Legendary veteran MC Pharoahe Monch returns with a soulful new single entitled ‘Yayo.’ Produced by Lee Stone, the track features his signature quick-witted wordplay and tenacious flow. The funk-driven bassline and gritty drums give the perfect backdrop for Monch to do what he does best: show why bar-for-bar he’s consistently mentioned as one of the most technical rappers we’ve ever seen.
Monch proves why he is on another level lyrically, packing in punchlines with one clever bar flowing seamlessly into the next. He shows off his truly impressive ability to hone in on a concept and explore it from all possible angles, this one being described by Monch himself as “a giant metaphor for cocaine.” Lee Stone’s production sounding straight out of a 70’s blaxplotation movie certainly brings the metaphor to another level.
The single is his first official release since his 2014 album PTSD. While Monch has stated that the single will not be attached to any release, it certainly does give hope one may be coming in the near future.
For those unfamiliar, Pharoahe Monch has consistently earned a reputation as one of the most underrated, thought-provoking, and conceptual rappers of the underground. His work in the early 90’s as one half of the duo Organized Konfusion is considered an early precursor to the “backpack” scene of conscious rappers that emerged around the turn of the century, including Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and many others.
His four solo albums since haven’t disappointed either. Whether it’s the darker (though unfortunately not on streaming services) Internal Affairs or the lush textures of Desire, each is rich in its own unique sound while still featuring Monch’s sharp pen game in full force.
If this single is any sign of things to come, 2019 should be shaping up to be an impressive comeback year for Pharoahe Monch.
Words by Mike Bertram.
