The group is perhaps best known for the hit singles "Drop", "Passin' Me By" and "Runnin''", as well as their first album, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde. Pharcyde continues to tour and record, both collaboratively and in solo projects—the most recent being Hardson's collaborative EP with the award-winning DJ Nu-Mark (of Jurassic 5) released in 2014 on Delicious Vinyl.
Pharcyde group members Slimkid3, Bootie Brown, and Imani met as dancers in the late 1980s and dancing was their main ambition as late as 1990. Around this time, Imani and Slimkid3 were in a group called "As Is" and later a group called the "Play Brothers", whilst Bootie Brown was a backup dancer for Fatlip (Fatlip being the last member to join the group). Bootie Brown recalls that their earlier dancing careers influenced their rapping – "sometimes the way I rap is almost like the way I used to dance". The group met Reggie Andrews, a local high-school music teacher who worked with the Dazz Band and Rick James, and who was a major musical influence on their debut album. The group also met producer J-Swift around this time, as he was Reggie Andrews's "star pupil" according to the book Check the Technique.
Though Humboldt Beginnings is to date the last Pharcyde album, its members have since been keeping busy with various contributions and projects. A compilation of The Pharcyde was released in 2005, titled Sold My Soul: The Remix & Rarity Collection, featuring a number of remixes and rare songs. Former member Fatlip released his solo debut in 2005, titled The Loneliest Punk, and Tre Hardson's second full-length solo album SLIMKID3's Cafe was released on April 4, 2006.
2012 saw the twentieth anniversary of The Pharcyde's debut Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, and to mark the event Fatlip and SlimKid3 teamed up with the album's producers, J-Swift and L.A. Jay, as well as record label Delicious Vinyl, to play the album in its entirety at a tribute show at The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles. The performance was intended to be a one-off, but due to overwhelming success and reception, the group began touring the show 'Bizarre Ride Live', and, along with MC K-Natural, working on original music under the moniker The Bizarre Ride. In December of that year, The Pharcyde released the Amerigo Gazaway-produced "Still Got Love (Bizarre Tribe Megamix)" garnering significant praise. 2015 marked the twentieth anniversary of Labcabincalifornia, resulting in a similar tour through Europe and Japan. The group continued touring Europe through 2017.
Devil Music
The Pharcyde Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So diablo wouldn't faze us or daze us
Or lay us down to sleep
Know the wolf from the sheep
Or the sheep who cried wolf
And threw the deadly hoof
While the wolf was asleep
I keep my mind a ghost
Don't play fools too close
Sleep with my eyes at post
So diablo won't be hostin the game of life
The knife sits by throats of the young
And blows death straight through the lungs
As the mind gets washed by visions of sugar plums
But we shall overcome 'cause we ain't dumb
But we ain't smart, they got the girls by the hearts
And the niggas by the nuts
Ear, tongue and butts
Yeah, they're trying to fuck us up
But, shit, you know what's up
We gotta get with the movement
And move men soon
They consume every womb who bares
Beneath the stairs of their doom
Before they let a new soul bloom
Best believe they're gonna shove em in a tomb
'Cause every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
Every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
Every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
Every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
Early Saturday mornin' I was cartoon gazin'
Slowly broke into the kitchen
To fill a bowl with some raisin bran
As I ran up and down the TV stations
I witnessed Indian joe
Getting tricked out of this nation
By a silly hillbilly
Who laughed as the shit happened
Everything's the same
The game continued into rappin'
Deception is at an all-time high
You give a piece of your soul
To receive some crumbs from the pie
But you know I keep on rappin' 'til the break of dawn
Even though it is my soul that I do not even own
But you know I keep on rappin' 'til the break of dawn
Even though it is my soul that I do not even own
'Cause every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
Every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
Every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
Every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
I was po', black and broke
Beyond a shadow of a doubt
Ass-out, wide open waitin' for my shit to come on out
Speakin' about the time before I got signed
I was coolin' behind coolio in the county line
My big brother used to say I was an asshole
Didn't graduate, couldn't handle the hassle
Of high school, why fool
Wit' foolish rules and guidelines
Fuck the cap and tassels
Said forget the trade and tried rhymes
Hooked up with J-Swift, got with 2-4-2
Me and my nigga L.A. Jay back at S.C.U
I grab the mic one-time
Check it, 1-2, we in
Freakin' major flavors with my fellow nubians
Takin shit to the next level
Too bad I sold my soul to the fuckin' devil
'Cause every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
Every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
Every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
Every time I step to the microphone
I put my soul on two inch reels
That I don't even own
The Pharcyde's "Devil Music" discusses the challenges and complexities of the music industry and how it requires artists to put their souls on the line. The lyrics describe the importance of staying true to oneself and remaining vigilant about the dangers that exist within the industry. The first stanza references the power of faith in protecting oneself from evil forces. The line "know the wolf from the sheep, or the sheep who cried wolf" suggests that it is important to be able to distinguish between truth and lies. The second stanza discusses the ways in which the industry can take advantage of individuals, and the idea of the "game of life," which can be controlled by forces beyond an artist's control. Finally, the third stanza speaks to the struggle of remaining true to oneself while being a part of the industry, referencing the sacrifices that must be made in order to succeed.
Overall, the song illustrates the difficulties that artists face when navigating the music industry, and the importance of staying true to oneself and being aware of the dangers inherent in the industry.
Line by Line Meaning
The way that momma raised us was pure faith
We were taught to have unwavering faith, so Satan couldn't influence us or confuse us, and we could differentiate between good and bad influences.
Know the wolf from the sheep
We were taught to recognize and differentiate between genuine and deceiving people.
While the wolf was asleep
We remained vigilant and alert, even when things seemed calm or peaceful, to avoid getting deceived and taken advantage of.
So diablo won't be hostin the game of life
We try to live life without being controlled or influenced by Satan, so he won't be controlling the direction or outcome of our lives.
As the mind gets washed by visions of sugar plums
Society fills people's minds with unrealistic or idealistic dreams, leading people to believe in fantasies or illusions.
But we shall overcome 'cause we ain't dumb
Despite society's attempts to deceive and manipulate us, we refuse to be ignorant, and we'll make an effort to rise above the deceit.
They consume every womb who bares Beneath the stairs of their doom
Those in power try to control or suppress new life by taking away opportunities or influence from those who have the potential to create or inspire something new.
And move men soon
We need to unite and take action quickly to counteract the negative influence and manipulation in society.
Even though it is my soul that I do not even own
Despite being successful and having a platform to express ourselves, we feel like we have given up a piece of ourselves (our soul) to get here, and sometimes we feel like we don't even have control over our own lives.
Everything's the same The game continued into rappin'
The same corruption and manipulation that exists in other areas of society (such as politics) also exists in the music industry.
Deception is at an all-time high
The level of deceit and manipulation in society, especially in the music industry, is at an unprecedented level.
Too bad I sold my soul to the fuckin' devil
Despite our best intentions, we may have given up an important part of ourselves or compromised our values to achieve success or fame.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dennis David Coles, Robert F. Diggs, Gary E. Grice, Lamont Hawkins, Jason Hunter, Russell T. Jones, Clifford Smith, Corey Woods, Derrick L. Stewart, Emandu Wilcox, Trevant Vant Hardson, Romye Robinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind