Pharoahe Monch - What It Is

[jhnevans751]

they got Pharoahe to explain exactly how hes so dope at

MCing, in an amazin book with all the most lyrical MCs ever interviewed for it...

the books name is--

HOW--TO--RAP

[kannabiz420]

this track is mad cold. love this shit.

[TheReapersSon]

"today's niggaz do skate-by hits

runnin ya crib with some Queer-eye for the straight-guy shit

but not homosexuals, dey masterin gunplay

re-arrange ya furniture, fix ya fung-shui"

Holy shit...

[BoxingBeatsAndRhymes]

GREATEST EMCEE EVER ?

[matthewbonk]

dude, that C 3 PO's line made my brain explode

[Edgarich]

I HEARD ONLY THE FLOW IN THIS COOLTRACK , WHEN I`M LISTENIN` THE MUSIC I DON`T CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT , I RESPECT FLOW`S !!!

[matthewbonk]

bet your bottom dollar you be spittin over lines... so good

[LOGIC42369]

@matthewbonk i never quite understood that line, 'bet ya bottom dollar you'll be spittin over lines'

[ruthlesspimp1995]

great album

[ryxxx12345]

4 people did not know what it was

[jj237]

I spit this and Desire everyday at work when I'm bored.

[protector440]

JEAH!

[PumaSweat]

He looks like Michael Jai White

[89karnage]

its so funny to me when people charge pac with not being lyrical listen to the mans whole body of work he may not use constant punchlines or abstract allusions such as a monch/gza he may not use even as much multis a g rap or pun but what he does transends he uses the human experience to illicit joy pain pleasure pain to make art listen to hes couplets,imagery,delivery,word choice,emotive value,content depth,varation,hell most of miss hes lines'Im similar to saddam sometimes i question hussian

[vici0z]

@89karnage yea true what u just said

[MrDeadcell84]

new youtube ads really suck!

[Truintell]

A lot of hate toward Jay-Z comes from his wealth and and status in pop culture. People need to understand Jay-Z is ALL about money. If it don't make dollars it don't make sense to him. He has said numerous times he has dumbed down his style to appeal to the masses so to hip hop purists he seems wack now. Jay would smash Tupac head up lyrically. Jay is one of the most crafty and witty rappers.

[Compton3clipsed]

@Truintell - No, he sold out and lost his real, and what type of HAM dude cries after getting dissed? He couldn't touch Pac, it would be another Hit 'Em Up, I mean Jay already got faded on Renegade. If anyone would be able to hold with Pac it would be Monch, Lupe, Talib, Del, Mos, Common, one of the actual intelligent cats, Jay can't do anything but act hard, Pac would tear that up, he was also a written poet and published so Pac is far deeper than he gets credit for.

[glennbuchanan29]

@Truintell I hear you about J underrated due to his "sell out" persona,but it IS a conscious choice he made to "get money", however,i do disagree that he could tackle Pac in a battle,JayZ got RINSE'D by NAS 3 times.In mix tape battles. Yeah,Jz is very cleaver and extremly witty,but when the chips where down, he lost 3 time to Nas.Nas would not beat Pac in a month of sundays,soo im sayin JayZ stand no ice in hell chance with Pac.

[YungPinero]

@glennbuchanan29 I beg to differ ... I don't know where this ideal came from ... but Pac was never Mr. Lyrical in any sense ... Yes he was dope ... Yes he controlled emotional conveyance well ... But as far as lyrical creativity and wit ... He was maybe JUST above average in that department ... Nas would have chewed him a new one on a lyrical scale and Jay the same ...

[truthspeaks01]

@YungPinero damnit this is what the hell im talking about. i have been trying to tell people forever that pac is a good raper but average at best when it comes to lyrics. no disrespect to pac but he would get ate up by a real emcee. 

[truthspeaks01]

@glennbuchanan29 honestly i think jay z is comparable to pac(before he became anti illuminati). both sold out at one point in their career jay z in the late part pac in the beginning. Both are avg to decent lyricist but are way over hyped to being the greatest. they are both 2 sides of the same coin. lyrics wise they are avg but the masses flock to them because of this ratio beats&hook 80% rhymes&lyrics 20%. now im not saying they aren't talented. just a lil overhyped.

[kynriv101]

Raps like Star Wars....only the stars die, no sequels!

