Attention… Attention! Please shut the f*ck up and let my man Pharoahe Monch Speak! He’s got a lot to say! 8 years deep- Pharoahe’s new album “Desire” is summed up as extrordinary… incredible… and get’s my nod (so far) for Album of the year. (and a 5 star rating!) Hip-Hop is in need of an upfront and spirited individual for us to relate with… If you take out that glamour, the glitz and lifestyle Hip-Hop sometimes portrays- Pharoahe fits right in and takes the spot with his lyrical and imaginative perspective. It’s his time to shine.

Remember when “Simon Says” dropped in the late 90’s? Who could forget? I thought Godzilla had stepped in the building! Possibly the biggest single of his career on a commercial level, The album (for many bandwagon jumpers who jumped on the single) was overshadowed from “Simon Says” monstrous hit. The difference with “Desire” is that within a whole, the album is solid from start to finish. Though it isn’t your average “commercial” LP filled with the hottest Guest stars and Producers, the album can be viewed as a wake up call in creating quality albums. Lookin’ for Ghetto Street Slang? Poppin’ collars and chains? Money Millionaire lyrics? Well it ain’t here! “Desire” is filled with thought provoking, head spinning social issues seen in your very own back yard, and a Society caught in the struggle… too much to handle? This is where the album holds together because Pharoah does it so smoothly, with style and flare, not a blinged out image, but the style within his delivery on how he works each track. You can se his rhymes come to life!

“Desire” can be summed up as a mixture of neo-soul influenced Hip-Hop and a sprinkle of rock. The album has a solid tempo and doesn’t drag. Lyrically, each track is literally descriptive as f*ck. His detail penmenship in illustrating lyrics to paper is incredible. Ever wonder what it’s like to be a bullet prior to the guns trigger is pulled? Peep the track “Guns Draw” as the track hits new heights in consciousness. Pharoahe can come at you hard with tracks like “Push” and “Welcome to the Terror Dome” (the beats are infectious!) and all of a sudden he can flip the beat on a more soulful tip with tracks like “Bar Tap” and Hold on” (feature Erykah Badu… the beat is slow groovin’!) “Desire” features production from Lee Stone, The Alchemist, Denaun Porter, Black Milk and Sean C. The Album guests include Erykah Badu and Denaun Porter.

Pharoahe Monch in deep concentration…

No doubt, this album will leave a mark towards my appreciation with Hip-Hop Culture. It reminds me of NaS’s “Hip-Hop is dead” album, minus the Big label spark, the Super Producers, guest stars and the straight to the point title, (Hip-Hop is dead) Don’t get me wrong that was a classic LP, but Pharoahe did it with a B-Class group of Producers, a small cast of guest apperances and very little buzz… think about it… Pharoahe got my head to nod and consciously stimulated my thoughts. What more can you ask for? I’d rather be socially aware than depressed because I can’t afford that Rapper’s chain.It’s time to Wake the f*ck up again!

Peep the “Gun Draws Video if you missed it…

When the Gun Draws Pharoahe Monch

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Track listing:
1) Intro
2) Free
3) Desire
4) Push
5) Welcome To The Terrordome
6) What it Is
7) When The Gun Draws Dirty
Let’s Go
9) Body Baby
10) Bar Tap
11) Hold On
12) So Good
13) Trilogy
14) Agent Orange