W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
Encyclopedia
W.A.R. is the third studio album
of American hip hop artist Pharoahe Monch
released on March 22, 2011 under Duck Down Records
. Producers include Lion's Share Music Group, Exile
, Marco Polo
, M-Phazes
, Mike Loe, Fatin "10" Horton, Diamond D
, Samiyam
, and Fyre Dept.
's Adam Deitch and Eric Krasno, while vocal features are contributed by Idris Elba
, Immortal Technique
, Vernon Reid
of Living Colour
, Showtyme, Styles P
of The LOX
, Phonte
(formerly of Little Brother), Mela Machinko
, Mr. Porter, Jean Grae
, Royce da 5'9", Citizen Cope
and Jill Scott
. Scratches
are provided by DJ Boogie Blind of The X-Ecutioners
.
was released on July 27, 2010. The song was produced by Diamond D
.
The second promotional single, "Clap (One Day)", was released on January 18, 2011. Produced by M-Phazes
, the song features Showtyme & DJ Boogie Blind
, who have collaborated with Pharoahe Monch on various occasions. A ten minute extended music video
was released on March 8, 2011, depicting "a police raid gone dramatically wrong". It was directed by Terence Nance, with a score by Lion's Share Music Group, and appearances from Gbenga Akinnagbe
(known for his portrayal of Chris Partlow
in HBO's award-winning drama series The Wire
), Kim Howard and Josiah Small.
A third promotional single, "Black Hand Side", has been released on March 3, 2011. It was produced by Mike Loe and features Phonte
(formerly of Little Brother) and Styles P
of The LOX
. Pharoahe Monch and Styles P have collaborated before, on Styles P's 2002 Ayatollah
produced single "My Life"
On March 15, 2011, the fourth promotional single, "Assassins", was released. Australian producer M-Phazes
crafted the beat, while featured guest verses were provided by Jean Grae
and Royce da 5'9".
chart, with first-week sales of 9,600 copies in the United States. In its second week, it sold 4,600 copies and dropped to number 149 on the Billboard 200.
, featurings and producers were confirmed via HipHopDX, and writing credits per Allmusic.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
of American hip hop artist Pharoahe Monch
Pharoahe Monch
Pharoahe Monch is an American hip hop artist. He is known for his complex lyrics, complex delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhyme schemes.-Biography:...
released on March 22, 2011 under Duck Down Records
Duck Down Records
Duck Down Music Inc is a New York City based record label, talent management, music-marketing, and consulting company founded by Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman and Kenyatta "Buckshot" Blake in 1995. In Duck Down's 16 year existence, the Company has released over 40 Albums and sold more than 3 million...
. Producers include Lion's Share Music Group, Exile
Exile (producer)
Aleksander Manfredi , better known by his stage name Exile, is an American hip hop DJ, producer and occasional rapper. His first record appearances came as a member of hip hop duo Emanon alongside rapper Aloe Blacc. They released various mixtapes, beginning with 1995's "Stretch Marx" before...
, Marco Polo
Marco Polo (producer)
Marco "Polo" Bruno is a Canadian hip hop producer. Born in Toronto, he moved to New York City in the early 2000s to pursue a career in hip hop production, and has since gone on to become one of the most sought-after underground producers on the US East Coast....
, M-Phazes
M-Phazes
M-Phazes is an Australian Hip Hop producer and artist based in Melbourne, Victoria. Born on the Gold Coast he relocated to Melbourne to further his musical career...
, Mike Loe, Fatin "10" Horton, Diamond D
Diamond D
Diamond D is a hip hop producer and MC from the Bronx, New York City, and one of the founding members of the legendary D.I.T.C. crew. He started out as a DJ for Jazzy Jay back in the late 1980s and was at the same time perfecting his skills in beat making and turntablism, and together with rhyme...
, Samiyam
Samiyam
Sam Baker, alias Samiyam, is an instrumental Hip-Hop producer from Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is best known for his work with experimental producer, Flying Lotus, and his 8-bit Video Game inspired Hip-Hop beats. In 2008, Samiyam released his debut album, Rap Beats Vol. 1. The album was self-released...
