How a Rick James collaborator inspired The Pharcyde to make their 1992 album
Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde, the 1992 debut album by Los Angeles‘ the Pharcyde, is today considered a classic.
It’s a masterpiece of alternative hip hop, and it owes a great debt to a little-known figure who once worked with Rick James and mentored such artists as Patrice Rushen and Kendrick Lamar’s collaborator Thundercat.
Reggie Andrews was a professional musician and teacher who, throughout a long career, worked at Motown Records for a stint, composed and arranged music for the likes of Rick James and the Dazz Band, and, as an educator, helped to guide countless young musicians as they started their careers. He was an idol to a great many people, and among those to learn from Andrews was a group of high school friends who later became known as the Pharcyde.
As teenagers, original members Slimkid3, Imani and Bootie Brown were trying to make it as dancers before they became swept up in the rap scene. They soon met their fourth and final member, Fatlip, as well as an aspiring producer known as J-Swift, and they were on the path towards becoming a legendary rap collective. The young crew began attending a music class after school, which was run by Reggie Andrews. It was here that they learned more about the business side of the music industry, not to mention picking up tips about writing, recording, and crate-digging.
Andrews’ personal record collection was hugely important for the Pharcyde, who frequently dug through it as students. In fact, many of the samples that can be heard buried within Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde were discoveries they’d made while listening to Andrews’ records, which were held in his garage.
“We just started going through these records,” Imani recalled in 2023, speaking to Double J about their old mentor’s influence, “There were records everywhere! All the samples that are on that record came from that garage, aside from a few records J-Swift picked up here and there. For the most part, they came from that garage.”
Fatlip, in turn, pointed out that, of the 18 samples that make up their classic hit ‘Passin’ Me By’, the two “main ones” are tracks by Quincy Jones and Eddie Russ. “Those are two records we found in Reggie’s record collection,” he said.
Andrews was an incredibly important influence upon these young aspiring musicians, and, as well as showing them the ropes of the industry, he also broadened and honed their musical tastes. The records that he introduced them to left a tangible impression, helping to imbue their legendary album with its distinct feel.
Andrews retired in 2010, having mentored so many musicians besides the Pharcyde. While the general listening public may not have been aware of who he was, he was a much-loved and highly influential figure within the LA music scene. He died in 2022, aged 74, with many of his former students paying tribute and expressing gratitude for what he’d done for them.