Pharoahe Monch

Wed 17th Nov, 2010 in Features

Possessing one of the most lyrical styles in hip hop today, and already having released two critically acclaimed albums, he now has a third on the way. Blowing away Australian audiences on his last two tours, he will be here later this month to once again grace the stage. “Ya’ll know the name, Pharoahe fucking Monch, and ain’t a damn thing’s changed….”

I want to start by talking about the strong Australian connection you have been building up. A little while back you worked with The Hilltop Hoods on their State Of The Art record. Were you familiar with any of their music before you worked with them? How did the collaboration come about?
I forget the name of the one song I had heard before they had approached me, but I had found it on YouTube watching skateboarding videos.

At a guess, I would say it would most likely have been Nosebleed Section?
Yeah, yeah! Nosebleed Section, and I was like, who did this song? You know what I mean, it’s dope. Those guys are not only hard working artists and pioneers, but they are really cool people as well. It was just a real pleasure to come out. They are fans of Hip Hop in general like I am, the total culture of it.

Not only that, I was out there working with M-Phazes. It’s funny that I am over there so much now, cause in the tenure of my solo career, and with Organized Konfusion we had never been there. Then I was fortunate enough to come over the first time for Good Vibrations, and because of budgeting I was able to bring my band, it was just fucking amazing.

In regards to the music and the beats you use, something I always love about your records is the big lush sounds you get. Especially on Desire where you used a lot of horns, it’s a very soulful vibe. Most of the hip hop we are getting on the airwaves here is more dance and electronic music driven. Do you see this as a natural progression for the genre, or an off-shoot from hip hop?
I think the special thing about hip hop is that it does encompass so many different genres. I had a show in Miami the other night, it was a club gig and they were playing a lot of drum and bass and Miami Dance. I felt like I understood where that sort of music serves its purpose, within that sort of arena.

At the same time, there is still a place for what I am trying to implement as well. The club has always been a place which is good for marketing. So many people listening at the same time, it’s why people go to the club, and why people go for the sound your hearing on the radio right now. Because that pulse is what’s trendy right now. I feel also there is an audience which is ready right now, it may be a smaller percentage, but that’s ready for music on the same frequency. But it speaks to you and pulls your heart strings, and actually speaks to your soul as well.

Talking about speaking to the soul, let’s talk about your new album W.A.R. What are the general ideas you are trying to communicate through the album?
First off, it’s my most cohesive album with solid continuity throughout. It’s a story, it’s hard and it’s soulful. It speaks out against police brutality, the war against that and the struggle against that.

You have touched on the issue of police brutality before when you mention Timothy Stansbury and Amadou Diallo at the start of Welcome to the Terrordome. Is that still a major issue in The States?
We just had a major trial here in The States that people are very disappointed about. There is just no discussion between the two parties. There is never an open discussion. I just think that the use of deadly force is unnecessary in these situations, when someone is handcuffed and on the ground already.

I express my feelings about things like that, as well as healthcare, politics, the struggle within myself and my asthma. Just trying to be a little bit more open in terms of my writing for this album. That in itself is a struggle, to be introspective you know? I’m known for being more lyrical, but this album takes a slightly more inward look, covering some of my own issues.

You worked with some amazing people on the new record, Jean Grae, Royce Da 5’9 and of course Jill Scott. Is it a situation where you actually get into the studio together or is it done online?
Everybody except for Phonte from Little Brother. Vernon Reid, Royce, Styles P, the producers, I just wanted to really make sure that everyone was in tune with what I wanted to bring out, and it was important that they put their emotion on it. Cause this album is an album, not a compilation of good songs.

It’s a record to play from the beginning to the end. The people that I chose, I chose them because I thought they would bring out the best in me, and the best out of the album. I mean…I have an assortment of relationships in the music industry where I could have just said, oh let me ask Mos Def, or let me ask this person. I try not to do that. I try to reach out to people where they are needed and then it’s going to be honest, you know what I mean?

It’s a matter of the song picking the person, not you picking a person for the song?
Exactly!

Over time we obviously all grow and change as the things and people in our lives effect us. When it comes to something as personal as say, your writing process, do you find those things ever change, or is that something that remains consistent?
It definitely changes. I try not to let it be boxed in, I try to be open to content. The best songs seem to come when I the artist step out of the way, and let my spirit and god write the song. There is a power in songs and an emotion when it’s written organically, that’s what definitely happened with Still Standing. I think because of the production, it evoked a certain tone in my voice and a certain emotion. People seem to be really blown away by this song so far, it touched Jill, she cried in the studio. I’m excited, I’m excited for the entire project obviously.

You were here not too long ago, this time around the rooms are going to be bigger. Does that mean a bigger show?
It’s definitely going to be longer and harder. I’m going to try not to kill myself [laughs]. A lot of this tour stuff is pretty hard and I want to dig back into some Organised Konfusion stuff.

You can catch Pharoahe Monch performing with Jean Grae at the following venues this November:

Friday 19th November – HQ, Adelaide
Saturday 20th November – Villa, Perth
Sunday 21st November – Prince Band Room, Melbourne
Friday 26th November – The Metro, Sydney
Saturday 27th November – Foreshore Festival, Canberra