| Pharoahe Monch | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Troy Donald Jamerson |
| Born | October 31, 1972 |
| Origin | South Jamaica, Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | Hollywood/Priority Records Rawkus/SRC Records Duck Down/W.A.R. Media, LLC |
| Associated acts | Organized Konfusion, Hilltop Hoods, Busta Rhymes, Adam F, Shabaam Sahdeeq, The HRSMN, Talib Kweli, Common, Mos Def, Kanye West, Erykah Badu, Mr. Porter |
Pharoahe Monch (born Troy Donald Jamerson, October 31, 1972[1]) is an American hip hop artist. He is known for his complex lyrics, complex delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhyme schemes.[2]
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Pharoahe Monch's name is derived from the monkey doll Monchhichi. After receiving a bad haircut, which left Monch looking like a "chimpanzee", girls in Monch's class at the High School of Art and Design began calling him "Monchhichi", which was later shortened to "Monch". Monch adopted the "Pharoahe" prefix after meeting future Organized Konfusion partner Prince Po.
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 II, Monch's much-hyped debut, Internal Affairs was released in 1999. The first single of the album, "Simon Says", became a hit single, peaking at #97 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also featured in the 2000 cinematic releases Charlie's Angels and Boiler Room. Despite its success, the song caused controversy when Monch was later sued for the song's use of a sample from Akira Ifukube's Gojira Tai Mosura for the hook. The uncleared sample use caused a halting in his album's distribution.
After Internal Affairs and the controversy from his hit song Pharoahe would not release another solo project for several years. He did still make some songs and guest appearances however. In 2000 he featured with Mos Def and Nate Dogg on the hit song "Oh No" from the Rawkus compilation record Lyricist Lounge 2. He contributed the song "Fuck You" to the Training Day soundtrack in 2001, and rapped the theme song to Madden NFL 2002. 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 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, at first tentatively titled Innervisions, was to be released under Denaun Porter's new Shady Records imprint Runyon Ave., but apparently the deal fell through; Monch later announced a deal with Street Records Corporation, home of Wu-Tang Clan, David Banner and Terror Squad. In June 2007 Monch released his second solo album Desire to critical acclaim. Monch said about the album; "...it's very soulful, very gospel, a fresh, new sound for me." The album's lead single was 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. Pharoahe Monch released a second music video entitled "When the Gun Draws" at a Brooklyn music festival in February, 2007. The track was inspired by a song he did with Prince Po entitled "Stray Bullet" which was featured on the Stress: The Extinction Agenda album. A final video was made for the title track "Desire" in late 2007. It was directed by New Zealand director Andy Morton and shot on the Rock the Bells tour with full band. The video features both MeLa Machinko and of course, a huge performance from Showtyme.
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. Critics contest that Monch's writing is evident in both the content and the delivery of Diddy's rhymes.
On July 9, 2010, Pharoahe Monch allowed hip hop website hiphopdx.com to leak a song from his forthcoming album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). The song was called "Shine" and featured vocals by MeLa Machinko and was also produced by Diamond D. On February 14, 2010, another song from Monch was leaked, which is called "Clap (One Day)", produced by M-Phazes.
Pharoahe Monch released his third solo album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) in March 2011. It featured guest appearances from Jill Scott, Styles P, Citizen Cope, Jean Grae, Royce da 5'9", Immortal Technique, Vernon Reid, Phonte, Mr. Porter, Mela Machinko, Showtyme & DJ Boogie Blind.[3] Pharoahe revealed that the album is a "throwback to 1993, '94 hip-hop" and featured production by Exile, Marco Polo, M-Phazes, Fatin, Diamond D, Mike Loe, Samiyam, Adam Deitch, Eric Krasno and Pharoahe Monch himself.[3] Four singles have been released from the album: "Shine", "Clap (One Day)", "Black Hand Side", and "Assassins". A ten year anniversary re-issue of Internal Affairs will also be released featuring a documentary about the making of the album.[4]
In 2011, Pharoahe Monch was a judge on the Ultimate MC TV show alongside with Royce da 5'9", Sean Price, Planet Asia, and Organik[5].
Pharoahe Monch is acclaimed for his complex rapping technique[2] - Allmusic says he has, "a reputation as one of underground hip hop's pre-eminent lyricists, crafting intricate and intelligent raps."[6] Kool Moe Dee ranks him at 26 in his best MCs of all time list, from his book, There's a God on the Mic.[7] Kool Moe Dee notes: "Pharoahe Monch is like an eloquent linguistics professor moonlighting as a rhyme serial killer terrorist, challenging the listeners' I.Q. while daring him or her to keep up."[7]
Monch compares writing and recording his lyrics to writing and filming a movie - in the book How to Rap he says he will 'punch-in' vocals so he can "retake some things, just like a film",[8] and he 'rewrites' lyrics, saying he will "go back as a screenwriter and rewrite scenes and leave more to the imagination."[9]
For his biggest hit, "Simon Says", he comments that he wrote the choruses before he wrote the verses,[10] and fellow rapper and collaborator O.C. notes that Monch will write single lines down and then use them five years later.[11] His vocal delivery is inspired by Jazz music and musicians such as John Coltrane.[12]
With Organized Konfusion:
| Album information |
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Organized Konfusion
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Stress: The Extinction Agenda
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The Equinox
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| Album information |
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Internal Affairs
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Desire
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W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) [4][13][14]
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