Pharoahe Monch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pharoahe Monch
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Troy Donald Jamerson |
| Born | October 31, 1972 Queens, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Years active | 1987–present |
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Troy Donald Jamerson (born October 31, 1972), known as Pharoahe Monch, is an American rapper. He is famous for his smart lyrics and unique way of rapping. He uses many rhymes and complex wordplay in his songs.
Contents
Pharoahe Monch's Music Journey
Starting with Organized Konfusion
Pharoahe Monch began his music career in a rap group called Organized Konfusion. His partner in the group was Prince Poetry. They released three albums together. These albums were Organized Konfusion, Stress: The Extinction Agenda, and The Equinox.
The group made a lot of their own music for these albums. Critics really liked their music. However, their albums did not sell a lot of copies. Because of this, the group decided to split up in 1997.
Solo Career and "Simon Says"
After Organized Konfusion, Pharoahe Monch signed with Rawkus Records. This was an indie label, which means it was an independent music company. He appeared on other artists' songs. Then, in 1999, he released his first solo album. It was called Internal Affairs.
The first song from this album was "Simon Says". It became a big hit! The song even reached number 97 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. However, the song caused some issues. It used a part of a song from the movie Godzilla vs. Mothra without permission. This problem stopped his album from being sold for a while.
New Music and Collaborations
After the issues with "Simon Says", Pharoahe Monch did not release another solo album for several years. But he still made new music and worked with other artists. In 2000, he teamed up with Mos Def and Nate Dogg. They made the popular song "Oh No".
He also sang on a song called "Last Dayz" for Adam F's album in 2001. In 2002, he worked with Linkin Park on a remix song called "H! Vltg3". In 2003, he released his last song with Rawkus Records, called "Agent Orange". This song was about war. During these years, he was also part of a group called Spitkicker.
New Albums and Projects
Pharoahe Monch later signed with Street Records Corporation. On December 19, 2006, he released his first official mixtape, The Awakening. A mixtape is like a collection of songs, often with remixes or new tracks.
In June 2007, he released his second solo album, Desire. Critics loved this album too. Pharoahe Monch said it had a "soulful" and "gospel" sound. The main song from the album was "Push". He also made music videos for "When the Gun Draws" and the title track "Desire".
In 2009, he shared a new song called "Shine" from his upcoming album. Another song, "Clap (One Day)," came out in 2010.
His third solo album, W.A.R. (We Are Renegades), was released in March 2011. It featured many guest artists like Jill Scott and Royce da 5'9". Pharoahe Monch said this album was like the hip-hop music from the early 1990s.
In 2011, Pharoahe Monch was a judge on a TV show called Ultimate MC. He helped decide who the best rappers were. He also sang on an R&B song called "The Cycle" with Eric Roberson in 2014.
His fourth album, PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, came out on April 15, 2014. He released it on his own record label, W.A.R. Media. This album continued the ideas from his previous album, W.A.R. (We Are Renegades).
In 2019, Pharoahe Monch started a new rap-rock supergroup called th1rt3en. He formed it with guitarist Marcus Machado and drummer Daru Jones. They released their first song, "Palindrome," in September 2019. Also in 2019, his album Internal Affairs became available on streaming services for its 20th anniversary.
Th1rt3en's first album, A Magnificent Day for an Exorcism, was released in 2021. It included songs like "Fight" with Cypress Hill.
Pharoahe Monch's Rapping Style
Pharoahe Monch is known for his very complex and clever rapping style. Many people say he is one of the best lyricists in underground hip hop. He creates very detailed and smart rhymes.
He has had asthma since he was a baby. This health condition actually helped him develop his unique way of rapping. He told HipHopDX that asthma made him learn to control his breath better. This helped him create a rapping technique he might not have tried otherwise.
Pharoahe Monch compares writing his lyrics to making a movie. He says he can go back and change parts of his songs, just like a filmmaker might reshoot scenes. He also rewrites lyrics to make them even better.
For his hit song "Simon Says," he wrote the choruses (the parts that repeat) before he wrote the verses. Another rapper, O.C., shared that Pharoahe Monch sometimes writes single lines. He then saves them and uses them in songs years later. His way of singing and rapping is inspired by Jazz music. He especially likes musicians like John Coltrane.
Discography
Solo Albums
- Internal Affairs (1999)
- Desire (2007)
- W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) (2011)
- PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (2014)
- External Affairs (2024)
Group Albums
- Organized Konfusion (1991) (with Prince Po as Organized Konfusion)
- Stress: The Extinction Agenda (1994) (with Prince Po as Organized Konfusion)
- The Equinox (1997) (with Prince Po as Organized Konfusion)
- A Magnificent Day for an Exorcism (2021) (with th1rt3en)
See also
In Spanish: Pharoahe Monch para niños
