heute könnte man das mMn mit ein paar Änderungen an den Beats nochmal rausbringen und niemand würde da was dran auszusetzen haben.
Like a good 90s white kid I vaguely remember this. I imagine this was in many a dorm room at my college in the mid-90s. Pretty good stuff, and I liked the whimsy of it all, and I was surprised at how many tracks sounded familiar. But yeah still not my thing.
it was so fun!!! i feel like im back at my breakdancing class in 2011
Nothing particularly appealing in this.
Music good. Lyrics just not of interest to me. I do like some of the long constructs and how they flow. The general playfulness and joking are probably a good counter to the Gangsta Rap style that seemed to take over the sound all at once everywhere.
прикольный хип-хоп хорошие биты есть хит слушать фоном с кайфом 3.3
Oh Shit - 4/5 4 Better or 4 Worse - 4/5 I'm That Type of * - 4.5/5 Soul Flower (Remix) - 4.5/5 On the DL - 4/5 Officer - 4/5 Ya Mama - 4/5 Passin' Me By - 4.5/5 Otha Fish - 3.5/5 Pack the Pipe - 4/5 Return of the B-Boy - 4.5/5 A real departure from what was commonplace at the time, The Pharcyde decides to turn up the fun dial and see how much banter they can get away with smooth jazzy beats on top of it. I think they overdo it a tad with the amount of innuendo, putting them just a tier down from the contemporaries in the jazz rap genre. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Soul Flower (Remix), Return of the B-Boy
I just can't get into 90's hiphop at all.
It’s shit
It's just fun.
Yeah... well the good things in this album were some of the samples and the music. The rapping was not that great in my opinion and the lyrics seemed like they were written by young teenager who has just discovered pornography. This wasn for me and I honestly can't understand why the lyrics were what they were.
Funny, but there is an upper limit on that.
I really liked this and even added two songs to existing playlists. I could hear the influence all over this record.
No thanks. Not my thing
For the record, I don’t typically like hip hop, that being said, this album was okay. Fun and funky beats throughout and the lyrics weren’t incredibly vulgar like most hip hop albums. Although its not really my style of music, I also have no complaints. Standout Songs: Oh Shit Soul Flower Officer Pack Tha Pipe
Album #1,057 A very non-serious rap album, and I can appreciate that. The beats are good, and I always like when a rap group trades off verses as opposed to mainly one guy the whole time. I don't appreciate some of the crass and filthy lyrics, but it's par for the course with this type of music. I did laugh at the line in "Ya Mama" when he said "ya mama got snakeskin teeth."
Ciekawe, ciekawe. Fajnie się słucha, i samej muzyki, i samego tekstu, który na szczęście da się czasami usłyszeć wyraźnie. 4/5
Really enjoyed this little beauty- never heard of them before, but excellent hip-hop, some good tracks on here
Apparently I like hip hop from this era!
Really fun trip-hop goodness.
“Passin’ Me By” is an all time hit, the rest of the album is decent.
Fun to listen but probably wont enter the playlist
действительно весёлые, но не знаю как меня за день (три) зацепить репом, очень сложная задача
I sent this album to my hip-hop expert friend and he was like: yeah, this is a classic. But the question is: am I "that type of nigga"? Yes, I am! Also the name of the album is cooool
I get why it's on here, but I've never been much of a fan of this style and era of hip hop. To me, it's cool beats with boring flow. I like it more than most gansta rap, but I really think 90's hip hop just isn't my thing.
This was a lot of fun. It's always a good sign if I'm surprised that an hour-long album has finished, instead of checking Spotify to see how long is left to go.
eaRLY hiphop, too early? dann doch gegen Mitte ein paar classics...c
Quintessential 90s hip-hop. The Pharcyde offered a welcome departure from the dominance of gangsta rap in the late 80s-early 90s, with their more 'fun' and not-so-serious approach to rap. Though that's not to say there is some misogyny scattered around; it's a product of its time. Overall, though, it's a fun ride -- the performances & flow are slick and the production is solid.
I honestly tried... but i just can't get into hip hop/rap music. I went in with an open mind and I really enjoyed picking out all the samples and the amount of work that had gone into creating the beats/music.
The backing is decent big beat jazz, the rapping is tuneful and varied, fluid almost. The lyrics don't mean much to me and are silly in places. Overall this is quite good but no stand out songs and all I can remember is 'oh shit'. I'd rather listen to definition of sound. Hardly groundbreaking
Not my cup of tea.
This was a bit fun! Great beats, MCs and vibes. Typically questionable lyrics, it was 1992 after all. Rated-R DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, maybe? No, that's rude. But, I'll knock a star off for it ageing pretty poorly lyrically... Yeah, lots of fun. I should listen to more hip hop.