, and Fyre Dept.
Fyre Dept.
Fyre Dept is the production team of Adam Deitch and Eric Krasno.-Songs:Their songs are now featured on two of the 2007’s biggest records: “My Gun Go Off”, found on 50 Cent’s album Curtis, and “The Nature” by Talib Kweli w/ Justin Timberlake, featured on Talib’s album Eardrum. The duo co-produced...
's Adam Deitch and Eric Krasno, while vocal features are contributed by Idris Elba
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba is a British television, theatre, and film actor. He has starred in both British and American productions. Elba grew up in Canning Town, East London. One of his first acting roles was in the soap opera Family Affairs. He has worked in a variety of TV roles including ...
, Immortal Technique
Immortal Technique
Felipe Andres Coronel , better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is an American rapper of Afro-Peruvian descent as well as an urban activist. He was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics...
, Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid is an English-born American guitarist, songwriter, composer, and bandleader. Best known as the founder and primary songwriter of the heavy metal band Living Colour, Reid was named #66 on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.Critic Steve Huey writes, "[Reid's]...
of Living Colour
Living Colour
Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by free jazz, funk, neo-psychedelia, hard rock, and heavy metal...
, Showtyme, Styles P
Styles P
David Styles better known by his stage name, Styles P, is an American rapper, author, and entrepreneur. He is prominently known as a member of Hip Hop group The LOX and is also a part of the Ruff Ryders hip-hop group, and in addition has released multiple albums and mixtapes as a solo...
of The LOX
The LOX
The Lox are an American hip hop group composed of Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P. They were originally signed to Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records before joining Ruff Ryders Entertainment, and are now a part of their own label, D-Block Records-Early career:...
, Phonte
Phonte
Phonte Coleman, better known as Phonte, is a Grammy nominated American rapper, formerly of the now defunct North Carolina trio Little Brother and one-half of the duo The Foreign Exchange. He has also recorded R&B-flavored output as a singer...
(formerly of Little Brother), Mela Machinko
MeLa Machinko
MeLa Machinko is a female recording artist from Brooklyn, New York who began her professional career singing on hip hop albums and touring as a backup singer....
, Mr. Porter, Jean Grae
Jean Grae
Jean Grae , born November 26, 1976 is an American hip hop artist who hails from South Africa. She rose to prominence in the underground hip-hop scene in New York City, and has since built an international fanbase.- Early life :...
, Royce da 5'9", Citizen Cope
Citizen Cope
Clarence Greenwood is an American songwriter and producer. His eclectic mix of blues, laid-back rock, soul, and folk has a large and profoundly dedicated following, built over the past decade of touring due to solid word of mouth....
and Jill Scott
Jill Scott
Jill Scott is an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter, poet, and actress. In 2007, Scott made her cinematic debut in the films Hounddog and in Tyler Perry's feature film, Why Did I Get Married? That year, her third studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3, was released on...
. Scratches
Scratching
Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used...
are provided by DJ Boogie Blind of The X-Ecutioners
The X-Ecutioners
The X-Ecutioners is a group of hip hop DJs / turntablists from New York.-History:Formed as a DJ crew in the early nineties and originally including 11 members, under the name X-Men, which was chosen partly because of their rivalry between Super DJ Clark Kent's crew of DJs, known as the Supermen,...
.
Background
The album's release date was announced during Pharoahe Monch's tour alongside supergroup Slaughterhouse, during early 2010. Featured guests were confirmed in July 2010 along with the tracklisting of the album. The original release date was October 26, 2010. Since then, tracklisting and features have been slightly changed.Singles
Thus far, the album has four singles: the first one, "Shine", a collaboration with Mela MachinkoMeLa Machinko
MeLa Machinko is a female recording artist from Brooklyn, New York who began her professional career singing on hip hop albums and touring as a backup singer....
was released on July 27, 2010. The song was produced by Diamond D
Diamond D
Diamond D is a hip hop producer and MC from the Bronx, New York City, and one of the founding members of the legendary D.I.T.C. crew. He started out as a DJ for Jazzy Jay back in the late 1980s and was at the same time perfecting his skills in beat making and turntablism, and together with rhyme...
