What is Pharoahe Monch's Net Worth?
Pharoahe Monch is an American rapper who has a net worth of $3 million. Pharoahe Monch began his career in the late 80s as one half of the rap duo Organized Konfusion alongside Prince Po. He went on to have a successful solo career with such albums as "Internal Affairs," "W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)," and "PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." Monch is known for his complex rapping technique, which involves intricate, wordplay-heavy lyrics and delivery.
His most successful single is "Simon Says" which was released in 1999 and reached #3 on the US Rap chart as well as #29 on the US R&B and #97 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Pharoahe Monch has also collaborated with artists such as Xzibit, 50 Cent, Fat Joe, RZA, Tech N9ne, Eminem, KRS-One, Mos Def, Nate Dogg, Wyclef Jean, Kenny Rogers, De La Soul, Redman, DJ Quik, Linkin Park, Talib Kweli, Macy Gray, Justin Timberlake, will.i.am, Chuck D, and more.
Early Life
Pharoahe Monch, whose real name is Troy Donald Jamerson, was born on Halloween, 1972 in the borough of Queens in New York City. As a teenager, he went to the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan.
Organized Konfusion
With his friend Prince Po, Monch began his music career as part of the duo Simply II Positive MCs. Eventually, the pair attracted the attention of hip hop producer Paul C, who produced a demo for them in the late 80s. Monch and Po subsequently signed with Solid Sound Records and recorded the singles "Memories of Love" and "South Side in Effect." After Paul C was murdered in 1989, the duo renamed itself Organized Konfusion and signed a recording contract with Hollywood BASIC. Organized Konfusion went on to release its self-titled debut album in 1991. This was followed by "Stress: The Extinction Agenda" in 1994. After that, Organized Konfusion signed to Priority Records, and released its third album, "The Equinox," in 1997. Following that release, Monch and Po went their separate ways to pursue their own solo recording careers.
Start of Solo Career
After leaving Organized Konfusion, Monch signed a deal with Rawkus Records. Through the indie label, he released his debut solo album, "Internal Affairs," in 1999. The album spawned the single "Simon Says." However, controversy soon mired the album, as Monch was sued for sampling Akira Ifukube's theme song to the film "Godzilla vs. Mothra" without permission. As a result, "Internal Affairs" was pulled from shelves, and Monch didn't release another solo album for many years. Instead, he collaborated with a number of other artists and contributed to various songs. In 2000, Monch had a hit with the song "Oh No," recorded with fellow rapper Mos Def and featuring Nate Dogg. The next year, he recorded the song "Fuck You" for the film "Training Day," and the year after that, rapped the theme song to the video game "Madden NFL 2002."
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Continued Solo Career
Following the release of his first official mixtape, "The Awakening," Monch put out his much anticipated second solo album, "Desire," in 2007. Critically acclaimed, the album included the singles "Push," "Let's Go," and the title track. Monch's next solo album, "W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)," came out in early 2011; its singles included "Shine," "Clap (One Day)," and "Black Hand Side." In 2014, Monch released "PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," his fourth solo album. A conceptual follow-up to "W.A.R.," the album spawned the singles "Damage" and "Bad M.F."
Other Projects
Among his other projects, Monch formed a rap-rock supergroup called th1rt3en in 2019. The group includes drummer Daru Jones and guitarist Marcus Machado. Its debut single, "Palindrome," came out later in the year. In early 2021, th1rt3en released its debut album, "A Magnificent Day for an Exorcism." The album's singles were "Fight," "Cult 45," and "666 (Three Six Word Stories)."
Monch has also appeared on television. In 2011, he served as a judge on the "Ultimate MC" program alongside fellow rappers Sean Price, Royce da 5'9", Organik, and Planet Asia.
Style and Influences
Monch has gained considerable renown for his rapping style, which is characterized by complex lyrics and an intricate, eloquent delivery. Due to his asthma, which he's had since infancy, he developed creative ways to breathe while rapping. Monch's vocal delivery is understood to be inspired by jazz music, with John Coltrane being a particular influence. His methodology also involves writing down single lines of lyrics and coming back to them many years later for use in a song.