Not my thing but it’s fine as an occasional song popping into a playlist. Let down a bit by the childish and immature lyrics.
own
Was OK. Reminded of Beastie Boys. Not for me though.
I put up with 4 or 5 songs and had to change to planet rock.
I liked a lot of the instrumentals but the lyrics sound like they were written by a 14 year old
Sólo mirando el nombre y la portada sé que esto es insoportable. Efectivamente. No tan insoportable como esperaba, pero lo es.
A great album that just showcases MC having fun at a time when gangster rap, especially in the West Coast, was really dominating the landscape. Pharcyde came on like LA's answer to De La Soul, and their beats were great early 90s type material right from the start. Crazy the producer never went on to do anything else after this until he was eventually deported in 2015. This album was a strange one from the beginning since it was a debut album listed as II--there was never a first one, this was their debut album. The album has several tracks that are hiphop classics like Pass me By, Soulflower, Otha Fish. And the album is packed with great deep cuts like Oh Shit, Ya Mama and Officer. Listening to this album for the first time in a while just makes me wonder why I don't listen to it more often. 5/5
Don't have to listen to this one (but I will, because I like it). If only Passin' Me By were on here, it'd still be a great album. The skits get too long and the fact that they make us very aware they smoke weed bring it down, but the samples are used to great effect, each song is a solid, complete whole, and everyone works together beautifully in the way that rap group albums should. Like many albums of the era, it wears out its welcome, but its highs are too high to discount it. And despite my complaint about the skits, I sing "Quinton's on the way" with the name changed to my kids all the time (but not about another j).
fun but not all for me
Soul Flower was cool until someone said they had herpes. The production and energy on the second half of the album was consistently bumping.
I thought I’d never heard of this but I recognised ‘Passin’ me by’ straight away. Definitely a fun album I just wasn’t having a fun day when I listened so may need a revisit.
I like Runnin', but nothing on this album matched that for me. I almost deducted a star for a debut album having II in the title.
Solid hip hop album from the early 90’s. I’ve found through this project that I really like this genre. Notable tracks include Oh Shit, 4 Better Or 4 Worse, I’m That Type of Nigga, Ya Mama, Passin’ Me By, Otha Fish, Return of the B-Boy.
not racist just don't like it
bit weird, didnt mind it.
I'm sittin' on the couch and wish Greg would please hurry up She offered me a cup of ripple, broke out the titty Squeezed her nipple, said, "Suck it if you like but please don't bite it" I had an urge to say fuck it but I knew I had to fight it what the fuck?????????????
niente di speciale
One of my favorite rap albums. All time
My rating 2.6. Not for me. Mediocre rap.
The energy is great, but the lyrics are too graphic for me to listen to more than a couple tracks. No rating.
At first i really wanted to just rate this a 3 and say it's just a worse Tribe with a Beastie Boys flow. Then I read about the group, the album, and just what they represent for people. And by the end of the first listen, I thought, yeah it's worth a solid 4. Then today I listened to the whole thing with some pretty good headphones, and now it all came together. This is a banger of an album, with very memorable beats, and just a fuuun time with a funny group flooding the crisp beats with some clever rhymes. Glad this was on the list. Low 5.
I thought this was going to be more interesting than it was, turns out it's just another shitty hip-hop album with unfunny skits and identical songs. Fuck off.
I can’t help myself loving this whole collection so much!!!!
Lyrically hasnt aged well but it is a cornerstone of early 90s hip hop. Irreverent and corny with amazing beats
It was pretty good, beats were good but the flow was fire
It was ok. Not for me
oh hell yeah!! Excited for this album. Good shit. I don't know what it is about this old school stuff that just hits different. Man I need to go through this again when I'm not working just to listen to the lyrics. They're so good, and nasty lol love it. This album was great. Lots of funny lyrics and great energy. 5 stars.
Aww yeah
Mostly found this easy to enjoy, having never heard it before. A few of the jokes maybe don't quite land right these days, but a lot sure do. Great rhythms, rhymes and vibes. A group I have heard about since I was a kid, but never listened to until now.
Fun 90s rap.
I have no idea why this is/was considered "alternative" hip hop, but it's super fun. These guys played at the annual music fest at my school and I remember when they walked in and saw all the drunk college kids on the lawn, they just shook their heads. It felt a little long, but that's really just because I'm sitting at home listening to it while I work. If it was on at a party like it's supposed to be, it would be just fine.
For whatever reason, I missed the Pharcyde back in the day, but I figured this would be my thing. This era definitely needed more light-hearted, sillier hip-hop to counter the supremacy of gangsta rap at the time...but I found this a little *too* goofy. It definitely didn't need to be as long as it is (ugh, skits), but it's hard not to be charmed by it in general.
Give me weird 90s rap all day long.
