Shyne

1.) Intro
No rapping from Monch, just some gospel, slave type music. It pretty much sets the tone for the album though, right away you pretty much know exactly what direction Monch is taking with the album so it serves it purpose. Also very symbolic of Monch’s current mind state, for years dude has been a slave to industry politics, now he’s finally in a better situation and considers himself a free man.

Overall - N/A………………………………...................................... .................................................. .............................

2.) Free
This song sets off the album perfectly, it reflects the same Mind state the intro to the album was setting up, in typical Monch fashion he flips this into a concept track, comparing the rap game to the days of slavery

“Ya A&R’s a house nigga, the label’s the plantation
Now switch that advance for your emancipation”

As always Monch proves why no one can flip a concept track better then him, he sticks to his theme very well and paints a very vivid picture of his distaste for the music industry and how shady it really is.

Overall - 5/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. ................................

3.) Desire ft Showtime
Another dope track, 2 in a row. The beat is one of the more upbeat pieces of production almost in the same vein as “Push” only not as influenced with Gospel music. Monch rips this track to pieces though, dude proves again with line after line why he’s one of the most underrated of all time, this whole track is a quotable but here’s a few examples.

“Who…Am…I? Im the poetical Pastor/
Slave to a label but I own my Masters”

“My book is a ovary, the pages I lust to turn/
My Pens the Penis when I write the inks the sperm/
Desire the fire that ignites the torch to burn/
This is not rocket science this is easy to learn”

Very very dope track. Just what im expecting from Monch. Exactly the type of lyrics we expect from one of the greatest mc’s in the game.

Overall - 5/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. ....................................

4.) Push
This is a track that’s been floating around for a while, Monch sings for the majority of this track but its still dope, in all honestly its very reminiscent of a Lauryn Hill track, a lot of gospal sounds and singing going on in the background as well. when Monch does choose to rap though he comes through amazingly with lines like

“Im vocally unmatched globally/
With the flow so underground but more publicly notary/
Push….in this era of G.W. Bush we must/
Load Mental ammunition and bust”

This is one of those occasion where Monch kinda disappoints with me with discision to sing more then he actually raps but his message is still just as powerfull and the singing fits in well with the overall track.

Overall - 4/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. .........................

5.) Welcome to the Terrodome
Wow, I swear Pharoahe Monch channeled Chuck D so well on this track its kinda scary, he even got his voice down. Like this feels like a lost Public Enemy track, very dope. Chuck D would be proud. That’s honestly the only way to describe this track, think early Public Enemy and that’s what this track is, almost a tribute track I guess. Very political and filled with Monch’s usual conspiracy theories.

“Theres a hole in the apple the apple has been rotten/
Scheme like a clan I plan like Bin Laden”

My only gripe with this track is that in true old school Chuck D fashion, Monch spits pretty much double time over the whole track, very fast and energetic, and with Monch’s amazing use of multi’s it can be kinda hard for what he says to seep in, it takes a few listens to truly catch everything he say, its completely worth it though, he has some lyrical gems in here.

Overall - 4.5/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. ..................................

6.)What it Is
I love this track, classic Pharoahe Monch sound, very dark beat, this almost sounds like a lost cut from ‘Internal Affairs’. Monch really shines on this track showing that while even when he’s just doing something as simple as flipping battle lines he’s still miles above even the top mc’s in the game.

"Raps like Star Wars, Only the stars die there’s no sequels
beat 3 cases, see three P.O.'s (C3PO) "

Amazing track, perfect shit to play in the car with the windows down and the speakers up.

Overall - 5/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. ..........................

7.) When the Guns Draw
Yet Another dope concept track, the spiritual sequel to Organized Konfusions classic track “Stray Bullet”. Monch again takes the form of a bullet on this track rapping from its perspective. This will go down as another one of Monch’s classic concept track. (the internet only video has been getting a lot of attention too).

“White man made me venom to eliminate
Especially when im in the hood I never discriminate
Just get in em and I renovate
Flesh, bone aint nothing for me to penetrate”

Monch paints pictures beautifully and this track is no exception, in an instant classic from the king of Concepts. The beat matches the song perfectly too thanks to the darkness from the heavily slept on Mr. Porter (of D12 fame)

Overall - 5/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. ............................

8.) Lets Go
Another track that most everyone has heard, its been floating around the net for some Months now. Still though it’s a very dope track. Monch again rapes the beat with rhymes like

“They research my stem cells clone 10 of me/
Send 1 of em back in time just to get rid of me/
Stop Pharoahe Monch from having verbal epiphanies/
Now that’s new definition to your own worst enemy”

Another classic track, the beat brings a lot of energy and Monch matches it with flow and lyrics that are both equally as energizing and dope.

