The Pharcyde are without question one of the greatest all time west coast hip-hop-groups. Their 1992 debut, Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, is considered one of hip-hop’s greatest albums ever—songs like “Yo Mama,” “Pack the Pipe” and “Passing Me By” were universally appealing, rocketing the group toward televised hip-hop royalty. Original members Fatlip, Tre Hardson, Imani and Bootie Brown spent a whirlwind year on Lollapalooza (with the Flaming Lips and the Frogs!) and touring with obvious fellow travelers A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. Quick success pushed them a little too far ahead of their time, however—follow-up Labcabincalifornia (with production by DITC’s East Coast giant Diamond D and then-underground/now-canonized Jay Dee) was too confusing for 1995, when Biggie was still alive and ice was on the rise. “Runnin’” was a radio hit but that wasn’t enough, and the Pharcyde slowly faded away. Stand-out personality Fatlip left the group in 2000 and left the rest of the Pharcyde to record without him, and in 2002, Hardson left as well. After all these years, Imani and Bootie Brown remain together as the Pharcyde—they’ve got a new album of their own set for release this year, a follow-up to 2004’s Humboldt Beginnings. And despite the line-up changes, they still bring their famously authentic charisma in a time when glossy artifice is the norm—and that was one of the best things about the Pharcyde even 10 years ago. With Long Beach’s Ugly Ducking opening, it’s safe to say there’s going to be a feeling of family at this show.