Might use this space to rant about this website briefly because wow the general underrating of hip hop is egregious. One of the best and most widely interesting genres ever, and while I agree that the low end theory is the best album on the list... 3.7? Actually mad. Illmatic at 3.6? You mfs have no taste. Not that it applies to this album specifically, don't get me wrong I like this album for it's overall chill vibe, great instrumentals and incredibly digestible presentation, but it's not quite the cream of the crop. Lyrically bits of this have aged very poorly and while that does not affect me it does affect the ability to relisten and ultimately recommend. If you like the genre I'd say give this a listen, the vibe is very much there and if I think this would kill for background noise but it certainly ain't no A Tribe Called Quest. Ya Mama is mad funny in a "this is so immature" way it sort of loops back around to being funny and Passin' Me By is an actual great song and a good precursor to the sound other bands would expand and build upon. To reaffirm, this is an otherwise solid album that has not aged particularly well in some fashions, and in most cases has been massively outdone by better groups. Not bad, but leaves me wanting a little more from a genre I know will be able to deliver within a years time. Seriously by the end of the following year the genre was far FAR greater due to two albums we will discuss down the line. Best songs: Passin' Me By Worst Songs: N/A Rank compared to everything else so far (at the time): 54/68 (above Steve McQueen, below Back to Mystery City)
Too many hip hop albums here and most of them are flat and unamusing. Like this one. Skipped through tracks and happy it's over
Hip Hop alternativo, con sonidos jazz, tampoco muchos. Producción de Swift, pero se nota y mucho la mano de Dj Dilla. La compañía es la de Tone Loc, que compartía manager con ellos. Ya habían despuntado de la mano de The Brand New Heavies en el disco Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol. 1 con Soul Flower de Maceo Parker (James Brown y The JB´s) aquí presente. Este disco abrío un camino que luego seguirían bandas como Jurassic 5. Yo de esa época prefriero a mis bandas favoritas: Digable Planets muhco más elegantes, que lamentablemente no están en esta lista. Otros ilustres son Guru, A tribe called quest o De la soul. Yo no lo veo como un disco esencial ni siquiera del Hip Hop. Hay otros mejores como los Digable Planets, Arrested Development o los las bandas del colectivo Native Tongues. De Public Enemy pues para qué hablar. Y para sencillos sueltos por ejemplo está Strobelite honey, de Black Sheep, un temazo. Passing me by a lomos de Quincy Jones es el mejor y más conocido, aunque tiene otros sencillos como Otha Fish, la citada Soul flower o Ya Mama.
8.2 fresh prince of bel-air but I have never actually seen any of it Highlights: oh shit, soul flower remix, otha fish
Good album with fun storytelling! 7.1/10
The album is goofy without being dumb and cool without trying too hard.
Some good old school rap for the most part. I'd give this a 3.5 overall, a lot of good flow and beats
Good grooves. Kinda goofy.
Good funky sound to this and fairly upbeat. Choice lyrics here and there, but pretty good overall
yes, refreshing as others have said
I didn't dislike this as much as most hip hop albums here. It was about twice as long as it needed to be.
I was very excited to see the cover of this album because I love roller coasters! This would be an interesting album to listen to while riding a roller coaster, but other than that, it's not good. I never got into it. Not the type of hip hop I like.
chill
I'm struggling to decide how I actually feel about this one. It has some interesting musical moments, solid early 90s hip hop vibes and all, but some of the songs are kind of annoying. I know it's part of the hip hop culture, but the inclusions of skits on an album always knocks it down a notch for me. Favorite tracks: Passin' Me By, Officer
I wish I could give this a 2.75, it's not that bad!
Très bien sur certain sons mais d'autre vraiment à revoir
Manque de cohérence entre les sons c'est golri mais pas hyper fan
Aww, this one is so nostalgic for me. Haven’t listened to it for many years though. This is my kind of hip hop, the looser, jazzy feel. So much more listenable than gangster nonsense. This was fun to revisit
Du hip hop, mention spéciale pour la chanson à base de blagues "Ta mère..."
A 3.5 for me. Pretty fun and not a bad listen but it was also quite long and if lost my interest towards the end a bit.
Man I love ‘90s hip-hop. This album is so fun and easy to enjoy. Must-listen #287.
This was just fun.
Enjoyed that. High 3
I liked it and found myself bopping but I don't think I'll listen to it again. It's amazing that this group I've never heard of still has 2.5 mil monthly listeners and is on tour.
Rating: 9/10 What a fun album, amazing production and great chemistry between the rappers.
Really good. Super easy listen, lots of variation. I love hearing the personalities of each member through their flow.
Transphobia in the first full length song. 🤮
Прикольно. Пэсинг ми бай тут, хорошая песня. Альтернативный рэп, нотки джаза(?).
