It was 1991. The Pharcyde—Bootie Brown, Imani, Fatlip, and Slimkid3—were spending most of their time in Inglewood, California, at South Central Unit (SCU) studios recording demos, writing lyrics, and smoking copious amounts of weed. Around 5:00 p.m., when traffic was peaking in Los Angeles, the four of them would step outside and watch the girls drive by, which would soon become the inspiration for “Passin’ Me By.”

The track, which lives on the Pharcyde’s debut album, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde (1992), borrowed elements from songs like Eddie Russ’ “Hill Where the Lord Hides,” Quincy Jones’ version of “Summer in the City,” and Weather Report’s “125th Street Congress.” The combination, unlocked by producer J-Swift, proved to be a key to their longevity.

Barely out of their teens at the time, the Pharcyde helped lead West Coast hip-hop into a new era with their jazz-infused beats and a lyrical style that sharply contrasted the gangsta rap that dominated the 1990s. They were essentially doing for the West Coast what De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and the Jungle Brothers were doing for the East.

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