[shingler1000]

@kynriv101 hardd

[WuTangBoston]

sounds like some Organized Konfusion back in the day shit!!

[SquattingBear01]

@WuTangBoston he should be going back to those roots, loved his crazy way of rapping,

[rezonite]

SICK@!

[stratplayer94]

please this dudes like 3 puns keepin it old school like kool G this "what it is"

[leanbadassmofo]

Wow i just discovered this guy not too long ago, this is by far my favorite song by him. The delivery is so witty and creepy in a amazing way. BTW does anyone know what this song is exactly about?

[tdivine73]

big track...a very intelligent and talented mc.

[WstWng]

Rap is like Star Wars only the stars die there's no sequel, beat three cases C 3 po's I'm sure went over some heads but that said alot!!

[AraBlak]

@jcreamx23 Looking back, my bad for getting off topic, and going into shit you already agreed with. To directly state my point, I feel the same way about Jay-Z's lyrical skills.

[AraBlak]

@jcreamx23 I can't hate on Pac for doing what he did, but to me, the cooking methods and presentation outweigh the ingredients. You could make filet mignon in a microwave, but properly made steak-ums in a skillet would taste better to me. Pac had very good and passionate substance, but to me, these guys RAP better.

[AraBlak]

@jcreamx23 He did tackle social issues and rhymes about heavy subject matter with intense passion, and that's great, making him a very important artist of our time, but I'm talking about straight emcee shit right now. The bars themselves and what they're made of. The way RZA bends words to make them rhyme or the way Canibus' voice growl while saying insane metaphors. That's what I prefer to hear as a writer myself.

[AraBlak]

@jcreamx23 Bamboozled? No one told me to like Jay, I just listened and liked what I heard. Even Monch says Jay is one of his favorite emcees. As for Pac, I dohn't know how old you are and won't assume, but I will say that I'm 32 and bought 2Pacolypse Now. I've been listening since he came out with DU. But he never really impressed me lyrically. I'm more of a fan of clever wordplay, cadences and overall lyrical style, and franly, Pac never delivered that to me.

[jasonito23]

@AraBlak I'm 34 and I used to think that Pac wasn't lyrical but he is. His passionate delivery disguised his lyricism. Pac out rapped Snoop on 2 of Americaz Most Wanted. He outdid Breed on Gotta Get Mine and on Last Wordz he came as lyrical as Cube. Tupac has that internal flow but he always puts emphasis on his last syllables but he is really lyrical, that's why his verses always seem to hit hard, along with his political subject matter. He flowed in When I Get Free II. He ain Kool G or Pun

[AraBlak]

@jasonito23 Snoop, Breed and Cube are terrible comparisons to use in a debate of skill. None of them were ever known for being mad lyrical. K Rap and Pun tho? Both of them would rhyme circles around Pac. Pac was a great artist, but no where near as ill as G Rap, Pun or Monch.

[jasonito23]

@AraBlak I missytped but I wanted to end wth he's not Kool G or Pun lyrically but he was still mad lyrical. I agree with you for the most part though.

[AraBlak]

@jasonito23 No doubt...

[KillBillBreeze]

@detroitmc313 That Method man & Biggie song came out waaaaaay before this song. This its still one of the best raps I've ever heard! The whole Queer Eye For The Straight Guy analogy was the pinnacle of hip hop analogies

[detroitMC313]

at 0:28 when he says (See 3 PO's / C3PO's) Method man STOLE that line. In the song Rap Phenomon with Biggie.

[95qazplm]

@detroitMC313 method man and biggie came before this song

[paganballs]

fucking ILL!

[tftwstf5]

HAHAHAHAA!!! BETTER DELIVERY?!?!? LOL AIGHT DUDE. WHO EVEY HIT DISLIKE ON THIS IS RETARDED

[kinstube]

WOWZERZ ,WITTY WORDPLAY !!!!!!!

[iseeblood5]

he needs a better deliver like tupac.

[keziah1399]

@iseeblood5 needs a better delivery? lol, you're not listening closely...

[dilated1990]

@iseeblood5 better delivery? please, have you seen the diversity of this deliveries?

tupacs delivery was dope, but he was no where near as controlled as this dude.

listen to the Internal Affairs intro, 2pac could never spit with that kind of control over vocal tone, also 2pac could never go from making a track like that, to making a track like this and then making a track like Push

[ruofhatem]

@dilated1990 i disagree. as much as i like pharoahe's delivery, it's nowhere near pac's effortless flow.

