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.
Pack The Pipe
The Pharcyde Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sky is the limit, but we superscede
The greed for the speed is like way beyond limits
I grab my parachute with like forks and spoons in it
And I'm falling, I'm falling, my heart rapid rushes
Death before my eyes, oh why did I trust this?
My reactions are repeated over and over and over
Oh it seems like I will never be sober
(Get up, pack it in, I get high, I love gettin' high, I'mma get high
'Til I die, can I have a light my brother, where is my bud?)
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
I look in every hip-hop magazine it seems
That the blunts are being passed around the scenes in teams
And the ganja man with contraband in lesser amounts
I guess 'cause understands he has his chance passes like Fouts
But his pass is incomplete 'cause I can tell in the smell
To let the dutchy pass me by, let the left catch hell
If I wanted to smoke tobacco I'd get a skinny white bitch
I know that Fatlip carries a pack to cure the nicotine itch
Because the only itch I have is for the indo or sess
So don't pass me that mess or try to even protest
That it's adding to the flavor 'cause the old one was fine
Won't you pack the pipe and keep it moving down the line
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
I got a big ol' blunt, I'm lampin' on my front porch
About to put a torch to it, then Coco said don't do it
Please don't hit that shit in front of my little four year old son
She sent him inside the house meanwhile my Sheri steadily rolled one
After the other, then another, 'cause I'm rollin' in the dough
So we rolling the indo as if the kid didn't know
He's lookin' through the window, yo why we tryin' to hide it?
To make a boy grow to be ignorant and misguided
About the bud!? Now I have to play the part of the adviser
Because the bud is just the tasty tantalizer
The bud not the beer 'cause the bud makes me wiser
(Figaro) So I said come here little man
And with his little hand, he grabbed the pipe
A lesson in buddah blessin', not too young, just right
So he started blazin', it was amazin'
My lungs are black and shriveled up like a raisin
But who am I to deny the kid a try
At nature's little way of sayin' hi?
So pack
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
Twisting turning burning
Rings of fire when I come into ya layer
Say ya pay yer fare for the fee
I see
The pipe, the pipe is what I like
I'm Imani and I'm hype give me the pipe tonight
I really wanna smoke it, I really want to smoke it
I choke it
The endo no jokin'
I'm doin' it like this
I hope I do not get this by anybody
By anybody
By anybody
By anybody
What? Uh huh uh huh
Why does your mother smoke pipe
With crack on the inside
She likes to take a bus ride with a sherm stick in her mouth
Preachin' about
What the world's goin' on
I don' know what's up
The bitch smokes
A lotta heroin
Every day a hard
Basehead
I don' know what to say
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
The pipe, the pipe
Let's pack the pipe
I saw ya
The pipe dammit!
The song "Pack The Pipe" by The Pharcyde tackles the topic of drug addiction and the culture of smoking marijuana. The first verse talks about being trapped in an airplane cockpit at 40,000 feet and the fear that comes with it. The singer mentions the addiction to speed and how it has gone beyond what is acceptable. He then speaks of grabbing his parachute that has forks and spoons in it, suggesting that he is not prepared and could be in danger. The falling feels like death creeping in, which prompts the question of why he trusted his instinct. The lyrics convey the hopelessness that can come with addiction, leading the singer to say he knows he may never be sober.
The chorus is a phrase that expresses their love for getting high and smoking marijuana. It talks about packing the pipe, which refers to filling a pipe or bong with marijuana to smoke. The song also touches on the perceived glamour of drug use in the hip hop community. The singer talks about seeing a lot of blunts being passed around, hinting that there might be pressure to smoke it when everyone is doing it. However, it is also highlighted in the song that the singer prefers smoking marijuana over tobacco. The Pharcyde seems to want to emphasize the importance of knowing what you are smoking and not resorting to dangerous drugs like crack or heroin.
Overall, the lyrics to "Pack The Pipe" reflect the Pharcyde's views on drug addiction and serve as a warning to their listeners. The song cautions against peer pressure and stresses the importance of good judgment when it comes to drug use.
Line by Line Meaning
Trapped in the cockpit at forty thousand feet
I'm in a situation I can't handle.
The sky is the limit, but we superscede
We can do anything we want to.
The greed for the speed is like way beyond limits
The desire for drugs is too strong to resist.
I grab my parachute with like forks and spoons in it
I'm trying to escape my problems but it's not that easy.
And I'm falling, I'm falling, my heart rapid rushes
I feel like I'm losing control of my life.
Death before my eyes, oh why did I trust this?
I regret getting myself into this unhealthy lifestyle.
My reactions are repeated over and over and over
I'm stuck in a cycle of addiction and I don't know how to break free.
Oh it seems like I will never be sober
I can't imagine living without drugs.
The pipe, the pipe
We're talking about smoking drugs.
