Artist Pharoahe Monch

Troy “Pharoahe Monch” Jamerson has long been a go-to guest star for everyone from Linkin Park to Diddy; perhaps that’s why it took him eight years to follow his 1999 debut, Internal Affairs, with 2007’s critically adored Desire. Monch’s weirdness has always been a worthy adversary of his ambition: Since his days in the ’90s duo Organized Konfusion, the MC has milked his husky voice and moist funk for all it’s worth, pumping out a string of slinky singles that never quite hit the mainstream mark. Last year’s W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) is described as a “throwback to ’93-’94” hip-hop and features fellow weirdoes like Talib Kweli, Black Milk, and Cee-Lo “Fuck You” Green.

Updated 01/04/2012