Album Review: Pharoahe Monch- "Desire"

Pharoahe Monch is a god of underground hip-hop. He was one half of Organized Konfusion who dropped some of the best and most creative boom bap in the golden era. His '99 solo debut, "Internal Affairs" has become sort of a cult classic after being shelved for the illegal use of the infamous godzilla sample in his classic single, "Simon Says." However, other than Masta Ace, how many guys can make good hip-hop for 15+ years?


INTRO
32 seconds of gospel choir

FREE

Pharoahe spits about conspiracies and stuff over a low-budget version of “The Takeover.”

DESIRE (FEAT. SHOWTIME)

Pharoahe’s flow is more smoothed here out which sounds kinda tight. The Alchemist produced this track which has his trademark throwback steez but it sounds like it could be a throwaway from that Prodigy album. There’s also an M.O.P. impersonation (unless its a sample because it doesn't say anything about them actually being on the track) on the hook which seems unrelated but is funny I guess.

PUSH (FEAT. SHOWTIME, MELA MACHINKO, & TOWER OF POWER)

This track has been out forever now and is the theme for the new NBA Street which is completely relevant. A lot of singing and then some rapping which isn’t all that good. The beat is entertaining anyway.

WELCOME TO THE TERRORDOME

This is actually a cover of the Public Enemy classic with some Jazz horns. He does spit a new second verse on some political shit.

WHAT IT IS

A switch-up from the rest of the album with the cold beat that reminds me of “Hell” from his last album. Pharoahe’s verses aren’t really very good at all.

WHEN THE GUN DRAWS (FEAT. MR. PORTER)

Another track that’s been out for a minute, and I’ve never liked it more than now after listening to all this other junk. A continuation of the Organized Konfusion classic, “Stray Bullet.” Instead of rapping from the bullet’s perspective, it’s the gun on this track. Pretty good.

LET’S GO (FEAT. MELA MACHINKO)

Pharoahe’s flow on this is fiyah but the busy beat on this kinda ruins it. What a shame. Still easily one of the better tracks yet.

BODY BABY

If you haven’t heard this, Pharoahe, who has sung and stuff before, goes for the Andre 3000, “Love Below” style here. It’s pretty terrible, especially since he makes dope hip hop.

BAR TRAP (FEAT. MELA MACHINKO)
A girl track over a sped up version of the Gang Starr, Scarface collab, “Betrayal.” We’ve waited eight years for this?

HOLD ON (FEAT. ERYKAH BADU)

Pharoahe raps about a black girl over a pretty funky beat. While it’s not the worst thing I’ve heard on the album, it’s boring and really soft.

SO GOOD

Since a comment about the irony of the song title is too easy I’ll just say it outright. THIS SUCKS.

THE TRILOGY (ACT 1 FEAT. MR. PORTER, ACT 2 FEAT. DWELE, ACT 3 FEAT. TONE)

If Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean taught me anything, it’s that trilogies can be long and confusing. This is 9:24 of lord-knows-what. In all fairness, Act 3 isn’t half bad.

AGENT ORANGE (UK BONUS TRACK)

Hasn’t this been out for like 3 years? Another conspiracy track but better than the others on the album due to the crazy beat. I don’t even know if this will make the album, because my copy says “UK Bonus Track.”

OVERALL: Pharoahe Monch is still a good rapper. Very good even. But this album is absolute bullshit. I feel cheated for having to listen to a guy with one of the best flows in hip hop singing and talking over some old fashioned R&B/Jazz shit.

BEST TRACKS: “Desire”, “Let's Go”, “Agent Orange”