If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Ken Sears I have been a huge fan of The Pharcyde for thirty years now. I remember exactly where I was the first time I heard Bizarre Ride II , and it was one of those albums I bought less than an hour after hearing it. Back in the 90's, Boston wasn't exactly a live hip hop destination with many venues reluctant to book rap artists. The only way I got to see The Pharcyde live was back in 1996 when they opened for Korn, which was not exactly the ideal way to see them. The closest I came after that was twelve (?) years ago when Slimkid3 and Fatlip toured as Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde with J-Swift and LA Jay. (The Pharcyde at that point was Bootie Brown and Imani.) Last year, Slimkid3, Fatlip, and Imani reunited as The Far Side (formerly of The Pharcyde), but didn't make it to anywhere in New England. As soon as they announced a run of New England shows, I knew I had to go. As excited as I was to see a reunited The Pharcyde, I was more than a little hesitant. Were th...

There's some controversy on whether "My Bad" is a new track from 90's hip hop legends The Pharcyde or just a Fatlip solo song that features verses from Slimkid3, Imani, and Bootie Brown that weren't originally planned for a Pharcyde song. (We're not going to get into that as it's pretty drama filled and convoluted, but if you're curious there's an extensive Rolling Stone article about it.) But, if you're a fan of The Pharcyde from way back in the Bizarre Ride II... days, hearing these four all on one song is absolutely thrilling. Is this as great as the songs off Bizarre Ride II... ? It's not, but what truly is? "My Bad" is more along the lines of 1995's Labcabincalifornia , and that is not a bad thing. It's a laid back track that seems to show all four members apologizing to each other, which can only make diehard fans dream of what could be. You can watch the video for "My Bad" below. The song is currently ava...

Hailing from South London, Montener The Menace has just released the most classic old school hip hop single in years. First, the single is called "High Noon" and it has a slight old west vibe to it. A rap song with a western theme is something you'd hear in the late 80's/early 90's, but I can't think of another song since that used that theme. Second, he brought in four classic American rappers for the song. It features verses from Masta Ace, Rah Digga (Flipmode Squad), Fatlip (The Pharcyde), and Wordsworth. Just having those four team up is enough to get us to listen. Luckily, "High Noon" is a killer old school hip hop song. If you're a fan of pre-1995 hip hop, this song is going to be impossible not to enjoy. You can watch the video for "High Noon" below. The song will be available as a 7" single via Certain Sound Records. You can pre-order a copy on the label's Bandcamp . For more on Montener The Menace, check out the artist...