Pharoahe Monch then signed to Rawkus Records, an indie label. After making several guest appearances on albums like the best-selling Rawkus compilation Soundbombing 2, Monch's much-hyped debut, Internal Affairs was released in 1999. The first single of the album, "Simon Says", was a major hit in 1999; he was later sued for the use of a Godzilla sample for the beat. He also had a 2001 hit with "Got You," though the single ultimately didn't sell well, and he also contributed the track "Fuck You" to the Training Day soundtrack. In 2003, Pharoahe released his final single through Rawkus Records, "Agent Orange", a war-inspired song that revisited the 1991 Organized Konfusion track "Releasing Hypnotical Gases".
Pharoahe's song "Simon Says" was featured in the 2000 cinematic release Charlie's Angels. Viewers will recognize the song and backbeat in the scene where Sam Rockwell is lighting a cigarette in the castle while holding Drew Barrymore hostage. Two of Monch's songs, "Right Here" and "Simon Says" were featured in the movie Boiler Room.
Pharoahe is also affiliated with the rap group The HRSMN. Although not a member of the group (there are only four real members), he is constantly linked to someday join the group when/if they ever expand.
There were rumors his next album, Innervisions, was to be released under Denaun Porter's new Shady Records imprint Runyon Ave., but apparently, the deal fell through; Monch has since announced a deal with Street Records Corporation, home of Wu-Tang Clan, David Banner, and Terror Squad. In June 2007 Monch released his second solo album Desire to critical acclaim. Monch said about the album; "...it's very soulful, very gospel, a fresh, new sound for me." The album's lead single was the self-produced track "Push", with "Let's Go" as its B-Side. The song's music video and single were released in late September 2006. Monch released a second music video entitled "When the Gun Draws" at a Brooklyn music festival in February 2007.
Monch also produced and ghost-wrote the track The Future and ghost-wrote the track Hold Up with Mobb Deep member Havoc on rap mogul Diddy's latest album Press Play. Critics contest that Monch's writing is evident in both the content and the delivery of Diddy's rhymes.
Pharoahe Monch sang the Madden NFL 2002 theme for the game and six years later Desire was featured on the soundtrack of Madden NFL 08.
Pharoahe Monch will release his third solo album W.A.R. (Let My People Go) in 2009. He revealed that the album will be a "throwback to 1993, '94 hip-hop" and will feature production by Black Milk, Mr. Porter, Lee Stone & M-Phazes. A ten-year anniversary re-issue of Internal Affairs will also be released featuring a documentary about the making of the album.
Agent Orange
Pharoahe Monch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Please lord forgive me for my sins
My life is all I have to give
Please lord forgive me for my sins
My life is all I have to give
Damn you that lost the will to live
[Verse 1]
I threw a rock, then I ran
'Cause I couldn't stand anymore within the grip of the man
Why'all want to ask me who's sane
These biological gasses are eating my brain
Its a political grab bag to rape mother earth
Thirty seconds after they bagged dad for what he's worth
Thousands will die now so millions can smile later
This ain't the +Rockford Files+ nigga
They stockpile data for satellites
Where you discuss who's style is greater
In this killing pool you playing it cool like Kyle Jada
When ya'll ready to rock like Led Zep and Al Qaeda
With weapons of mass destruction an hour later
What's your identidy today?
You on some John F. Kennedy or Timothy McVeigh?
This Henessy done left me with a remedy to spray
For my identity your life is the penalty to pay
Motherfucker
[Monch] {Crowd}
[Y'all ready to rock?]
{We ready to rock}
[Y'all ready to roll?]
{We ready to roll}
[Hook 2]
My life is all I have to give
Please lord forgive me for my sins
My life is all I have to give
Damn you that lost the will to live
Trapped in the game
Just tryin to win (3x)
[Verse 2]
Its not a Vietnam song
I know women from desert storm who came back deformed
Missin limbs and disease and they legs is numb
Chemicals twice as strong as agent orange
It's messages in the bass drum
War goin' off in your mind
No man is safe from
It's not a Game Boy about the PlayStation
It's 'Resident Evil' when every President's a mason
Robbin why'all fools like ?
And why'all inherited roots and don't know how to retrace them
Place them back
Face them facts
Disgraceful, faceless, tasteless acts
Pharoahe takes the authorities to court
Peep crime before it happens like +Minority Report+
And I will never be mentally defenseless
Cats be on the block, in the hood in the trenches sayin
[Monch] {Crowd}
[Y'all ready to rock?]
{We ready to rock}
[Y'all ready to roll?]
{We ready to roll}
[Hook 3]
My life is all I have to give
Please lord forgive me for my sins
My life is all I have to give
[Monch] {Crowd}
[Y'all ready to rock?]
{We ready to rock}
[Y'all ready to roll?]
{We ready to roll}
[Monch]
Damn you that lost the will to live
Trapped in the game just tryin to win
[Monch] {Crowd}
[Y'all ready to rock?]
