Illmatic Classics: The Pharcyde- Labcabincalifornia

Many people have a belief that 1995 was the final year of the golden age of hip-hop. Album after album was being released that said year ("The Infamous" by Mobb Deep, "Only Built For Cuban Linx" by Raekwon, "Tical" by Method Man, "Me Against The World" by Tupac, "Lifestyles Of The Poor & Dangerous" by Big L, "Dog Food" by Tha Dogg Pound, "E 1999 Eternal" by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, "III: Temples Of Boom" by Cypress Hill) and it almost felt like it was definitive in the time capsule of the genre. Of all of those albums that year, I've always felt like California's The Pharcyde's second LP, "Labcabincalifornia", was often lost in the shuffle and forgotten by many. Everything about this album was just so fresh and ahead of its time in the West Coast. The Team of Slimkid 3, Imani, Bootie Brown, and Fatlip were heavily innovating on the left side that was almost strictly about gangs, guns, bitches, and crime.

Labcabin was a more mature step up from their fun, previous effort, "Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde" (Another classic album). Album number two covered the topics of the effects they've received from fame (Pharcyde, The Hustle, Devil Music), groupies (Groupie Therapy), and facing your problems (The albums first single, Runnin). The most impressive thing about the album however, is each members' storytelling ability and similar, but different styles. All of the rhymes are just so impressive. You get lines like "I step to the mic grinning, lyrical imperial award winning. Rhymes like a balloon that got a pin in it. Because my shit be poppin" from Fatlip on, "Pharcyde", and "They try to follow but their shallow and hollow, I can see right through them like and empty forty bottle of O.E" from Bottie Brown on, "Drop". The other main stand-out of this work-of-art was the inclusion of J. Dilla, who produced the bulk of this album in his first notable project.

Despite the very classic nature of this album, it's often overshadowed by The Pharcyde's first album, and therefore wasn't as successful as far as sales. Unfortunately, this was also the last album that would include all four of the original members. Fatlip decided to split from the group, and the remaining three soldiered on with "Plain Rap", but it wasn't nearly as successful as its predecessor on the critical or commercial level. Slimkid 3 also eventually left the group, leaving Imani and Bootie Brown as a duo. However, the four still occasionally come back together to perform as an old school act (The Rock The Bells Tour in 2008).

Even though it's often forgotten on the list of classic rap albums, "Labcabincalifornia" (And The Pharcyde in general) will always be seen as underrated and a landmark in this writer's eyes. It was truly before its time lyrically and conceptually speaking.

-Raul. A

                                                             The album's first single

                                                                        Creative vid