Listedn to before 6.7
I liked the goofy toned songs a lot, but the political songs were my favorite. I liked the funky beats and the fun creative lyrics, and the female MC in the group was my favorite.
A CLASSIC! This album was a superb listen through and through, I had always enjoyed this style of 90’s rap. The examples I have for this are ‘Passin Me By’ and ‘Soul Flower’. But I must say all of the tracks flowed nicely together and the skits were a great addition. I cant think of an album I’ve personally listened to that has included them, but im happy to look for more. Will definitely log ‘Labcabcalifornia’ next!!- GEMV (16.01.2026) - 5/5
Such a great, underrated album. Has aged like wine.
Fun listen
Skip the interludes, people! 4 Better or 4 Worse (interlude) ★★★☆☆ Oh Shit ★★★☆☆ It’s Jigaboo Time (skit) ★★☆☆☆ 4 Better or 4 Worse ★★★☆☆ I’m That Type of Nigga ★★★☆☆ If I Were President (skit) ★★☆☆☆ Soul Flower (remix) ★★★☆☆ On the DL ★★★☆☆ Pack the Pipe (interlude) ★☆☆☆☆ Officer ★★★☆☆ Ya Mama ★★★☆☆ Passing Me By ★★★☆☆ Otha Fish ★★★☆☆ Quinton’s on the Way (skit) ★★★☆☆ Pack the Pipe ★★★☆☆ Return of the B‐Boy ☆☆☆☆☆ Average Album Rating: 2.7/5.0 ★★★☆☆
Good lightheaded silliness
not my genre
something's not grabbing me here - the pharcyde are obviously very talented rappers and while the beats are great, nothing is really being said? the closest to some commentary is the ending of the 3rd track maybe it's listening to two weeks of rock with one hip hop album; maybe it's having the entire catalogue of hip hop available in 2026 and that overshadows this album which was probably formative for a hell of a lot of people i recognise the passin me by sample and that'll fuck my head when i come back to this review standouts are On The DL, Passin' Me By, Return Of The B-Boy i need to come back to this to really articulate why I find it a middle of the road album
Nope. Dumb lyrics and not all that musically interesting. Probably would have hit different if I heard it first as a high school kid.
This album offers snippets of the 90s hip hop stuff I have time for. The classic beats and tight vocals are distinctive of the era and I found the tracks that stayed true to that were decent (thought it ended well on Return of the B Boy). Also some decent mixtures of different musical influences that I could appreciate - some jazz elements that actually worked well. But it also has the downsides. Repetitive in themes and sounds. Also while I think the skits were attempting to do something different they really didn’t work for me - lighthearted and good natured sure but it just fell flat. A real mixed bag. Some at a 3 but overall felt a 2 or was right.
There was times where I nearly enjoyed it. They were funny and fluent then it just transcended into dribble. The cool kid cracks a funny off the cuff joke then some wise kids echoes it back until it dies. Mild enjoyment now and then but this is far too simplistic and only so much cocking about on repeat I can cope with.
Another bit of classic hip-hop from the early nineties which is guilty of all the common issues I have with the genre at this time: - The beats are unvaried and rhythmically repetitive. - The rapping is tight but the flows are unvaried and tend to plod along at a single tempo. - The skits/interludes are overused and annoying. - The album is twenty minutes too long. This is fine for a few tracks but it gets repetitive and boring after a while. I wonder whether these are really albums designed to sit through in a single session... Lyrically, this also has some questionable moments. '4 Better Or 4 Worse' being a stand out track that got bizarre in a bad way. Generally I enjoy listening to these albums once as a historical study into the culture, but its not my favoured type of hip-hop and I won't be relistening.
They got a whole song of your mom jokes
passing me by 1992 united states hip hop
3.5/5 Funny but also good. I like the jazzy vibe on some of the songs. And the interludes and skits in between really add something to the album. Overall I’m surprised that it was this good. Favourite songs: - I’m that type of nigga - Passin’ me by
Didn't like this right away, especially as there's little in the way of hooks, but the more I paid attention to the lyrics the more I enjoyed it. Totally unserious, ridiculous, but kinda wholesome actually. Faves: 4 Better Or 4 Worse (Interlude), Oh Shit, I'm That Type Of Nigga, Officer
This is not really my genre, but I liked it okay. It had a cool lo-fi sound to it and I did enjoy the 90's era hip hop sound. The rhymes and flow were good, and it sounded more modern that 1992 -- maybe like 2000s era. Overall enjoyed it. Three stars.
Loved this one! Don’t listen to a lot of hiphop so this was a real blessing.
I actually loved this album it was really good in my opinion. It reminds me of A Tribe Called Quest. Love the beats love the rapping. I love how they joke around on some of the songs and I like how some of the interludes are just a little more toned down. I will definitely listen to this again.
love the instruments
Okay, I think we've been down this road before, though I would offer this, there is not the blatantly offensive attempt, in the name of being "real".
