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Volume 38 Issue 10
February 27, 2001

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Pharcyde makes a quiet return with ‘Plain Rap’

REVIEWS WITH ATTITUDE
MESA LEGEND
Submitted February 27, 2001

Pharcyde: "Plain Rap"

The warped members of Pharcyde have returned after a five year hiatus with "Plain Rap," a muted and quietly engaging follow-up to the outfit’s 1995 LP "LabCabinCalifornia."

All of Pharcyde’s infectious qualities remain in place; a strong sense of rhythm, clever lyricism and a steady melodic appeal.

"Plain Rap" is just that – standard hip-hop fare with no frills and a serious lack of the uniqueness that was inherent in classic Pharcyde tracks like "Passin’ Me By." As a collective body of work, "Plain Rap" isn’t as smart as past Pharcyde material.

Thankfully, we aren’t forced to endure too much of the usual rap themes; lyrics about rap excesses, dollar signs and easy women.

But for reasons unknown, Pharcyde have decided to play it safe with "Plain Rap," despite the fact that the group produced such outstanding albums as 1993’s "Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde," one of the most inventive rap albums of the nineties.

But "Plain Rap" is a surprisingly somber hip-hop record that doesn’t fully realize Pharcyde’s full potential as courageous, light-hearted artists. Yes, you can be both in the hip-hop game, despite what DMX will tell you.

GRADE: B-

Jordan Currier is the editor-in-chief for the Mesa Legend and a journalism major at MCC.

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