Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 Artist Profile: Pharoahe Monch

Mixing soul rhythms with complex (and often political) rhymes, Pharoahe Monch brings a certain dirty freshness to hip hop, even though he’s been in the game since 1989. You may recall his biggest hit, “Simon Says” from the 2000 movie releases of Charlie’s Angels and Boiler Room. The song’s heavy hitting sample from Godzilla, along with the refrain of “Get the f*ck up!” will instantly rocket you back to those good old Y2K days.

However, much of the rest of Monch’s catalog exudes more depth, including the latest single “Shine” produced by Diamond D. It's the first off his upcoming album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades), set to drop in October. Sample lyrics from “Shine” that are guaranteed to get stuck in your head: “My Mama cannot afford Whole Foods/ she break fast with a prayer/ call it soul food.” W.A.R. will feature collaborations with Talib Kweli, Cee-Lo Green, Jill Scott and several other big-name artists.

Pharoahe Monch will kick it at the Blue Stage during Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010.

Pharoahe Monch [myspace] [twitter]