A couple of nice grooves can't save overall juvenile album
Skjønar at det er med, men blir mest eit klenodium kanskje?
Best 90s hip hop album yet
This was ace. Such a lot of fun.
Not for me, 90's rap and hip hop is just drab to listen to in my opinion.
Funny and ridiculous. The rapping style reminds me of beastie boys. I’ve heard passin me by on a lofi YouTube mix
This is a fun album. Songs like Oh Shit reminded me of my days of youth when my buddies and I were in the jamming session. Love some few moments when you could hear the jazz influence. But it could have been better.
An absolute classic. This really takes me back to childhood. Even my dad enjoyed the song “Ya Mama”, and would play it all the time in the car if it came on the radio. Never a complaint from me revisiting this album.
Fantastic hip-hop album. One of the better ones I heard.
É um bom álbum, achei pela época que foi gravado muito interessante na parte da musicalidade e batidas, apesar das letras polêmicas que hoje são bem mais criticadas.
Fun hip-hop record - generally not my style but closer to this than most
Pretty awesome record that I never heard of. It’s really good!
Hip Hop, Rapp, ? Der Sound ist genial und lässt mich tanzen...
2.8 This fits in somewhere for me between de la soul and tribe called quest
Rap, not music.
It's good, too long though. Digable planets should also be on this
This album was very playful and another iconic hip hop album that established a unique style of The Pharcyde. I liked that each emcee in the group had their own style and sound and you can tell that they're having fun rapping and making music.
Pretty nice hip hop album, nothing too special
I don't get the point of it, like about 90% of hip hop albums...
Leave it to The Pharcyde to write a 4 minute song of nothing but yo mama jokes and have it be one of the better ones of the album. The lead guy has a really nice flow, especially on Otha Fish. The only problem is it's too dang long. This could've just as easily worked as a single LP. Granted, adding skits and interludes was just what you did in a 90s rap album. Still a great album. Everyone has a great sense of humor and it's easy to tell that they're all having fun with it. Also, I saw a bunch of reviews calling this album super dated. Yeah, that's the fun of it. Old rap is fun.
Byłabym w stanie dać cztery, gdyby nie cały kawałek z żartami o Twojej starej. Ja naprawdę lubię hip-hop i zabawę słowem, ale to zdecydowanie nie jest mój rodzaj rapu. 6/10
6/10
Not 4 me
mmm no me convenció nada 4/10
I can appreciate how they were doing something different, countering the typical machismo and violence of rap lyrics with yo mamma jokes, but still not something I'd come back to
Maybe it’s the juvenile lyrics delivered impeccably. Maybe it’s the fact that this wasn’t a crappy goth/new wave Brit album like 99% of the other albums I’ve gotten. But I really enjoyed this.
nope
Not a huge early '90's hip hop fan, and there's better examples out there than this. That said, I can see the influence this had on other hip hop and rap artists that got big later in the decade.
rating doesn't include interludes/skits Oh Shit - 4/5 4 Better or 4 Worse - 4/5 I'm That Type of Nigga - 5/5 Soul Flower (Remix) - 5/5 On the DL - 3/5 Officer - 4/5 Ya Mama - 5/5 Passing Me By - 5/5 Otha Fish - 3/5 Pack the Pipe - 3/5 Return of the B-Boy - 3/5 Average score: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ it's a funny album, definitely doesn't take itself seriously at all. i enjoyed this quite a bit, though sometimes the comedy distracted from my overall enjoyment at times. still worth giving a spin at least once (if not more) favs: Passin' Me By, Ya Mama, Soul Flower
3/5 + About as groovy as it's silly, really fun energy + I Like the way they use vocals chops + A lot of interesting ways how they use their rap and singing voices - Sometimes a little too edgy, also some really outdated humor - feels a little... irrelevant? - gets repetitive fast Fav: Officer, Oh Shit, I'm the Type of N***a, Quintons on the way (Skit), Pack the Pipe Least Fav: Otha Fish, Most of the skits and interludes, 4 Better 4 Worse
3.5 (56:41, 16 tracks (5 are skits), debut, 1992) hip-hop (alternative h-h, joke hip-hop) OK this band certainly sounds like they could have put out one of the better non-gangster alternative hip-hop albums of the 90s but they just couldn't stay serious. Here is my equation for how to build a Pharcyde 4/8 Arrested Development + 2/8 Will Smith + 1/8 Skee-Lo + 1/8 Afroman = Pharcyde Another commenter said "it's like a kid good enough to make the NBA but wastes his skills throwing suction cup dildos into increasingly difficult places to reach" - couldn't have summarized it better. Band literally raps about jerking off, vaginal fisting, a whole song (4:22) of Ya Mama jokes, eating brains, everything, it's just a hot mess. Perfect album if you're in junior high. Pretty much loved Quinton's on the Way (it's a skit but captures the damn album) Didn't hate the album (was on the west coast in 1992, never heard of them - but then gansta rap was king
Sometimes I wonder why there are no more hip hop groups. It was such a thing in the 80s and 90s but now? Just solo MCs. Why? One of those great groups was/is The Pharcyde, the west coast answer to the Native Tongues movement (De La Soul, Tribe, etc). This album is a LOT of fun. Maybe a little too much, as it's all jokes (Oops! all Jokes!) I mean, there is a 4 minute track that is just mama jokes. And they're good but cmon man. It's the same beef I have with Zappa at times. Does humor belong in music? Sure but can't we be serious some of the time? Anyway, this is still a great record and one of the great 90s alternative hip hop records. A notch below some of the eras best like Low End Theory and Three Feet High and Rising, but in the same conversation for sure
Love the boom boom bap era
OK. Glad to hear it, but i prefer hip-hop when beats progressed beyond just two turntables.
