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Organized Konfusion

From Alfawiki
Organized Konfusion
Company typeDuo
IndustryMusic
Founded1987
FounderPrince Po, Pharoahe Monch
Headquarters
Queens, New York
,
United States
ProductsAlternative hip hop music

Organized Konfusion (often abbreviated as OK) is a duo specializing in alternative hip hop hailing from Queens, New York, consisting of artists Prince Po and Pharoahe Monch.

Recording career

Initially, Prince Po and Pharoahe Monch performed under the name Simply II Positive MCs, with Po handling vocals and Monch providing beatboxing before both transitioned to rapping. Their early work captured the interest of producer Paul C, who crafted a demo for them in the late 1980s. The pair secured a deal with Queens-based Solid Sound Records, releasing singles such as "Memories of Love" (1987) and "South Side in Effect"; however, these tracks received minimal airplay. Although Def Jam considered signing them, the label requested a name change, which led to adopting Organized Konfusion, a name inspired by the album Organized Con Funk Shun.

Following the tragic death of Paul C in 1989, the duo signed with Hollywood BASIC. Their debut album, Organized Konfusion, arrived in 1991 to critical acclaim. The album was self-produced and included a guest appearance by childhood friend and future D.I.T.C. member O.C. on the track "Fudge Pudge". The single "Walk Into The Sun" climbed to No. 15 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. Although it did not enter the Billboard charts, it earned perfect scores from reviewers such as AllMusic, who hailed it as potentially the definitive underground hip-hop album of the 1990s.

Their sophomore release in 1994, Stress: The Extinction Agenda, featured only a handful of guest artists, including O.C. and A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip on "Let's Organize". The lead single "Stress" charted on Hot Rap Singles, while "Stray Bullet" gained attention for its innovative storytelling approach.

In 1996, Organized Konfusion participated in the Red Hot Organization’s compilation America is Dying Slowly, joining forces with artists like Biz Markie, Wu-Tang Clan, and Fat Joe to promote AIDS awareness within African American male communities.

Following Stress, the group transitioned to Priority Records and unveiled their third album, The Equinox, in 1997. This concept-driven project incorporated narrative skits and, despite receiving less favorable reviews than earlier works, achieved higher positions on Billboard charts, propelled by the single "Somehow, Someway".

Separation

After releasing their final album together, Prince Po and Pharoahe Monch decided to pursue individual careers. In a 2005 interview, Prince Po revealed that their split was largely due to frustration over recurring fan comments regarding insufficient promotion despite their evident talent and three completed albums. He stressed the importance of maintaining the group's reputation rather than diluting it through constant output. Prince Po also described his substantial role managing business aspects—such as songwriting, production, label negotiations, and management—while Monch concentrated primarily on creative performance. Experiencing burnout from these duties and extensive touring commitments, Prince Po supported Monch’s choice to embark on solo ventures and secure new recording contracts, viewing this as a necessary evolution for their artistic growth.

Solo careers

Following their separation, Pharoahe Monch signed with Rawkus Records and released his well-received solo debut Internal Affairs in 1999. Although it narrowly missed breaking into the Top 40 on the Billboard 200, it featured the Hot 100 single "Simon Says". Due to a legal dispute over a sample from Godzilla, Rawkus was compelled to withdraw and reissue the album without that track; it has since gone out of print. The project included collaborations with notable artists such as Canibus, M.O.P., Busta Rhymes, Common, Talib Kweli, and Redman. Prince Po appeared on the song "God Send".

Prince Po launched his solo career with The Slickness in 2004 via Lex Records. While garnering modest commercial attention, it received positive critical feedback and featured guest appearances from Jemini, Rell, MF Doom, and Raekwon.

Between 2004 and 2005, Pharoahe worked on an unreleased album under MCA/Geffen. After attracting interest from labels including Bad Boy Records, Shady Records, and Sony Records, he ultimately signed with Steve Rifkind's SRC Records in 2006, releasing his second solo effort Desire in June 2007. Prince Po followed up with his sophomore solo record Prettyblack in August 2006 and contributed to Adverse's David. His third solo album, Saga of the Simian Samurai, produced entirely by TOMC3, was released in November 2007; prior collaborations between them included work on Kool Keith's Project Polaroid.

Reunion

In 2004, plans were made for a reunion featuring new member O.C., who initially appeared on Organized Konfusion. Nevertheless, disagreements between O.C. and Prince Po caused the reunion to be cancelled.

While promoting Monch's album Desire, inquiries about a possible reunion surfaced. Monch responded with cautious optimism, noting that any future Organized Konfusion release would probably come through an independent label, as major record companies frequently lack support for the group's intricate artistic vision.

On March 30, 2009, Organized Konfusion officially came together again to perform at the 2009 All Points West Festival held in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Albums

Album details
Organized Konfusion
  • Release date: October 29, 1991
  • Certification: None
  • Label: Hollywood Basic
  • Singles included: "Who Stole My Last Piece of Chicken?"/"The Rough Side of Town", "Fudge Pudge"/"Walk Into the Sun"
Stress: The Extinction Agenda
  • Release date: August 16, 1994

Chart positions: No. 187 on Billboard 200; No. 28 on R&B/Hip Hop charts

  • Certification: None
  • Label: Hollywood Basic
  • Singles included: "Stress"/"Keep It Koming", "Bring It On"
The Equinox
  • Release date: September 23, 1997

Chart positions: No. 141 on Billboard 200; No. 29 on R&B/Hip Hop charts

  • Certification: None
  • Label: Priority
  • Singles included: "Somehow, Someway"/"Soundman"/"Numbers"/"9x's out of 10"

Appearances

External links

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