Pharoahe Monch
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| Pharoahe Monch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Troy Jamerson | |
| Origin | Queens, New York City, New York | |
| Genre(s) | Hip hop | |
| Years active | 1991–present | |
| Label(s) | Hollywood Records Priority Records Rawkus Records Street Records Corporation |
|
Pharoahe Monch (born Troy Donald Jamerson on October 31, 1972) is an American hip hop artist from Queens, NY. He is known for his complex delivery and multi-syllabic rhyme schemes.
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[edit] Biography
Monch released three albums as part of the rap duo, Organized Konfusion with partner Prince Poetry: The self-titled Organized Konfusion, Stress: The Extinction Agenda and The Equinox. The duo handled a large amount of production on these albums themselves. All albums received positive critical reviews, but moderate sales. As a result, the duo split up after recording their final album The Equinox in 1997. Prince Poetry has since denied the possibility of an Organized Konfusion reunion.
Pharoahe Monch then signed to Rawkus Records, an indie label. After making several guest appearances on albums like the best-selling Rawkus compilation Soundbombing 2, Monch's much-hyped debut, Internal Affairs was released in 1999. The first single of the album, Simon Says, was a major hit in 1999; he was later sued for the use of a Godzilla sample for the beat and forced to remove the song from the album as a result. He also had a 2001 hit with "Got You," though the single ultimately didn't sell well. In 2003, Pharoahe released his final single through Rawkus Records, "Agent Orange", a war inspired song which revisited the 1991 Organized Konfusion track "Releasing Hypnotical Gases".
Pharoahe's song "Simon Says" was featured in the 2000 cinematic release Charlie's Angels. Viewers will recognize the song and backbeat in the scene where Crispin Glover is lighting a cigarette in the castle, while holding Bosley hostage. Two of Monch's songs, "Right Here" and "Simon Says" were featured in the movie Boiler Room.
Pharoahe is also affiliated with the rap group The HRSMN. Although not a member of the group (there are only four real members), he is constantly linked to someday join the group when/if they ever expand.
There were rumors his next album, Innervisions, was to be released under Denaun Porter's new Shady Records imprint Runyon Ave., but apparently the deal fell through; Monch has since announced a deal with Street Records Corporation, home of David Banner and Terror Squad. The album was scheduled to be released in late 2006 but has been pushed back to April, 2007. The new album is now going to be called Desire. Monch says about the album; "...it's very soulful, very gospel, a fresh, new sound for me." The album's lead single is the self-produced track "Push", with "Let's Go" as its B-Side. The song's music video and single were released in late September 2006. Monch released a new music video entitled "When the Gun Draws" at a Brooklyn music festival in February, 2007.
Monch also produced and ghost-wrote the track The Future and ghost-wrote the track Hold Up with Mobb Deep member Havoc on rap mogul Diddy's latest album Press Play. His writing is evident in both the content and the delivery of Diddy's rhymes.
Pharoahe Monch's name is derived from the monkey doll Mon Chi Chi. After receiving a bad haircut, which left Monch looking like a "chimpanzee", girls in Monch's High School class began calling him "Mon Chi Chi", which was later shortened to "Monch". Monch adopted the "Pharoahe" prefix after meeting future Organized Konfusion partner Prince Po. He chose the Pharaoh title while studying Egypt.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Album cover | Album information |
|---|---|
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Internal Affairs
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The Awakening Mixtape |
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Desire |
[edit] Featured Appearances
"Mayor" & "WWIII" (Soundbombing 2, 1999)
"Lyrical Fluctuation (feat. Jigmastas, Mr. Complex, Talib Kweli & Shabaam Sahdeeq)" (from the DJ Spinna album The Beyond Real Experience, 1999)
"Dirty Decibels" (from the High & Mighty album Home Field Advantage, 1999)
"Take Me Home" (from the Polyrhythm Addicts album Rhyme Related, 1999)
"The Anthem (featuring Eminem, RZA, Tech N9NE, Xzibit, Kool G Rap, Chino XL & KRS One)" (from the Sway & King Tech album This Or That, 1999)
"Turnablist Anthem" (from the Rob Swift album The Ablist, 1999)
"Innovations Remix" (from the Saukrates album The Underground Tapes, 1999)
"Why Don't Cha", "Big Fronter" & "Divine Intervention" (from the Mr. Complex album The Complex Catalog, 2000)
"Ill Collabo (feat. Prince Po)" (from the The Dwellas album The Last Shall Be First, 2000)
"Kenny Rogers - Pharoahe Monch Dub Plate (feat. Kenny Rogers)" (from the Wyclef Jean album The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book, 2000)
"What Am I? (feat. L.I.F.E. Long)" (from the Antipop Consortium album Tragic Epilogue, 2000)
"Ghost Weed Skit 1" (from the De La Soul album Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump, 2000)
"One Four Love Pt.1 (feat. Common, Kool G Rap, Mos Def, Posdnuos, Rah Digga, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Sporty Thievz & Talib Kweli)" (from the Hip Hop For Respect album Hip Hop For Respect EP, 2000)
"Horsemen" (from the Canibus album 2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus), 2000)
"Connect (featuring Xzibit & Gipp)" (from the DJ Hurricane album Don't Sleep, 2000)
"Oh No (feat. Mos Def & Nate Dogg)" (Lyricist Lounge 2, 2000)
"Livin' It Up" (from the Next Friday Soundtrack, 2000)
"Fuck You (Got You)" (Training Day Soundtrack, 2001)
"I Pledge Allegiance" (from the Nate Dogg album Music & Me, 2001)
"Last Dayz" (from the Adam F album Kaos: The Anti-Acoustic Warfare, 2001)
"Guerilla Monsoon Rap (feat. Black Thought)" (from the Talib Kweli album Quality, 2002)
"The Life (featuring Styles P)" & "Round & Round (Remix)", (from Soundbombing 3, 2002)
"The X (Y'all Know The Name) (featuring Xzibit, Inspectah Deck & Skillz)" (from the X-Ecutioners album Built From Scratch, 2002)
"H! Vltg3 (featuring Evidence)" (from the Linkin Park album Reanimation, 2002)
"Frontline (featuring Prince Po, Mike Zoot & F.T.)" (from the El Da Sensei album Relax Relate Release, 2002)
"Murda 1 Case (featuring KK)" (from the DJ Quik album Under Tha Influence, 2002)
"See What I See" (from the Ras Kass album Goldyn Chyld, 2002)
"Talking to You (feat. Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Rah Digga & A-Butta)" (Rawkus Single, 2002)
"What is the Law" (OZ Soundtrack, 2003)
"Just Do It" (from the Pete Rock album Soul Survivor II, 2004)
"It Ain't The Money" (from the Macy Gray album The Very Best Of Macy Gray, 2005)
"New World Symphony" (from the Miri Ben-Ari album The Hip-Hop Violinist, 2005)
"Fish Filet" (from the Sa-Ra double-single The Second Time Around, 2006)
"Book Of Judges" (Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure Soundtrack, 2006)
"Loose Ends (feat. Justin Timberlake & Will.I.Am)" (from the Sérgio Mendes album Timeless, 2006)
"Love" (from the J Dilla album The Shining, 2006)
