PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Studio album by
Pharoahe Monch
ReleasedApril 15, 2014
Recorded2012–2014[1]
GenreHip hop
Length44:45
LabelW.A.R. Media, INgrooves[2]
Producer
Pharoahe Monch chronology
W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
(2011)		 PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(2014)
Singles from PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  1. "Damage"
    Released: September 27, 2012
  2. "Bad M.F."
    Released: January 29, 2014

PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the fourth studio album by American hip hop artist Pharoahe Monch, released on April 15, 2014 under his independent label, W.A.R. Media, in partnership with INgrooves.[2] The album features guest appearances from Black Thought, Talib Kweli, Denaun, The Stepkids and Vernon Reid, as well as production from Lee Stone, Marco Polo, Jesse West and Quelle Chris amongst others.[4] The album was promoted by two Lee Stone-produced singles: "Damage" and "Bad M.F.".

Background

In PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Pharoahe Monch continues the story he began telling in his previous LP, W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) (2011) — his third studio album and first independent release.[5] The Queens emcee narrates, in both literal and metaphoric ways, about the trials and tribulations of an independent artist who is at war with the music industry and the struggle of the black male experience in America.[6][7] In 2012, during an interview with Shawn Setaro, host of the podcast The Cipher, the rapper explained the connections between the two projects, beyond their titles. "The W.A.R. album was like, I'm going to battle against the machine, I'm doing this independently. I'm putting some things out that I learned and I'm going to expose about the music industry. PTSD is the result of me doing that, where I am emotionally now. It's similar to how someone comes back, from war and is stricken by re-adjusting to a regular situation."[5]

Monch told MTV Hive that PTSD is "more mental, emotional and personal" because it came out of the depths of a period of depression.[8] He also gave the internal and external factors that helped him create the album. "I was working on the title track, which took me to a point in between Internal Affairs and Desire, where I was heavily depressed. Through the waiting period, the industry period, and going through a lot emotionally. Then there was the physical [problem] with the asthma. It was the worst. So I started off with that title track and my manager was like, 'Yo, let's really dive into that state and how you got to where you are now, and how this follows what people go through to get back to a so-called 'normal' situation'."[8]

The concept album follows a veteran through combat experience, his return home, relationship dissolution, drug addiction, painful depression, and, finally, a triumphant but realistically rendered decision to keep living and struggling.[5]

Some of the lyrics to "The Jungle" date to at least 2001, when Monch performed the first verse of the song live on Tim Westwood's BBC Radio 1 show.[9]

Singles and promotion

On September 27, 2012, the lead single entitled "Damage", produced by Lee Stone, was released.[10] It represents the final chapter of his anti-gun violence trilogy of songs he has written from a bullet's perspective,[11] starting with "Stray Bullet," which appeared on Organized Konfusion's 1994 album, Stress: The Extinction Agenda, which was followed by "When the Gun Draws" from his second solo album, Desire (2007).[7]

Originally intended to be an EP, PTSD was later changed to a full-length studio album. It was reported that Pharoahe Monch would be doing an Album Release Tour for PTSD in April 2013 with dates in Australia, and New Zealand.[3][12][13]

The album was intended to be released in Fall 2012, but no official release date was given until January 2014. In an interview for Crazy Al Cayne TV, at the A3C HipHop Festival in November 2013, Pharoahe said that he was putting the finishing touches on his new album and had the intention to release it in January 2014.[11][14] On January 29, 2014, it was reported that the project was set to be released on April 15, 2014.[4] On that same date, Pharoahe released the album's second single entitled "Bad MF", which is produced by Lee Stone.[15][16] On March 18, 2014, the rapper unveiled the cover art for his forthcoming album. He also released a trailer in support of his project, which includes footage from his recent United Kingdom tour.[17]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic78/100[18]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[19]
Exclaim!8/10[20]
HipHopDX[21]
Pitchfork Media6.6/10[22]
PopMatters6/10[23]
RapReviews9/10[24]
XXL (XL)[25]