Musically I enjoyed it. Lyrically it started out ok but soon (very soon) it went drastically down hill. Only worth 2
I’m well over 600 albums deep into this list, and have managed to find joy in some strange and surprising places, from all sorts of genres that are alien to me. But I now know enough to understand that I just won’t find any in this corner of the musical planet. I’ve really tried. And I do keep listening to all of the albums. At least this was less angry. Whilst I didn’t delve into the lyrics, I didn’t sense anything that was inciting hatred either. Which is a positive. This just seemed to go on and on without changing gear. Nothing creative or inspiring. Guess I’m destined to never get it.
These were a jolly old bunch! A counter to gangster rap apparently. It doesn't mean it was any good though. It was very samey like most of this genre.
Interesting. They funny. I have to be in the mood for them.
I enjoyed some of the beats and some of the music but the words, no. 2
Bastante chulo, tiene toda la vibra del rap de los 2000s en su esencia pura, sin embargo se me ha hecho un poco largo y a veces repetitivo, siento que es muy del gremio para mi, pero ey ahi esta. Me ha gustado bastante oh shit, buen ritmo
Sounded nice, not my personal style.
This was okay, some lyrics weren't great but the vibe was fine.
2,5
#785. Its fine, but what was the obsession with the fucking skits in 90s rap albums? 3/5: acceptable
I felt like the creativity of the lyrics came through in this one, and a couple of the songs were really nice. Better than I was expecting; have never heard of this group.
Fun classic hip hop.
Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde was… ok. Musically it could be really good at times, but for the majority of the album it’s pretty juvenile and just not to my tastes. “Passin’ Me By” is a classic though. I’ll give it a 3/5.
I quite liked this new album for me. The hip hop sound is quite classicaly 1990s-2000’s so there is some nostalgia aspect to my enjoyment. There are some great tracks that would sound good in a mix due to the cool break beats.
Very good album - loved it
3.5. This was entirely new to me and very enjoyable.
3.5.
You gotta love an album that sounds like a bunch of friends goofing around in the studio. The Pharcyde definitely don't take themselves too seriously. I mean, there's a whole song dedicated to 'Yo mama' jokes. The beats are loose and jazzy, and the flows are playful. I lost track of how many rappers there were in the group, but the album sounds like a party.
Solid early 90's new jack swing type rap. I dig the layers and smaller moments throughout the album that shows me that they put a ton of thought into the entire thing. I always appreciate that a lot when artists produce an entire record and don't take any moment of attention for granted. With that being said, the album kind of just went by. I grooved to it, I bopped my head, but I didn't feel totally moved by it. It's not bad at all, but it didn't blow me away. I do like how loose it felt.
4 Better or 4 Worse (interlude) n/a Oh Shit 3.4 It's Jiggaboo Time (Skit) n/a 4 better or 4 Worse 3.5 I'm That Type of Nigga 3.5 If I Were President (Skit) n/a Soul Flower (Remix) 3.3 On the DL 3 Pack the Pipe (interlude) n/a Officer 3.2 Ya Mama 3.4 Passing Me By 3.5 Otha Fish 3.3 Quinton's on the Way (Skit) n/a Pack the Pipe 3.2 Return of the B-Boy 3 Score: 3.3
Fun. Idk man it's old school rap, it speaks for itself. The rhymes were a little archaic but that's all part of the appeal. I wouldn't call this a daily driver, but I'll add it to a rotation for the 3 times a year I want to listen to old rap
Lighthearted gangsta rap indeed. Sophomoric but super fun and surprisingly musically rich.
Never heard of these guys before, definitely feels like somewhat of a hidden gem of 90s hip hop. Love the beats, production, and rapping, but some songs were definitely better than others.
