Video: Pharoahe Monch Interview with K-Salaam
Posted by Shamz on Nov 20, 2008
The more I see interviews with Pharoahe Monch the more I crave that next LP. Recently K-Salaam had a pretty in depth convo with Monch. Pharoahe talks about how he got into the game, his love for Hip-Hop, and some song concepts of his that other artists have used.
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kate99: ...
man i feel like i have been missing out on a lot of good hip hop. one random comment--i am not sure i like the use of the word impactful
1
November 22, 2008 - 02:59:39 PM
Grits/Teflonblack: ...
I met Pharoahe a few years ago in Charlotte at was once called the Adams Mark Hotel and he was supposed to perform at a show with MOP and Petey Pablo. I was attending Johnson C. Smith University's Homecoming that year and we were both waiting for an elevator to go up. Not recognizing Pharoahe initially because of his weight loss, I knew that I had seen this brother before, possibly during my tenure at JCSU or something.
As we both entered the elevator, it hit me like a ton of bricks that this was Pharoahe Monch, one of the greatest MC's to ever grace a mike, one half of Organized Konfusion, lyrical monster! I began to get excited but tried to maintain my composure (fuck dat, I'm from Newark New Jersey, hands like Mike Nunn!!! LOL)
I began to say to him that I wasn't on his dick or anything but he was one of the illest MC's to do it and he immediately corrected me by telling me that it wasn't a matter of being a Stan (he literally used the stan analogy in his retort!)and that he was a fan of Hip Hop. I immediately asked him about the urban legend that during a show a few years ago that while he was performing, someone in the crowd caught a seizure. He humbly, but with a sly smile responded, "...yeah, it's true!!" I asked him whether it was cool when he came back to the lobby if we could flict it up and he said it was cool...and I never saw him again that weekend. In retrospect though, my chance meeting with such a great MC was enough.
Ironically, I always said that I would recite the lyrics that he spit one night on the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito show back to him, word for word, if I ever saw him, in jest. When the opportunity came about, I was star struck. I have had verbal disagreements with Cornel West about biblical references he made in the New York Times, questioned KRS-1's statements about the women suffrage movement being more impactful that a part of the African liberation struggle in the United States, I have even had the pleasure of airing dirty laundry in front of Randall Robinson about issue pertaining to student activism with the then SGA President of my undergraduate institution but and I never missed a beat. Got around Pharaohe and straight bitched up. Dude is an intellectual juuggarnaut with the verses!!
As we both entered the elevator, it hit me like a ton of bricks that this was Pharoahe Monch, one of the greatest MC's to ever grace a mike, one half of Organized Konfusion, lyrical monster! I began to get excited but tried to maintain my composure (fuck dat, I'm from Newark New Jersey, hands like Mike Nunn!!! LOL)
I began to say to him that I wasn't on his dick or anything but he was one of the illest MC's to do it and he immediately corrected me by telling me that it wasn't a matter of being a Stan (he literally used the stan analogy in his retort!)and that he was a fan of Hip Hop. I immediately asked him about the urban legend that during a show a few years ago that while he was performing, someone in the crowd caught a seizure. He humbly, but with a sly smile responded, "...yeah, it's true!!" I asked him whether it was cool when he came back to the lobby if we could flict it up and he said it was cool...and I never saw him again that weekend. In retrospect though, my chance meeting with such a great MC was enough.
Ironically, I always said that I would recite the lyrics that he spit one night on the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito show back to him, word for word, if I ever saw him, in jest. When the opportunity came about, I was star struck. I have had verbal disagreements with Cornel West about biblical references he made in the New York Times, questioned KRS-1's statements about the women suffrage movement being more impactful that a part of the African liberation struggle in the United States, I have even had the pleasure of airing dirty laundry in front of Randall Robinson about issue pertaining to student activism with the then SGA President of my undergraduate institution but and I never missed a beat. Got around Pharaohe and straight bitched up. Dude is an intellectual juuggarnaut with the verses!!
2
November 22, 2008 - 11:17:01 AM
dj crossfader: ...
it's funny the way he talks you have artist like Common who were around than when he was coming up and still putting material out today but he's gone corny I mean doing songs with Lilly Allen What The Fuck than you have artist like Andrea 300 who is straight garbage now wearing dresses and shit but with Pharoahe Monch he has never gone soft never sold out and always came hard fuck record sales im just putting out dope material and I respect that mentality. Definatly one of the best MC's I think I have ever heard
3
November 21, 2008 - 03:12:51 PM
Another Def Bet: ...
Yo!
I like how K brought Nas into the interview. Now we're talking about the two illest Mc's out. Bar none!!! My man is not under rated. People who know Hip-Hop know what Pharoahe is capable of and what he's about. His level is not for everybody like he said.
The dude is what a Mc should be. He is sick!!!!
Big up Black Thought also!
I like how K brought Nas into the interview. Now we're talking about the two illest Mc's out. Bar none!!! My man is not under rated. People who know Hip-Hop know what Pharoahe is capable of and what he's about. His level is not for everybody like he said.
The dude is what a Mc should be. He is sick!!!!
Big up Black Thought also!
4
November 21, 2008 - 10:33:57 AM
Bklyn QT: ...
Cool interview!!
I love when artists interview each other.
I love when artists interview each other.
5
November 20, 2008 - 07:13:47 PM
Hiphop's savior...: ...
Word!... May I just say that Pharoahe's Ghost Weed skit on De La's Art Official Intelligence is one of my favorite Pharaohe verses ever!.. lol.
But seriously, I've had the honor of being front row for a Pharoahe concert, and he is indeed UNDERRATED! I love that he's being humble, but c'mon, Steve Rifkind should be in prison for not pushing Desire more.
After hearing a couple Pharoahe/Black Milk tracks, who else would LOVE to see a full length LP between those two!?!?! "...My shit busts like Busta Rhymes sniffin lines of coke!"
But seriously, I've had the honor of being front row for a Pharoahe concert, and he is indeed UNDERRATED! I love that he's being humble, but c'mon, Steve Rifkind should be in prison for not pushing Desire more.
After hearing a couple Pharoahe/Black Milk tracks, who else would LOVE to see a full length LP between those two!?!?! "...My shit busts like Busta Rhymes sniffin lines of coke!"
6
November 20, 2008 - 05:48:08 PM
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