PTSD was met with critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 78, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[18] In a positive review, Del F. Cowie of Exclaim! wrote "Monch's cavernous vocabulary, internal rhymes, precise delivery and thought-provoking metaphors; they remain undiminished 20 years after Organized Konfusion's landmark Stress: The Extinction Agenda."[20] Roman Cooper of HipHopDX wrote "Much like with W.A.R. and Desire, P.T.S.D. seeks to accomplish more than just keep Pharoahe's spot on the criminally-underrated lists warm; instead, it makes a case for placing him among the Chuck Ds and Ice Cubes as one of Hip Hop's sharpest social voices."[21] XXL reviewer Barry Ward noted "Rhyming at a skillful pace with lyrics that get straight to the point has never been an issue for Monch, and he shows no signs of rust on the album."[25] Kyle Kramer of Pitchfork Media wrote "for the most part, Pharoahe [is] creating some of the more emotionally incisive and grounded music of his career."[22] Zach 'Goose' Gase, writing for RapReviews, observed that "Pharoahe Monch has always been among the most talented rappers in the game, and now with 'PTSD,' he has an album that showcases not only his lyrical prowess, but also his ability to craft a fully focused and theme driven album."[24] In a mixed review, Nathan Stevens of PopMatters wrote "The album's structure collapses under its own weight thanks to questionable production and a plot that never becomes cohesive. Still, Monch's bars are among the best in the game. Put his words over shoestring production and your jaw would still drop."[23]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)[26]Length
1."The Recollection Facility" Pharoahe Monch0:27
2."Time²"
Marco Polo3:14
3."Losing My Mind" (featuring Denaun)
  • T. Jamerson
Jesse West3:17
4."Heroin Addict"
  • T. Jamerson
  • L. Stone
Pharoahe Monch1:05
5."Damage"
  • T. Jamerson
  • L. Stone
Lee Stone3:38
6."Bad M.F."
  • T. Jamerson
  • L. Stone
Lee Stone3:07
7."The Recollection Facility Pt. 2" Pharoahe Monch0:21
8."Rapid Eye Movement" (featuring Black Thought)
Marco Polo4:22
9."Scream"
  • Q. Chris
  • T. Jamerson
Quelle Chris2:28
10."SideFX" (featuring Dr. Pete) Pharoahe Monch0:59
11."The Jungle"
  • M. Bruno
  • T. Jamerson
Marco Polo4:13
12."Broken Again"
  • N. Banns
  • T. Jamerson
  • J. Singer
  • C. Soper
The Lion Share Music Group4:17
13."Post Traumatic Stress Disorder"
  • T. Jamerson
DJ Boogie Blind, B.A.M.3:43
14."D.R.E.A.M." (featuring Talib Kweli)
Lee Stone4:24
15."The Recollection Facility Pt. 3" Pharoahe Monch0:28
16."Eht Dnarg Noisulli" (featuring The Stepkids)
The Stepkids, Pharoahe Monch4:42
Total length:44:45
Digital bonus track[26]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Stand Your Ground" (featuring Vernon Reid)
  • T. Jamerson
  • L. Stone
Lee Stone2:50
Total length:47:35

Notes

Personnel

Credits for PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder adapted from AllMusic.[28]

  • B.A.M. – producer
  • Nick Banns – engineer, mixing, producer, string arrangements, strings
  • Boogie Blind – producer
  • Cullen Brooks – vocal engineer
  • Marco "Marco Polo" Bruno – mixing, producer
  • Brian Cid – engineer, mixing engineer
  • Michael Ciro – drums, engineer, guitar
  • Alby Cohen – engineer
  • Denaun – featured artist
  • Dr. Pete – featured artist
  • Dan Edinberg – engineer, mixing, primary artist, producer
  • Ashley Grier – vocals
  • Tsidi Ibrahim – composer
  • Troy "Pharoahe Monch" Jamerson – executive producer, primary artist, producer
  • Jeff Gitelman – engineer, mixing, primary artist, producer
  • King of Chill – engineer
  • Ola Kudu – artwork, cover design
  • Dave Kutch – mastering
  • Talib "Talib Kweli" Greene – featured artist
  • Alex Merzin – editing, mixing
  • Joe Nardone – mixing
  • Quelle Chris – producer
  • Guy Routte – executive producer
  • Clara Inés Schuhmacher – vocals
  • Jesse Singer – engineer, mixing, producer
  • Chris Soper – engineer, mixing, producer
  • The Stepkids – featured artist
  • Lee Stone – mixing, producer
  • Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter – featured artist
  • Tim Walsh – engineer, mixing, primary artist, producer
  • Jesse West – producer
  • Christopher Willcocks – cover photo