Iconic act. Lucky to catch them live a few years back. Such a great album, I left it on repeat while i cleaned the house. 5/5 good vibes.
Really just a classic fun hip hop record. The other side of the LA rap scene that wasn't as glamorized vs gangsta rap. Bay Area had that rap scene focused more on partying and hustling over the gangsta shit, but that doesn't scare white people reading the news as much as NWA. Fun stuff.
Never heard the whole album before, but Passing Me By and Your Mamma are classics.
Listened before. Excellent album.
You know, its not my thing but its not bad
Really enjoyed this. Highlight was I’m That Type of… and Oh Shit. The overall vibe made me want to make music with my friends. It’s also shocking how far the boundaries were pushed in the early years of Hip Hop and how infrequently it seems to have happened since. Overall I think I’m saying 4 instead of 5 because of the silliness? A little too silly for a 5. That’s a new arbitrary rule.
I think my love for the pharcyde is best summarized in Oh Shit when the narrator realizes he’s just been with a transvestite (transgendered? Unclear). Most rap of this era and since is too steeped in machismo and self seriousness to rap about this situation, but if they did they would probably call the person a faggor and maybe in the narrative murder them to show how tough and manly they are. But in this song the narrator just claps his hand good naturedly and declares ‘Yo he pulled a fast one on me! Oh shit!’ I think that spirit of fun and goofiness animates the whole album and makes this just a delight. Of course I’m the opposite of raps demographic so maybe my endorsement should be a sign of weakness. But that’s not my problem
Man that was fun as hell. Respect to Frank for giving this a 5, and honestly hard to argue. But have to go 4 just based on the likelihood I will return to more than a few of these. Oh Shit, That Type of, Ya Mama, and Otha Fish are all great. Wikipedia says their high school music teacher helped them navigate the industry early on - pretty damn cool teacher.
Younger hip hop fans clown early records like this, mostly for the simplistic flow and sometimes silly lyrics I think, but that's what makes it so fun for me. Highly influencial. Rap and the people that listen to rap are way too serious nowadays in my opinion. You can tell they just had a blast making this music. 3.3 outta 5
This is a really fun album. East coast hip hop is my favorite, especially when it is on the jazzier side. This reminds me of A Tribe Called Quest, but just a slight step down. Low 5.
Definitely better than it has any business being, for how stupid it is. You never know what you’re gonna get when you see a hip hop album with that style of album art. What do you call that? It’s like the style you’d see on a bootleg looney toons shirt where Bugs is smokin a cig or whatever.
Felt fun and fresh at the time (maybe it was the giant bong?), but now it sounds dated and juvenile. Extra star for nostalgia.
This was great.
Too flippy
I love this early 90s phase of hiphop that was so jazz-influenced. These are some tasty grooves.
There was stuff in here I really enjoyed but every time I got into a groove there would be a very homophobic, transphobic, or misogynist lyric that would really bring it down.
Another newbie for me and I hope it os an unknown Gary Larson album! It’s hip hop. And fun hip hop at that, like Run DMC You Be Illin. For the release date this would have been a good alternative to gangster rap. Like the jazz samples and cuts - Miles on the track On the DL? Really enjoyed this. Will listen to again and again.
Ya Mama's An Extra On The Simpsons 1001 Albums Generator 164 (11/18/2025) Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde is the debut album by hiphop collective The Pharcyde, who are known as the funny guys of 90's hiphop. Look, I'm no fuddy-duddy, but if I wanted to hear a bunch of dudes spitting Yo Mama jokes at each other for like 5 minutes, I'd go hang out by an elementary school playground. The Pharcyde are very talented, especially in the world of production (where this album really shines), but they consistently use their talents for bullshit. Nearly every song has either a really annoying verse or chorus (or both). The two biggest examples of this are the terrible prank call verse of 4 Better Or 4 Worse and the "um, excuse me" chorus of I'm That Type Of Nigga. Like, I think the point of the latter one was to sound like an annoying nagging woman and yeah it worked. Why would I want to listen to that? Especially as this repeated chorus. It's not all bad; Oh Shit is a perfect song and Passin' Me By is also amazing. No comment on either tune. Officer and Otha Fish are also both great and I love the old school feel of Return Of The B-Boy. It's also worth mentioning that the skits/interludes, which I normally dread on 90's hiphop albums, were actually largely pleasant, consisting of short, jazzy beats and normally just one verse or idea. Overall, Bizarre Ride is definitely bizarre and it's just not for me. It's definitely dumb, harmless fun and I really enjoyed parts of it, but I wish The Pharcyde knew when to stop themselves from doing something annoying. 2.5/5, rounded down to a 2. Favs: Oh Shit Officer Passin' Me By Least Fav (not including interludes/skits): 4 Better Or 4 Worse
This album is a bop all the way through. Some of the lyrics are kind of out there but overall I enjoyed this a lot.
