Released: 1992
The Pharcyde’s “Return Of The B-Boy” is an audacious lyrical celebration of hip-hop’s golden era, beaming with nostalgia and classic B-boy bravado. Saturated with playful wordplay and evocative imagery representative of the late ’80s and early ’90s hip-hop scene, it’s an homage to classic battle raps and party anthems.
Ready for a trip down memory lane? The opening lines set the tone, with energetic call-outs for ’87 and ’88. These aren’t just random years, fam, think of them as shoutouts to hip-hop’s golden age, a period that many heads argue birthed some of the genre’s most innovative work.
Now moving on to “…stand tall gets raw like beef y’all/I moo moo like a cow honey-child…”, it’s not your typical bovine reference. Here, ‘beef’ stand for conflict or competition, a staple in rap battles, while the ‘moo-moo’ part, that’s the Pharcyde’s signature playfulness shining through.
Don’t sleep on the lines “‘Cause just like a talk light, in the asscrack tip”. Not for the faint-hearted, this is a graphic metaphor emphasizing the potency and impact of their lyrical skills – quite literally, a kick in the ass!
“Gonna rhyme on the microphone all night long/So the party won’t stop until the break of dawn” — this captures the essence of old-school hip-hop parties — the vibrancy, the tenacity, and the relentless rhythmic assault that kept everyone on their toes till sunrise. They capture that electric energy in these bar.
And then, there’s the nod to fashion with “…all that Fila gear”. That’s a salute to the era when brand-name sportswear was practically mandatory in hip-hop aesthetics. The Pharcyde is rekindling the vibe when rocking Fila was a statement of style and street cred.
As the track progresses, you hit upon “West coast, West coast, West coast is on fire”. It’s an unabashed proclamation of west coast supremacy in the hip-hop scene. This confident assertion embodies the oft-discussed East Coast/West Coast rivalry that dominated the 90s hip-hop narrative.
Lastly, the line “Party over here! Party over there!” paints a picture of an all-encompassing celebration. It’s not just a gathering in a single spot, their music speaks to a universal hip-hop party, one that spans coast-to-coast and permeates the entire culture.
“Return Of The B-Boy” manages to be a time capsule and a timeless anthem at the same time. The Pharcyde encapsulates the energy, the aesthetic, and the attitude of a definitive era in hip-hop, serving a potent reminder of the roots and the spirit of the genre. It’s not just a track, it’s a passage that takes you back to the Golden Age, welcoming all to the infectious, irrepressible world of the B-Boy culture.
