W.A.R (We Are Renegades)
WAR Media/Duck Down Records

One of the definitions that Merriam-Webster gives for the word war is “a struggle or competition between opposing forces or for a particular end”. In this present day of the music industry, there are multiple wars occurring almost daily. There are struggles between recording artists and record labels, verbal wars that in many instances have turned into physical altercations between emcees and even the struggles of an artist to get through certain sonic and visual pipelines and entities to simply reach an audience. In the case of Queens, NY bred emcee Pharoahe Monch, war represents the act of defiance or rebelling;rebelling against the current status quo of today’s musical agenda of an industry owned by a select few who, in many instances have no real allegiance to the artist or to the music that he or she creates. “W.A.R” by definition of Pharoahe Monch is to be a renegade.

The intro of Pharoahe Monch’s new album “W.A.R” is titled “The Warning”, which sets the tone of the record to resemble a combat mission and the discovery of a Lieutenant who realizes the truth about the war in which he is fighting. The song “Calculated Amalgamation” shortly follows with the sound resulting in an apocalyptic, chaotic like state as drums ferociously pound with multiple snares sometimes closely running into each other. Pharoahe Monch boldly states, “We are renegades, f**k your gold medal, the people are the majority, you can’t survive without us, you need us”. The Marco Polo produced title track “W.A.R” featuring Immortal Technique and Vernon Reid hits the listener like a slap to the face with echoing claps, chopped vocal harmonies, a running piano bit and Vernon Reid’s guitar riffs streaking over the track. Immortal Technique, in a husky, gravel-like voice shouts “We are renegades, this means war, sixteens bust to break unjust laws, overthrow regimes in the name of the cause, renegades, never slaves…this means war”. While Pharoahe Monch does speak on multiple cultural, political and sociological issues, fans who crave the witty and cleaver metaphors and humor still gets a dose of that in tracks such as “Haile Selassie Karate” and “Assassins” featuring Jean Gray and Royce the 5″9. The uplifting, gospel-esque vocals that Pharoahe Monch has branded himself with since the days of Organized Konfusion is definitely present which adds more intensity to the music. Producers include Australian beat smith M-Phazes, Exile, Marco Polo, Mike Loe and more.

Pharoahe Monch’s “W.A.R (We Are Renegades)” is more than a Hip-Hop album, it’s rather a necessity that brilliantly coincides with the major events that are happening in the world today. This is social commentary presented by an intellectual artist who feels that a change is needed and optimistic that it will soon come.