Let's pack the pipe
Let's get high together.
I look in every hip-hop magazine it seems
Drug use is glamorized in popular culture.
That the blunts are being passed around the scenes in teams
Smoking together is seen as a way to bond with friends.
And the ganja man with contraband in lesser amounts
Drug dealers know how to be discreet to avoid getting caught.
But his pass is incomplete 'cause I can tell in the smell
I can tell that this isn't good quality drugs.
To let the dutchy pass me by, let the left catch hell
I'll wait for something better to come along.
If I wanted to smoke tobacco I'd get a skinny white bitch
I'm not interested in smoking anything that's not going to get me high.
I know that Fatlip carries a pack to cure the nicotine itch
I understand that some people need to smoke cigarettes to feel satisfied.
Because the only itch I have is for the indo or sess
I'm only interested in smoking weed.
So don't pass me that mess or try to even protest
Don't bother trying to convince me to smoke something else.
That it's adding to the flavor 'cause the old one was fine
I don't need you to add anything to my weed to enjoy it.
Won't you pack the pipe and keep it moving down the line
Let's keep smoking and enjoying ourselves.
I got a big ol' blunt, I'm lampin' on my front porch
I'm enjoying the high and the scenery around me.
About to put a torch to it, then Coco said don't do it
Someone reminds me to be careful and considerate of others.
Please don't hit that shit in front of my little four year old son
It's not appropriate to smoke in front of children.
She sent him inside the house meanwhile my Sheri steadily rolled one
We hide our drug use from others to avoid judgement.
After the other, then another, 'cause I'm rollin' in the dough
I can afford to smoke as much as I want.
So we rolling the indo as if the kid didn't know
We think we're being sneaky but we're really not fooling anyone.
He's lookin' through the window, yo why we tryin' to hide it?
We need to be better role models and not expose children to drugs.
To make a boy grow to be ignorant and misguided
We're afraid of setting a bad example for young children.
The bud not the beer 'cause the bud makes me wiser
I prefer smoking weed over drinking alcohol because it gives me a different perspective.
(Figaro) So I said come here little man
I try to impart my wisdom to young people.
And with his little hand, he grabbed the pipe
The young boy is curious and wants to try drugs.
A lesson in buddah blessin', not too young, just right
I want to teach him how to use drugs responsibly.
So he started blazin', it was amazin'
He enjoys the high and is having a good time.
My lungs are black and shriveled up like a raisin
I've been smoking for so long that it's causing damage to my body.
But who am I to deny the kid a try
I don't want to be a hypocrite and take drugs away from someone else.
At nature's little way of sayin' hi?
Is using drugs just a natural part of being human?
So pack
Let's keep smoking and enjoying ourselves.
Twisting turning burning
I'm feeling the effects of the drugs.
Rings of fire when I come into ya layer
I'm going to have a wild adventure when I'm high.
Say ya pay yer fare for the fee
Drugs come with a cost.
I see
I understand how drugs work and how much they mean to me.
I'm Imani and I'm hype give me the pipe tonight
I'm excited to get high tonight.
I really wanna smoke it, I really want to smoke it
I can't wait to take my next hit.
I choke it
I'm inhaling deeply and holding the smoke in.
The endo no jokin'
This is real good weed.
Why does your mother smoke pipe
Why does anyone use drugs?
With crack on the inside
She's addicted to hard drugs.
She likes to take a bus ride with a sherm stick in her mouth
She likes to get high in public places.
Preachin' about
Trying to convince others to see things her way.
What the world's goin' on
She's aware of what's happening in the world.
I don' know what's up
I don't know how to help her.
The bitch smokes
She's addicted to smoking crack and it's taken control of her life.
A lotta heroin
She's also addicted to heroin.
Every day a hard
She struggles with addiction every single day.
Basehead
A derogatory term used to describe someone who is addicted to smoking crack cocaine.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RALPH BURNS, RALPH J BURNS, TREVANT HARDSEN, QUINTON HOWZE, JOHN MARTINEZ, ROMYE ROBINSON, DEREK STEWART, EMANDU IMANI RASHAAN WILCOX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jaynegs76
"the bud...not the beer, cause the bud makes me wiser"
@wingshotmikeable
"Wise"
@jaynegs76
Like it was yesterday. Weiser, lol.
@jasonkiley8417
Yup yup yup 👍🏼
@xxlionzonlyxx2099
Bro I've been saying that shit 4years now haha i don't drink so haha
@jackblackfan4202
“Wise”
@melaninfuture
One of the best rap groups in west coast history. Couldn’t have been done without j swift. I’ll probably be bumping this album even in my 70s
@illaeli1586
👈🤙💯💫
@tokyoserpent2219
Is autotune - 4:12
@jeanke9826
That Budweiser line gets me everytime. Such a sick line