{We ready to rock}
[Y'all ready to roll?]
{We ready to roll}
[Monch] [Repeat: x 2]
Lock! Load! Into position
Rock! Roll! Its primitive condition
[Monch]
Lock! Load!
Rock! Roll!
Into position
[Crowd] [Repeat: x 2]
We ready to rock
We ready to roll
In Pharoahe Monch's "Agent Orange," he addresses a range of societal and political issues through his lyrics. In the first verse, Monch describes how he peed on the White House lawn and threw a rock before running away. He did this because he couldn't stand being "within the grip of the man." Monch highlights the presence of biological gasses in the air, which are causing him brain damage. He also describes the political grab-bag that's raping mother earth. He claims that thousands will die so that millions can smile later, and this is not the Rockford Files. The government is stockpiling data for satellites, and people are cool like Kyle Jada.
In the second verse, Monch talks about how it's not a Vietnam song, but there are women who came back deformed from the desert storm. Chemicals in the air are twice as strong as Agent Orange. War is going on in people's minds, and no man is safe from it. President's being Mason's and robbing people. Monch takes authorities to court and peeps the crime before it happens like Minority Report.
Line by Line Meaning
Please lord forgive me for my sins
Asking for forgiveness for the wrong deeds done
My life is all I have to give
Acknowledges that one can only offer their life as repentance for sins committed
Damn you that lost the will to live
Disdain for those who have given up on life
Pissed on the motherfucking White House lawn
Act of defying authority and expressing anger towards those in power
I threw a rock, then I ran
Act of rebellion, followed by avoiding consequences
'Cause I couldn't stand anymore within the grip of the man
Refusal to submit to those in power
These biological gasses are eating my brain
Reference to the harmful effects of bioweapons used for warfare
Its a political grab bag to rape mother earth
Criticizes the government for exploiting the environment for political gain
Thirty seconds after they bagged dad for what he's worth
Referencing the greed and disregard for human life in pursuit of power
Thousands will die now so millions can smile later
Acknowledging the losses in war and the belief that it will eventually pay off
This Henessy done left me with a remedy to spray
Using alcohol as a coping mechanism for the consequences of one's actions
For my identity your life is the penalty to pay
Consequences for those who try to harm or prevent one from being true to their identity
Trapped in the game / Just tryin to win
Feeling stuck and struggling to succeed while navigating a competitive environment
Missin limbs and disease and they legs is numb / Chemicals twice as strong as agent orange
References the physical damage done to soldiers in war and the use of dangerous chemicals for warfare
It's 'Resident Evil' when every President's a mason
Reflecting on the negative portrayal of secret societies, while comparing them to a video game representing a horror scenario
Pharoahe takes the authorities to court / Peep crime before it happens like +Minority Report+
Standing up against the system and predicting/preventing negative outcomes before they occur
And I will never be mentally defenseless
Refusing to be silenced or oppressed by the system
Lock! Load! Into position
Preparing for battle
Rock! Roll! Its primitive condition
Expressing the aggressive nature and history of conflict
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TAZ ARNOLD, SHAFIQ HUSAYN, TROY DONALD JAMERSON, OMMAS KEITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
zkzkz
Could not possibly agree more. Monch, most underrated of all time
Miles Phillip
Pharoahe Monch makes me hate Hip Hop. How can we talk about the "GOATS", when this man probably won't make it into most ppls top 50. Is hip hop still art? Its a crime!
redmarioproductions
Pharoah Monch has to be one of the most underrated mc's of this era. All of his albums have met with serious critical acclaim.
dannielpreto
I've listen to this song millions of times and even then I catch myself catching another slick wordplay reference.
Basim A-Gorji
He is truly the Shakespeare of rappers.
Prince Ekeson
Jeez...this guy wasn't just slept on, people had COMAS on him.🔥
Angry Eeyore
@michael mata Well said. I grew up in the punk scene and got into graffiti around 94 and ended up gaining a huge appreciation for hip hop. The stuff on the radio just wasn't cutting it for the most part. Anti Pop Consortium blew my mind and then I started digging deeper and deeper. After that it was people like Edan, Yak Balls, Jean Grae, Flipmode Squad, Cappadonna, Reks, and on and on that opened up an entire new world for me.
michael mata
People slept on hip hop, period.
For most people, when hip hop starts is the same time hip hop ended for me (95’-96’ish).
Organized was one of my favorite groups (The Stress: Extinction Agenda is the height of Monch as a lyricist btw), but there are many others who don’t get any recognition today because people don’t realize that there was an entire avant-garde art culture that existed for 20 years BEFORE Jay-Z and Rockafella and Bad Boy and the commercial exploitation wave.
Joseph Blanchard
One of the best ever. He wasn't slept on in the late 90's-early 2000's though. But I agree that he should have been way more popular indeed. He's just an all-around great emcee tbh.
Mad Frankie Fraser
Awesome. Love the beat