Charts

Chart (2014) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[29] 102
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[30] 19

References

  1. ↑ "Twitter / pharoahemonch: I am applying the icing on". Twitter.com. 2013-02-27. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
  2. 1 2 "New Releases - CD & Vinyl" (PDF). album releases. ingrooves.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-05-02. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "PHAROAHE MONCH: PTSD Album Tour". moshtix. Retrieved 11 Apr 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Karaslamb (29 January 2014). "Pharoahe Monch - 'Bad Motherfucker' (prod. Lee Stone)". Okayplayer.com. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Lynch, Sean (2012-10-05). "Rap Genius & The Source Preview Pharoahe Monch's 'PTSD'". The Source. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  6. ↑ Moore, Morris (2012-09-28). "Pharoahe Monch Sets Release Date For New Hip-Hop Album "P.T.S.D."". AllHipHop. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  7. 1 2 "Pharoahe Monch to Release 'P.T.S.D.' (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) this Fall". Cratescienz. 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  8. 1 2 Moore, Marcus J. (2012-12-06). "Pharoahe Monch Says His New EP Came Out of the "Depths of a Depression"". MTV Hive. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  9. ↑ "Throwback Thursday: Hear A Rare 2001 Freestyle From Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch + Last Emperor". Okayplayer.com. 10 December 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  10. ↑ "Pharoahe Monch "Damage"". HipHop DX. 2012-09-27. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  11. 1 2 "Pharoahe Monch's 'P.T.S.D.' Drops This Fall, "Damage" Out Now". Sinuous Magazine. 2012-10-04. Archived from the original on 2012-11-04. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  12. ↑ "Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
  13. ↑ "Twitter / pharoahemonch: NEW ZEALAND - here I come!". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
  14. ↑ "Pharoahe Monch Says He's Down To Do Spittin In Da Wip". YouTube.com. Crazy Al Cayne TV. 20 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  15. ↑ Baker, Soren (29 January 2014). "Pharoahe Monch 'P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)' Release Date | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales". HipHopDX.com. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  16. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Bad MF - Single by Pharoahe Monch". iTunes.apple.com. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  17. ↑ Baker, Soren (18 March 2014). "Pharoahe Monch 'P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)' Release Date, Cover Art & Tracklist _ Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales". HipHopDX.com. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  18. 1 2 Scooter4849 (2014-05-14). "P.T.S.D.: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2014-04-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ↑ "P.T.S.D.: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - Pharoahe Monch | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  20. 1 2 Cowie, Del F. (2014-04-11). "Pharoahe Monch - PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
  21. 1 2 Cooper, Roman (2014-04-15). "Pharoahe Monch - P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
  22. 1 2 "Pharoahe Monch: P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
  23. 1 2 "Pharoahe Monch: PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder". PopMatters. 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2014-04-29.
  24. 1 2 "Feature for April 15, 2014 - Pharoahe Monch's "PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder"". RapReviews.com. 2014-04-17. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
  25. 1 2 "Pharoahe Monch Gives Insight Into Heavy Topics On 'P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)' - XXL". XXLmag.com. 2014-04-16. Retrieved 2014-04-24.
  26. 1 2 "iTunes - Music - PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by Pharoahe Monch". iTunes.apple.com. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  27. ↑ "Pharoahe Monch – Damage Lyrics". Rap Genius. Archived from the original on 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  28. ↑ "P.T.S.D.: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - Pharoahe Monch | Credits". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 16 Apr 2014.
  29. ↑ "Pharoahe Monch Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Pharoahe Monch Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
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