Pharoahe Monch

During his tenure with the New York City duo Organized Konfusion, Pharoahe Monch earned acclaim as one of underground hip-hop’s foremost lyricists by shaping complex, thoughtful rhymes alongside partner Prince Poetry. The pair completed three albums between 1991 and 1997 before parting on good terms, after which Monch adopted a sharper solo approach on the respected independent imprint Rawkus. Appearances on fellow artists’ projects and contributions to the label’s Soundbombing, Vol. 2 anthology heightened anticipation for his first full-length effort. Released in summer 1999, the single and video “Simon Says” achieved widespread success with rap and club listeners, paving the way for Internal Affairs to enter the charts just below the Top 40 several months afterward. Although Desire did not surface until 2007, Monch remained productive in the years between, issuing intense singles such as “The Life” (with Styles) and “Agent Orange” while also appearing on recordings by Ras Kass, J Dilla, Pete Rock, and Sa-Ra. His next project arrived after a shorter interval when the conceptual W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) reached audiences in 2011, four years following Desire. Another thematically driven set, P.T.S.D.: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, followed in 2014 and featured Talib Kweli together with the psychedelic soul group the Stepkids.