[AraBlak]

@ruofhatem G Rap, Monch, Black Thought, Nas and Jay are all better emcees than Pac. Tupac was a powerful speaker, similar to Chuck D, but was no where NEAR as nice on the mic as Monch.

[ruofhatem]

@AraBlak I'd say monch, thought, and nas are better emcees lyrically, theres no disputing that. pac was never known to be lyrical, but i'm referring to his delivery. it's effortless, it flows over any beat like water.

[jcreamx23]

@AraBlak I was with you for a second til you tried to add jay z to that group. overrated garbage rapper nowhere near pac or any other top 20 MC. you've been bamboozled.

[pickledpigfeet]

i know he is. kool moe dee put him at number 26 in his book. so thats gotta mean something. but yeah, monch da shit!

[theizza786]

Haha 3 people fucked up and r are rapping over rhymes

[bearcatfan7]

The right to bare arms I aint talkin wifebeaters either.

[TheTertullian]

DAMN PREACHER MONCH!!!! Its been a while my good man! I'm sorry i need to confess.

[jdterrell]

THAS THAT NIGGAH

[TheAmericanObserver]

Verbal Magic

[Bryan022MP]

His voice kinda reminds me of Ludacris's voice a bit.

[LOGIC42369]

@Bryan022MP haha thats what i thought. and you know what i cant think of which one i like more, this song was beast though on so many levels

[AraBlak]

3 people are smoking crack.

[matthewbonk]

It upsets me that Justin Beiber's Tim Westwood freestyle has more views than this.

[dadams62773]

To study Pharoahe you need to go back to Organized Konfusion.. The man has put his work in..

[trooper40below]

Anybody diss this song is straight up and flat out unintelligent and can't get the lyrics.

[TheRebelabyss]

he looks kinda like the homie jacob killer miller

[OsirisdaGreat]

the lyric's are so raw the ppl who don't like this track... stand in front of a moving train wait 4 it and get hit ... explode 2 million pieces.. its that serious!

[jdterrell]

Flies all in mah TEETH.

[tr0llzorz]

I fucking jizzed.

[GrindTimeMoments]

You are right about what you said to toofallday ....Even better I find it Ironic that Pharaoh Monche answers Troofallday in this actual song at 2:36 "with a flow that so Infuencial ,Niggas fcked up gets NO ITSTRUMENTS " ahahaha

[GrindTimeMoments]

Listen to the Simili Pharaoh Uses comparing him self to Light at 1:21 first he uses a Mercades as an analogy ..something that assoceates with the Epicurean Materialism that all Ballers use and Frisby disc rappers can relate to ,then immedeately brings the metaphore of LIGHT to its true essence which is the SUN not some Matereal bucket on wheels BUT THE ACTUAL SUN !! something that you would have assiceated with when you were pure and young ,then he rapidly gives analogies to when you were 9 !!

[shellvadeezer]

This was one of my favorite traxxxz in 07...how can you continue to sleep on beasty lyricistz is still the most amusing question to me to most of these bubblegum rapper loverz who listen to Plies and these other lethargic azz nursery rhymerz!!! WHAT IT IS

[sukumu66]

It's good you found out!!

[jin54363]

this is hot

[knifeupyoazz]

Pharoahe Monch is god besids chinoXL and Techn9ne

[troofallday]

need this beat can anyone hook me up??..who produced it?? peace.

[clangdon89]

@troofallday Do you really think somebody who throws down tracks for a signed artist like Pharoahe Monch is really going to just hand over that for you? HAH

[SASRftw]

@clangdon89 he says in the song, "niggas fucked up they get no instrumentals now". makes me wanna clothesline a hoe.

[eddied80]

@troofallday Pharoahe Monch Produced this himself.

[andyjb49]

Pharoahe+Mos+Talib+KRS-One+El-­P+Styles+Black Thought = SOME REAL HIP HOP!

[LOGIC42369]

WHAT IT IS!! DICK IN THE PUSSY!

[MrAntinwo]

yea hes tight...people that think otherwise have no ear for lyrics.

[BugCostumes]

This is mind-blowing.

