Internal Affairs (album)

Internal Affairs
Studio album by Pharoahe Monch
Released	October 19, 1999
Recorded	1998−99
Genre	Hip hop
Length	53:22
Label	Rawkus/Priority
Producer	DJ Scratch Pharoahe Monch Lee Stone The Alchemist Diamond D
Pharoahe Monch chronology
Internal Affairs (1999) Desire (2007)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
RapReviews.com	[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]
The Source	[4]
Sputnik Music	[5]

Internal Affairs is the solo debut from former Organized Konfusion member Pharoahe Monch, released on Rawkus Records and Priority Records. Monch creates a harder sound than heard on the previous Organized Konfusion records. The album spawned the Hot 100 hit "Simon Says".

The album is out of print because of Pharoahe Monch's refusal to record for the Geffen Records label after Universal Music Group acquired Rawkus Records from Priority.^[6] Rawkus, as well as its then-parent label MCA Records, were later folded by the Universal Music Group into Geffen Records.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"	George Spivey, Troy Jamerson	DJ Scratch	3:04
2.	"Behind Closed Doors"	Jamerson	Pharoahe Monch	3:12
3.	"Queens"	Hod David, Jamerson, Maxwell Rivera	Pharoahe Monch, Lee Stone	3:31
4.	"Rape"	Jamerson	Pharoahe Monch	2:37
5.	"Simon Says"	Jamerson	Pharoahe Monch	2:55
6.	"Official"	Jamerson, Less Stone	Lee Stone	3:48
7.	"Hell" (featuring Canibus)	Germaine Williams, Jamerson, Stone	Lee Stone	3:10
8.	"No Mercy" (featuring M.O.P.)	Alan Maman, Eric Murray, Jamal Grinnage, Jamerson	The Alchemist	4:30
9.	"Right Here"	Jamerson, Spivey	DJ Scratch	2:57
10.	"The Next Shit" (featuring Busta Rhymes)	Jamerson, Stone, Trevor Smith, Jr.	Pharoahe Monch, Lee Stone	3:21
11.	"The Ass" (featuring Apani B. Fly)	Apani Smith, Jamerson, Joseph Kirkland	Diamond D	3:28
12.	"The Light"	Kirkland, Jamerson	Diamond D	3:39
13.	"God Send" (featuring Prince Po)	Jamerson, Lawrence Baskerville, Stone	Lee Stone, Pharoahe Monch	3:17
14.	"The Truth" (featuring Common & Talib Kweli)	Kirkland, Jamerson, Lonnie Lynn, Jr., Talib Greene	Diamond D	3:57
15.	"Simon Says" (Remix) (featuring Lady Luck, Method Man & Redman, Shabaam Sahdeeq & Busta Rhymes)	Clifford Smith, Jamerson, Marcus Vialva, Reginald Noble, Shanel Jones, Smith	Pharoahe Monch	6:16

Sample credits

• "Intro" contains samples of "Blues and The Abstract Truth" by Oliver Nelson.
• "Behind Closed Doors" contains samples of "Aftermath" by Quincy Jones.
• "Queens" contains samples of "Til the Cops Come Knockin" by Maxwell.
• "Rape" contains samples of "Candy Man" by Quincy Jones.
• "Simon Says" and "Simon Says (remix)" contains samples of "Gojira tai Mosura Theme" by Akira Ifukube.
• "No Mercy" contains samples of "The Trap" by Jerry Goldsmith.
• "The Next Shit" contains samples of "Espani Cani" by Sid Bass.
• "The Light" contains samples of "Mi Cosa" by Wes Montgomery, and "Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams" by George Benson.
• "God Send" contains samples of "Iggin Me" by Chico DeBarge.
• "The Truth" contains samples of "Cristo Redentor" by Harvey Mandel.

Album singles

Single information
"Simon Says" Released: 1999 B-side: "Behind Closed Doors"
"The Light" Released: 2000 B-side: "Right Here (Remix)" (featuring Xzibit), "Livin' It Up"

Music videos

• "Simon Says" (1999, director: Busta Rhymes)
• "The Light" (2000, director: Jeff Richter)

Album chart positions

Chart (1999)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[7]	41
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[8]	6

Singles chart positions

Year	Song	Chart positions
		Billboard Hot 100	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	Hot Rap Singles
1999	"Simon Says"	97	29	3
2000	"The Light"	-	-	30

References

1. Allmusic review
2. RapReviews.com review
3. Rolling Stone review
4. The Source review
5. Sputnik Music review
6. Mugan, Chris (November 26, 2007). "Pharoahe Monch: A rapper on the rise". November 25, 2007. London: independent.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-07-27.
7. "Pharoahe Monch – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Pharoahe Monch. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
8. "Pharoahe Monch – Chart history" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Pharoahe Monch. Retrieved November 8, 2016.