Pharoahe Monch Talks To Clash

Ahead of his set for Outlook Orchestra...

Outlook Festival have now spent ten years mapping bass culture, throwing epic Croatian raves that float between hip-hop and grime, drum 'n' bass and dubstep.

Sub-low cartographers, the team are set to touch down in London during the opening days of 2017 for a very special event.

The Outlook Orchestra bills itself as a celebration of soundsystem culture, and it's set to take over the Southbank Centre on January 12th.

Congo Natty, Dawn Penn, Newham Generals, General Levy and more have been confirmed, with hip-hop icon Pharoahe Monch set to touch down on UK soil.

Ahead of this, Pharoahe Monch dropped Clash a line to let us know what's been inspiring him of late…

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It's always been difficult for me to listen to new music while I'm working on an album. But now with the way music is disseminated I'm always only a click away. I quintessentially ran to listen to the new A Tribe Called Quest. Even though running now means you clicked more than once over a period of less than 10 seconds. Tribe has always been an inspiration and I needed that, I think we all did.

Jarobi's bravado on such a grand scale made me feel invigorated it gave me the boost I was looking for as an artist. Marvwon's usage of words and story telling skills on 'Fire Truck' is chilling, on a topic we all know to well but brilliantly performed.

Childish Gambino is hauntingly good, I haven't been that knocked off my feet in a decade. O.C. – 'Night Rider' feels good to hear elite boom bap from a master who's voice and production you can always buy stock in. This feel I believe gives every individual the energy to walk like hip-hop, talk like hip-hop, the very vibration embodies the culture.

Mickey Factz' 'I'm Good', in the tradition of great MC's you want to write things that impact the listener in a way that they want to be you. Male or female all should want to say your lyrics, the same way LL and Rev Run would have you thinking you were actually them. Mickey has that same talent.

Marvwon – 'Fire Truck'
Childish Gambino – 'Me and Your Mama'
ATCQ – 'The Space Program'
O.C. – 'Night Rider'
Mickey Factz – 'I'm Good'

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The Outlook Orchestra hits London's Southbank Centre on January 12th.

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