[jp246810]

"came out of the fallopian blastin'

Pharoahe hungrier than an Ethiopian fastin'"

*these lyrics hit so hard and jus repeatin' it burn my throat like some hard scoth whiskey!!! Pharoahe Monch killin' em' ^_^*

[Texasbbqrock]

I will buy a kool keith album with the Monch! Do IT! I saY!>

[Melchizedek360]

"niggas fuced up, they get no instrumentals/ Now, next time when you spittin on mines, bet your bottom dollars you'll be spitting over rhymes"

^^ the dopeness AND trueness of this concept.

[april0293]

@Melchizedek360 i dont get that part

[Melchizedek360]

@april0293 He's saying that whack MCs have been rapping over his beats lately, and from now on, you won't be finding any instrumentals of his songs. Shame, but niggas fuced up.

[Melchizedek360]

That flow, is incredible.

[oneindachamber]

Pharoah IS one of the best Ever peiod. "Lay in the cut like Neosporin" shit that did it for me. He's defenintly one of the greatest MCs. Not rapper tryna ryhme only to make money but for the tru concept of the love of hip hop.

[gatimo1]

The Beat is SICKKKKKKKK.... RHYMES EVEN SICKKKKKKKKERRRRR

Came out of the Fallopian Blasting, Pharaohe's hungrier than Ethiopians Fasting...



[mongoltube]

beat is ass.. He is so talented!

[macho1ification]

I didn't know about him until a couple days ago this is wat hiphop id missing but they will never let him get shine because his influence is is to question wats real and wats fake about america so they silence him.....

[MalachiBakas]

@macho1ification there are so many artist who speak the truth and are shunned for pop rappers that keep u dancing in the club!

[bskdopeboy]

@MalachiBakas Well, take 'Simon Says' and this guy does both... which makes him God! :D

[dbass131]

@MalachiBakas Well said by both of you!

[TrakwUrKz]

@MalachiBakas Dance to the soundtrack of their own destruction.

[GONJASENSAIwu]

@macho1ification he is one of the best trust

[wusgwanin]

@macho1ification What it is is 'Wot it is' my frnd! Check out his old krew Organized Konfusion since 92 onwards...poss b4.  2/3rds of the story is told the rest will unfold....

[Finnurhelgi]

@macho1ification You need some Organized Konfusion in your life

[AraBlak]

@macho1ification the great part of you discovering Monch JUST NOW, is that there is a nearly 20 year body of work to listen to... He is UNQUESTIONABLY one of the greatest emcees to ever touch a microphone.

[troofallday]

someone get the instrumental PLEASE!! one of the greatest most underated mc's ever to bless hip-hop!

[brado1610]

Who honestly, can fuck with pharoahe, his rhyme on "oh no" is one of the top 3 verses of all time.

[JOEFIXIT79]

@brado1610 I think his verse on Immortal Technique -apocalypse remix is his best so far.

[brado1610]

@JOEFIXIT79 sweet gonna check it out

[huntedrasta]

classic pharoahe flow

[heshaka0925]

Beat is doooooooooope!

[RapLiFeGsTyLE911]

always think its luda at start

[phoen99rising]

Hearing this beat reminds me of how dope Axelrod is!

[ostione]

all day bangers.

hiphops best sampled!

[proevofan09]

"came out the felopian blastin, pharoahe hungrier than etheopians fastin" it cant get any better than that absolutly amazing seriously would love to see flo rida cum up with those lyrics

[Stn3dRaid3r]

Pharoahe master of the metaphors.

[dannielpreto]

"They thought I was backpack

Slept, didn't know that he kept inside the knapsack" sick this man Spits fire

[sprtsbilly]

did you hear the subliminal jay z diss

[90mv]

@sprtsbilly Nope didn't here any of that, but if there was a jay and monch beef he'd ether him worse than nas did...

[Flomaticc]

These are the kind of videos that keep me very inspire when i'm making music. Check out my new song "Let it all go by Flomaticc" you can also download my music @ Flomaticc . com. I love reviews and feedback.

[Drumminz22]

LOL, oh my goodnessssss, this nigga is so beastii!!

[rononeroc]

mac like fleetwood!

[MBTheBlackGenius]

he looks nothing like Jay Electronica...

[keezydadon]

i know jay electronica has a big head.

[MBTheBlackGenius]

genius...and hilarious...

hahah @ the dats dat nigga line.

