PHAROAHE MONCH

'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, internal and multi-syllabic rhyme schemes.

Contents

Biography

Discography

Albums

Mixtapes

Featured Appearances

External links

Biography

Pharoahe Monch's name is derived from the monkey dolls, Monchhichis. 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 in Egypt.
Monch released three albums as part of the rap duo, Organized Konfusion with partner Prince Poetry: The self-titled ''Organized Konfusion'', '' 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 Sam Rockwell is lighting a cigarette in the castle, while holding Drew Barrymore 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 Wu-Tang Clan, 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.

Discography

Albums

Album cover	Album information
	'''Internal Affairs''' ★ Released: October 19, 1999 ★ Billboard 200 chart position: #41 ★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #6 ★ Singles: "Simon Says"/"Behind Closed Doors", "The Light"/"Right Here (Remix)"
	'''Desire''' ★ Released: June 26, 2007 ★ U.S. Sales: 12,200 (First week) ★ Billboard 200 chart position: #58 ★ R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #13 ★ Singles: "Push"/"Let's Go", "Desire"/"When The Gun Draws", "Body Baby"

Mixtapes

Album cover	Album information
	'''The Awakening''' ★ Released: December, 2006

Featured Appearances

★ "Live from the DJ Stretch Armstrong Show with your host Bobbito The Barber" (from ''Lyricist Lounge, Volume One'', 1998)

★ '"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 , 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 , 2000)

★ '"One Four Love Pt.1 (feat. Common, Kool G Rap, Mos Def, Posdnuos, Rah Digga, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Sporty Thievz & Talib Kweli)" (from the Rawkus Records EP 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 , 2001)

★ "Madden 2002 Theme" (from the video game Madden NFL 2002, 2002)

★ "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)

★ "Evaridae" (from the O.C. album ''Starchild'', 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" ( 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)

★ "Wisdom (feat. Mr. Porter)" (from the Lil Skeeter mixtape ''Motorcity Mad Man'', 2007)

★ "Rehab (Remix)" (feat. Jay-Z) (from Amy Winehouse album ''Back to Black'', 2007)

★ "Reachin'" (from the Polyrhythm Addicts album ''Break Glass'', 2007)

External links

★ Official Website

★ Video of Pharoahe with Hip Hop Journalist Peter Rosenberg

★ Video of song "Guns Draw"

★ The DJBooth: Pharoahe Monch Interview (Apr '07)

★ soundslam.com: Pharoahe Monch Interview

★ ArtOfRhyme.com: Pharoahe Monch Interview