Like many hip-hop fanatics in '91, Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde sizzled my neurons when it first hit my brain. 15 years later it can still hold my rapt attention over repeated end to end listens. Energy, concepts, humor, the interplay between the four distinctive mc's.... AND THE BEATS!!
Cats had been mixing sample based production with live instrumentation already but no one had done it as seamlessly as J-Swift. I literally couldn't believe what I was hearing at the time and I can still dissect the album for new discoveries as my level of understanding slowly catches up to what was achieved sonically on that record.
The Pharcyde came out the gate with a hip-hop classic and then released a slept-on but inspired follow-up featuring eventual beat legend J-Dilla. J-Swift was nowhere to be found by this point. He produced the debut for the Jazzyfatnastees (featuring his sister Mercedes) on Tommy Boy Records but it was never released and only exists as legend and in the possession of a handful of fortunate industry insiders. He was involved with The Wascalz and did some stuff for former member Buc Fifty but the promise of J Swift's career foretold on that magical first Pharcyde record was never realized.
The Pharcyde eventually imploded under the familiar pressures of bad business situations, creative conflict and personal turmoil. Fatlip shared the pitiful details in a short film by Spike Jonze. He gave a frank testimony about how his drug abuse factored prominently into it all but J Swift's story was apparently uglier and is coming to light in a big way.