Overall - 4.5/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. ...........................

9.) Body Baby
This song kills me, I don’t see how its going to fit in with the rest of the album, the beat sounds like something Andre 3000 from Outkast would mess with and the hook his cheesy as fuck. The only saving grace his Monch himself, as always his flow and wordplay are crazy, his flow especially, while I may not like the beat I do like the fact that Monch constantly switches his flow and rides just about every part of the beat imaginable. Very dope rhythm. The only snag Monch hits is on the second half of his first verse, he seems like he loses all his energy and gets really lazy, he starts the verse off with a lot of energy

“Pharoahe’s that nigga any other thinking is wishfull/
Sick wit it with a ridiculous flow”

Then half way through it just slips away from him, it could just be the way he chooses to ride the beat but it leaves a lot to be desired (no pun)

Overall - 2.5/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. ...................................

10.) Bar Tap
Another one of the weaker tracks on the album, Its not bad by any means, in fact its almost funny to hear Monch spit game to this girl and comment on her

“She said, who you know and how you get a 9 in the club?
I said that’s not a 9 ma, its merely a 8”

Dude deffinatly has some funny shit on this track and im guessing (hoping anways) that this was most likely his intention, the beat is really smooth too. Nothing wrong with this kind of track, its just when you have an mc with the amazing skill that Monch has you really don’t wanna hear him waste it on things like this. Not a bad track just not one of the better ones either

Overall - 3/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. ....................................

11.) Hold On
I love when Monch does tracks like this, when he actually has a message and a point to his music instead of just bragging about his skills. Very smooth beat matched with an equally smooth hook and Monch himself spits like he’s trying to school mc’s on the true meaning of dope. He kills this track with rhymes like

“Please be willing to fight for your will despite writings from William lynch
Millions tried to rise like helium but died in the fields and the trench’s
Crys from the killing is senseless, eyes to the ceiling it quenches
the thirst and the feeling that’s endless”

The crazy thing his his wordplay only gets MORE impressive from this point, to the point that im not even gonna try to type it cause reading it just wont do it justice. Very dope track that left me very impressed.

Overall - 5/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. ................................

12.) So Good
The last track on the album that could really be considered weak. It almost sounds like a LL Cool J song to be honest. Monch Drops some real gems on this track but a weak hook and half assed first verse really drag it down. Not one of the better songs but again its not really wack, just wish he would have refined it a bit more, worked out a better hook. The beat is really smooth though, almost on some R&B shit and like I said, monch has some dope shit

“70’s black zodiac poster positions
Venus and Mars, it’s the god, kiss the star system”

He has some ill wordplay on this too. The only thing holing it back is it just seems half assed, only half finished and not completely thought out.

Overall - 3/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. ..............................

13.) Trilogy
I have a feeling this will most likely be the track off the album that has everyone talking, much like how Kool G Rap did on his album ‘The Roots of Evil’ with his classic track “Thugs Love Story (Chapter I, II, III)”, Monch spit’s a story broken into 3 parts, all with different beats and different vibes. This another one of those tracks that’s an instant classic, it’s the epitome of dope. Monch is an amazing story teller and this track really highlights that as one of his strongest skills. Im not going to go into the details of what the actual story is about because its best experienced fresh but needless to say its very dope and well written. All 3 beats match whatever section of the story Monch is choosing to narrate (the first verse being my favorite of the 3). Even if you’re not a Monch fan this is still a song you need to check out, one of the best of the year.

Overall 5/5………………………………...................................... .................................................. ..............................

Overall Album
I couldn’t have hoped for a album any better then this, had ‘Body Baby’ been dropped and ‘So Good’ been gone over with a fine toothes comb then this album could have been nearly flawless album. Easily the best album of the year so far and I imagine its going to be very hard to top (The only people who have a chance in my mind is Rakim and Common). With the exception of ‘Body Baby’ you can listen to this album front to back with no problems. it’s a very interesting listen too, Monch somehow manages to mix his church like Gospel music (Push) with his Dark grimy shit (What it Is) without making the album feel disjointed. Everything vibes surprisingly well together, im not sure how he managed to do it but its very impressive. Go out and cop this though, you wont be disappointed. Maybe if people actually buy this we wont have to wait another 8 years for a new Monch record.

Overall Album Score - 4.5/5 or 9/10

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pDASH

this shit is really hot
i might have to go out and buy it

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