Pharoahe Monch Turning Japanese?

Pharoahe Monch; now there’s a name I hadn’t heard in a long time..until a month or so ago that is, when I found out I had completely missed the release of his new album, called Desire. It had been several years since his first solo album, and I thought he had flipped out or something and would never record again, which would have been a shame because he’s a super talented guy. Now I get wind of the 2007 New York-Tokyo Music Festival, where Monch will be performing along with (he of many aliases and collaborators) MF Doom. Appearing aside the two New York legends will be Tokyo-based group Teriyaki Boyz, and an inter-city collaboration in the form of Tokyo’s DJ Uppercut and New York’s Rosco P. Coldchain. For you skeptics out there, know that the Teriyaki Boys are affiliated with A Bathing Ape somehow/someway, and Mr. Coldchain is signed to the Neptune’s Star Trak label. I could talk for a while here about how Monch and Doom’s progressive approaches make them perfect choices to headline this event, because Tokyo is known for it’s progressive cultural scene, but I think eventually it would sound silly. Instead, you are hereby advised to head over to Rumsey Playfield — that’s in Central Park, kids — on September 22 at 2pm.