Send "Pharoahe Monch " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Pitchfork |
 The book isn't closed yet on Pharoahe Monch, but it's safe to say that history's going to be kind to him, and deservedly so. In the 20 years since the first Organized Konfusion album he's fathered numerous styles; without the precedent of his sharp, needling, Ornette Coleman-solo flow and the triple-reinforced polysyllabic depth it delivered, there's arguably no Mos Def, probably no Eminem, and definitely no army of complicated indie-rap spitters elbowing each other in a crowded post-Scribble Jam strata. And despite the huge hitch in his career arc-- eight years between his 1999 solo debut Internal Affairs and his excellent 2007 comeback Desire-- he always seemed like each dispatch from the studio could erase the aftereffects of his protracted absence.But name me one MC, no matter how great, who hasn't slipped at least a little a full two decades after his debut-- either through wasted potential, desperate compromise, or just a disinterest in moving with the times. The latter method does have the benefit of being backed by a certain amount of personal integrity, and if the worst-case result involves preaching to a choir, at least it's an honest kind of letdown. W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) isn't the kind of disappointment that's liable to piss off hardcore fans. Even if Monch has moments where he sounds less like a battle-scarred vet and more like your cranky dad-- "young children, pull your pants on up/ Who wants to see the crack of your ass and see your butt," he harangues on "Let My People Go"-- at least he works with material that fits the continuum of his conscious-minded career. Of course a pushing-40 golden age icon is going to spit about the familiar subjects of record industry disillusionment, conspiracy politics, and the tragedy of street violence. Why shouldn't he-- or anybody? The only catch is that this is the same golden age icon that previously did so on tracks like "Free", "Releasing Hypnotical Gases", and "Stray Bullet", which is about as close to unfuckwithable as an antecedent can get. More than anything else, precedent is what stifles W.A.R. And in comparison to the tracks that made him who he is, here Monch sometimes sounds more like the semi-inspired 2nd-gen backpacker disciples he anticipated than the fired-up elder statesman who was still close to peak as recently as three years ago. There's still bursts of press-rewind brilliance-- "Haile Selassie Karate" is a condensed dose of high-density abstraction, and his verse on "Assassins", the second of three co-featuring the equally top-of-their-game Jean Grae and Royce da 5'9", is Monch in classic tongue-twister form. You don't have to go back to Desire to find a performance to unfavorably compare some of W.A.R.'s low points to-- there's more than a few flashes of sharpness here already....full text |
| Hiphopdx |
| When it comes to the art of emceeing, few operate on the same plane as Pharoahe Monch. Disappointingly, Monch has only found the time to release two albums since his undisputed classic solo debut, 1999’s Internal Affairs. Whether the blame ought to be leveled at an uncleared sample or any number of possible reasons, the pertinent matter is that Pharoahe has returned with W.A.R. (We Are Renegades), his first release since 2007’s Desire . W.A.R. begins with “The Warning,” a brief introductory skit that sets the tone for the album’s mood and themes. An unabashed comic book nerd and sci-fi fan, Monch is at home when affixing his rhymes within worlds that Stan Lee and George Orwell may have imagined. Accordingly, “Calculated Amalgamation” features futuristic rhymes over grandiose synths and guitar riffs. On “Evolve,” Pharoahe briefly addresses a condition that makes his lyrical acrobatics all the more impressive: “Pardon if it sounds a little wheezy / Not Wayne, motharfuckas, I got asthma – it ain’t easy / Shotgun lyrical, cock back, squeeze me / Women case my anatomy, touch me, tease me / Please seize the moment in a struggle against Lucifer / Renegade 13, the executioner / Spit with a crucifix / So you can expect a rant from Pharoahe Monch like Mucinex.” The album’s title track is a bit haphazard, and is enjoyable depending on whether one is interested in hearing Immortal Technique puff out his chest and roar through the chorus. “Let My People Go” hits hard with an incredibly satisfying organ loop, and equally-pleasing sentiments (“If ya’ll are telling me today’s music is suitable / And appealing, I’m telling you – the feelings are not mutual”). But perhaps the gem of the release is “Shine” . The minimalist xylophone gives Pharoahe maximum flexibility to kick rhymes laced with double entendres to which even Jay-Z would have to defer, and songstress Mela Machinko blesses the cut with an incredibly soulful chorus. Not to be forgotten, however, is “Assassins” , which features a dream team consisting of Monch, Jean Grae and Royce Da 5’9". Fans will have to keep their fingers on the rewind button for this one as they debate which emcee delivers the best verse....full text |
| Thecouchsessions |
| The other day I was in the barber shop and me and my barber got into the age old debate of who’s better BIG or Pac. And not to beat a dead horse but of course my vote is ALWAYS gonna be for the Notorious One. But the debate brought up my philosophy of what are the attributes of a dope MC. My attributes for a dope MC are (in no order) voice, lyrics, storytelling, wordplay, flow, topics, originality, personality and the old school side of me has to throw in having a dope stage show because how can you be a MC and not rock the crowd? So, to stop a WWF Battle Royale from happening (because the who’s better BIG or Pac argument can always end up with cats coming to blows…I’ve seen it happen) we started talking about who’s the best in each category. And when it came to flow, my answer was probably the easiest of the day…Pharoahe Monch. Pharoahe Monche is the monster that Ye and ‘em were rhyming about. I don’t know how to really explain how nice Pharoahe is. I could talk about his Organized Konfusion days or his solo albums Internal Affairs and Desire but I don’t know if his own discography does him justice because Pharoahe is like Jordan in ’90. The nicest dude in the league at the time but is still getting better. Every time I think I’ve heard or seen Pharoahe at his nicest, I hear something new and I’m like “really?” Which is the reason I’ve been patiently waiting (cause Pharoahe takes a minute to release new music) for his newest release W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)....full text |
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