.
The second promotional single, "Clap (One Day)", was released on January 18, 2011. Produced by M-Phazes
M-Phazes
M-Phazes is an Australian Hip Hop producer and artist based in Melbourne, Victoria. Born on the Gold Coast he relocated to Melbourne to further his musical career...
, the song features Showtyme & DJ Boogie Blind
The X-Ecutioners
The X-Ecutioners is a group of hip hop DJs / turntablists from New York.-History:Formed as a DJ crew in the early nineties and originally including 11 members, under the name X-Men, which was chosen partly because of their rivalry between Super DJ Clark Kent's crew of DJs, known as the Supermen,...
, who have collaborated with Pharoahe Monch on various occasions. A ten minute extended music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was released on March 8, 2011, depicting "a police raid gone dramatically wrong". It was directed by Terence Nance, with a score by Lion's Share Music Group, and appearances from Gbenga Akinnagbe
Gbenga Akinnagbe
Gbenga Akinnagbe is an American actor, best known for his role as Chris Partlow on the HBO original series The Wire.-Early life:...
(known for his portrayal of Chris Partlow
Chris Partlow
Chris Partlow is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Gbenga Akinnagbe. Partlow is Marlo Stanfield's best friend, bodyguard, and second-in-command in his drug dealing operation. Despite his quiet demeanor, Partlow commits more on- and off-screen murders than any other...
in HBO's award-winning drama series The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
), Kim Howard and Josiah Small.
A third promotional single, "Black Hand Side", has been released on March 3, 2011. It was produced by Mike Loe and features Phonte
Phonte
Phonte Coleman, better known as Phonte, is a Grammy nominated American rapper, formerly of the now defunct North Carolina trio Little Brother and one-half of the duo The Foreign Exchange. He has also recorded R&B-flavored output as a singer...
(formerly of Little Brother) and Styles P
Styles P
David Styles better known by his stage name, Styles P, is an American rapper, author, and entrepreneur. He is prominently known as a member of Hip Hop group The LOX and is also a part of the Ruff Ryders hip-hop group, and in addition has released multiple albums and mixtapes as a solo...
of The LOX
The LOX
The Lox are an American hip hop group composed of Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P. They were originally signed to Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records before joining Ruff Ryders Entertainment, and are now a part of their own label, D-Block Records-Early career:...
. Pharoahe Monch and Styles P have collaborated before, on Styles P's 2002 Ayatollah
Ayatollah (producer)
Lamont Dorrell, better known as Ayatollah is a Hip-Hop producer from Queens, New York who has produced for predominantly New York-based rappers including Mos Def, R.A. The Rugged Man, Tragedy Khadafi, Wordsworth, Vast Aire, Afu-Ra, Guru, M.O.P., Inspectah Deck, Cormega, Ghostface Killah as well as...
produced single "My Life"
On March 15, 2011, the fourth promotional single, "Assassins", was released. Australian producer M-Phazes
M-Phazes
M-Phazes is an Australian Hip Hop producer and artist based in Melbourne, Victoria. Born on the Gold Coast he relocated to Melbourne to further his musical career...
crafted the beat, while featured guest verses were provided by Jean Grae
Jean Grae
Jean Grae , born November 26, 1976 is an American hip hop artist who hails from South Africa. She rose to prominence in the underground hip-hop scene in New York City, and has since built an international fanbase.- Early life :...
and Royce da 5'9".
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 54 on the US Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, with first-week sales of 9,600 copies in the United States. In its second week, it sold 4,600 copies and dropped to number 149 on the Billboard 200.
Critical response
We Are Renegades received a perfect 5 star rating from HipHopGame.com and an average score of 86 out of 100,on the review site Metacritic, based on four reviews, indicating "universal acclaim" Nathan S. of DJBooth.net awarded the album four out of five stars, hailing it as "...nothing but quality."Tracklist
The tracklisting has been confirmed by iTunes USITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
, featurings and producers were confirmed via HipHopDX, and writing credits per Allmusic.