Wow this is incredible. So fun and full of personality, the jazziness is a perfect fit for the crazy antics and feel of the MCs. I mean, how can you hate an album that talks about masturbating to the sex you had last night?
This era of hip hop can be hit or miss when it comes to standing the test of time, but this album is definitely a hit. Every member of the group brings their own unique style and personality, and they blend together seamlessly as a collective. If I had to choose a favorite element, it would be J-Swift’s production. His beats are upbeat and full of energy, yet they remain smooth, soulful, and jazzy. The sampling is top-notch, adding a groovy and laid-back vibe to the tracks.
Knowing nothing about the Pharcyde coming into this, and having very little exposure to alternative hip hop in general, I was very positively surprised by this album. Yes, the lyrics are sophomoric in the most literal sense of the word, and there are plenty of moments that likely would have come off as offensive upon release in the 90s and certainly do by today’s sensibilities. And yet I really enjoyed it. The overwhelming sense you get as the listener is that this is a group having fun while recording, and you can’t help but join, even if they make a few jokes at your expense along the way. There were plenty of points where they had me laughing out loud, both with some of their goofier lyrics and with production choices, like some loud belches that added to a few songs. I can’t help but wonder how my enjoyment of this record will trend as I listen to it more. It’s possible that the jokes will grow stale, and I could see myself wishing the group took on some more substantial topics lyrically. But for right now, the Pharcyde made a record that I want to hear again because I enjoyed it, not just because it’s “interesting” - and that counts for a lot.
If I somewhat liked a hip-hop album, then it was probably quite good oO. That's why 4, however it's actually 3,75 for me. I liked the energy and the cool combination of jazzy piano and rap.
I was expecting something terrible but this was quite fun!
Passin' Me By
Maestro Fresh Wes vibes
Get the fuck up
Very fun album
Pretty good boom bappy rap. Silly vibes in a lot of the songs which make it kinda an easy listen. Highlight was Ya Mama, I already new Passin' Me By but I think I prefer this They trade flows really smooth and clean
Fun songs
Fun classic hip hop
Great flows over great beats, Just not my favorite verse of all time
i enjoyed some of the songs. others the beat was bland or the content seemed trivial
An okay album but not really my style of music.
4 better or 4 Worse (interlude) - interlude Oh Shit - 8/10 the instrumental is nothing insane but the chemistry on this song is infectious. It's Jiggaboo Time (skit) - skit 4 Better or 4 Worse -8/10 it was fine but the skit was kind of weird. I'm that type of nigga - 7/10 nothing really happened it was just pleasant If I were President (Skit) - skit (really good) Soul Flower - Remix -9/10 so far this track has the most energy and flow, its one of my favs from this album On The DL - 7/10 great rapping performance freak ass subject though Pack the Pipe (interlude) - interlude Officer - 9/10 The story was funny and the bars, instrumental, and energy was something I wasn't expected Ya Mama - ain't no way my mom has a 4:20 diss track made before she was a mom that takes dedication and a certain level of genuine hating that I was not ready for 8/10 Passin' Me By - my favorite song on this album it, I think mainly for the instruments used accompanies their voices perfectly 10/10 Otha Fish -8/10 cool little track Quinton's On The Way (Skit) - skit Pack The Pipe - the song is fun and i like the chorus a lot which is why i give it an 8/10 Return Of The B-Boy - phenomanal outro and my second favorite song on the album 10/10
C’est bien, en vrai j’aime la vibe pas trop sérieuse, pis y’a Ya Mama dans la tracklist, tu sais que tu vas avoir un bon temps
Plutôt sympa, des instrus stylées avec un piano bien présent, même si ça reste un peu répétitif à la longue.
Pas mal, je ne connaissais pas du tout !
Un album qui me réconcilie avec le rap, j'ai énormément aimé. Finalement tout dépend du rythme, de la musicalité et du style, mais je remarque j'aime beaucoup quand la piste utilise des samples de jazz. Même chose pour le hip hop qui est une de mes découvertes avec ce projet. 5/5!
Having only ever heard Passing Me By and Running Away before, I was a bit surprised by Fatlip's horror rap on 4 Better 4 Worse! The fact that Soulflower stands out for its production leaves me thinking that the original tracks lack quality. Too much time spent on skits although they often have better beats than the tracks themselves. Some of their flow is pretty annoying too, with a lot of nonsense. Generally pretty average album in my view when viewed as a whole.
It's a fun album! Emblematic of the 90s (particularly West Coast) rap ensembles. Everyone has their own style and the beats repeat during the song, but there certainly is enough here to keep me interested. I like their flow and they are goofy enough to be really enjoyable.