[GV1UK]

More like sunshine and one line to mind to remind you of when you were nine before you were bustin' cherries it wasn't necessary to grind them ......... ILLLL

[ZekerDope]

Dude looks like Jay Electronica or vice versa

[NoGodHereOnlyMuzik]

Damn this nikka kan flow! And I thought Luda had punch lines.

[prrvrrt]

There is nothing like hearing dope rhymes over intoxicating beats...

[kaljan]

MONK bitches!!!!

[BCPuke90]

love beats and innovative flow like this

you can disagree wit me on dis but this track reminds me a bit of Lauren Hills 'Lost Ones' track

[lessunn]

"2days niggas to skate-by hits/Run in ya crib on some queer eye for the straight guy s***/But not homosexual they mastering gun play/Rearrange ya furniture fix ya feng shui.......wow.........

[tmcdougald]

lmao

[Gallardo2008]

this is sssssssick

[colourblind3213]

fucking sick song

[MrSeltzerwater]

be up in the club wit a boxcutter in the boot

[munik897]

on of the best emcees in the world to me........

[dogshit71]

rock on!!!

[vcarter5157]

Yeah jimmyblade, you're a dumbass!

[djflatline86]

lyrics are sick as always, but that eerie humming should be shortened, kills the ears in the car. Still Dope!!

[elmarquee]

to jimmyblade92 listen again to the lyrics "this is not American Idol, this is me trying to eat. HUMAN SURVIVAL" it's a statement!

anyway Monch is a heavy lyricist "Raps like star wars, only the stars die theres no sequals, beat 3 cases 'C3PO's'....Heavy!

[ryxxx12345]

@elmarquee It's actually B-3 cases CP3Os.....20 people liked this and did not even knoew the true meaning. Fail.

google b-3 droid

[elmarquee]

@ryxxx12345

I hear you reasoning but you are wrong in this case he does say 'BEAT' 3 cases (as in crime)

'C3PO's' is a play on words (SEE 3 P'Os - Parole officers)

[MrSoulevram]

@ryxxx12345 actually as an artist u might write 1 thing but it can mean or even sound very similar 2 another thing thats what hes prob tryn ta do but i aint saying ur wrong na mean.

[ryxxx12345]

@MrSoulevram true, only he knows for sure. I miss when the lyrics were inside the cd case. But then again who buys CDs?

[jj237]

@elmarquee i try to quote that line to people but none of them get it...so i dont talk to them anymore hahaha

[elmarquee]

@jj237 lol i agree!!!

[spaceage305]

@elmarquee i love pharoah but he kinda jacked that line from method man "Star Wars I'm Han Solo, with three egoes

and three charges, I got to "See-three-P.O.'s"

from rap phenomenom on biggie's born again

[elmarquee]

@spaceage305 thats a valid point bro i 4got about Meth's lines..classic

[pickledpigfeet]

@elmarquee oh snizzaps! i been listening to this album forever and i never caught the c3po part. for one thing im not a star wars fan, so it didnt register automatically. such an easter egg emcee. reminds me of myself. wheres my notebook?

[elmarquee]

@pickledpigfeet he is definitely one of the best lyricists when it comes to play of words hes a efffing genuis!!

[phoen99rising]

@elmarquee "This is me trying to eat, Human survival" I bet that is the rationale for many MCs who switch over to the mainstream...

[jacobamf]

jimmyblade dumbest human alive!

[jimmyblade92]

who the **** tries to eat human survival? lol 1:05

[mikea01234567]

Your a fucking idot jimmyblade

[michaeldobruskin123]

@jimmyblade92 omfg ur so god damn stupid

[djharmonix]

haha i didn't know that!

[ilovejmsass]

this song is pretty cool, little slow for my taste

[OmfgZilla]

wasn't this nigga in spawn?

[soundbwoymorizzo]

pharaoe ain't no actor

[SirKoolAO]

same same god bless...rastamans culture

[RevolutionarySavior]

wtf does jah bless mean

[stefdelev]

lol

[Profound03]

My fuckin ringtone.....CHIT !!!

...niggas want dibs on the weed but aint kickin out...

Jah Bless

[BVB09Fanatic]

As a severe metalhead - this track is fucking awesome.

[RedDevilsFan85]

What an absolutely sikk trakk, no one else can rap like Pharoahe, he's right, his flow is sooo influential!