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Pharoahe Monch
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| This is Pharoahe Monch: groundbreaking lyricist; ambitious producer, enigmatic orator; spiritual miner; soulful vocalist; provocative political commentator; two-fisted rhyme gladiator; lover; fighter, ....and always challenging.
Indeed, during his decade journey as one of hip-hop music's most brilliant and artistically demanding voices, Pharoahe has long avoided being placed in the claustrophobic box of one particular style, mood, or sound. It's a philosophy that has long been a mainstay in the Queens, New York MC's career since his days of partnering up with Prince Po to form the influential and artistically adventurous '90s rhyme duo Organized Konfusion. However, for many novice music fans it was the surprise commercial boom of Pharoahe's critically hailed 1999 solo debut Internal Affairs that introduced the veteran underground rhymer to an unsuspecting public at large. The album's ferocious warning shot "Simon Says" became both an omnipresent radio single and club staple, sucker-punching the Billboard Top 40 while raising the career stakes for the subterranean hip hop hero. Yet, in true "Pharoahe Monch" form, his long-awaited follow-up, Innervision, side steps formulaic sequels. Compared to the more dark undertones of Internal Affairs, Innervision, an album over three years in the making, clearly shows the MC turning a more upbeat page.
"For most artists whatever was done on a successful song like "Simon Says," they would have stuck with that shit for a minute," Pharoahe says of his unlikely commercial breakthrough which was also featured in the hit films Charlie's Angels, Boiler Room and Save The Last Dance. "I hate to make the comparisons, but it was like, 'This is the Matrix!' I got through radio doors that we never broke through with Organized Konfusion."
Innervision's dizzying artistic range could be viewed as a record label A&R's worst nightmare. Of course, Pharoahe wouldn't have it any other way. "During the making of this record, I just made a conscience effort to be true to who and where I was consciously at the time," the MC says. "I'm thinking, 'People are starving and struggling. What can I do personally to help?' At the same time, at the end of the week on a Friday, you will find yourself in a club having a cocktail and shit, checking out the beauty of women and the beauty and energy of music. That's all important"
During the recording and production of Innervision, Pharoahe experienced personal evolution. His private health battles with chronic asthma led the MC to slim down his once stocky frame. For Pharoahe the noticeable weight loss not only proved to be conducive to his physical well-being, but to the improvement of his musical craft as well. "I'm getting wiser and adding on years, which is really a cool thing to me," he says. "When I was going on tour with a lot of college musicians and they were asking me, 'How do you keep your throat strong throughout the show?' or 'how do you interact with the crowd?' It just felt good to pass on that wisdom which is a very God like thing to have."
Artistically, Pharoahe was, well, Pharoahe. He garnered rave reviews for his 2000 stint on the all-star hip-hop outing The Spitkickers Tour, joining fellow Rawkus MC Talib Kweli as well as respected rhyme vets Biz Markie, De La Soul and Common. Pharoahe recorded a single for the Academy Award Winning movie Training Day ("Fuck You") and HBO's Emmy Winning Series Oz. His strikingly diverse collaborations with Mos Def and West Coast crooner Nate Dogg ("Oh No") and The Lox's thugged-out rhymer Styles ("The Life") introduced Pharoahe to a new faction of fans.
Pharoahe has kept busy providing his lyrical genius for ESPN's series, "The Life", and Sony PlayStation 2's Madden 2002. He has also performed on commercials for Sprite and Lugz. He has also made guest appearances on Linkin Park's Platinum Album ReAnimation, Macy Gray's sophomore set, The Trouble with Being Myself, Talib Kweli's Quality and most recently, a Kanye West produced track, "New World Symphony" for the Hip-Hop Violinist, Miri Ben-Ari's debut album.
Undoubtedly wiser and coming to terms with his new found commercial notoriety, a battle-tested Pharoahe Monch is ready to unleash the next daring phase of his career.
"All the trials and tribulations of labels waiting and pushing back this album really hasn't affected how happy I am with this project," he opens. "I'm definitely a more comfortable and confident artist, but at the same time I'm still learning. That's where my passion comes from. I'm always open minded to growth. When you get to the point where there's no place to grow, that's retirement time." |
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| Simon Says |
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| High Voltage |
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Omar Grant
