Honor Roll: The Pharaoh Lamar Mid-2021 Report Card

If there’s any modern independent artist who defines the colloquial term “get it out the mud”, then Harford County MD’s Pharaoh Lamar would be such an artist. I touched base with the Pharaoh at the beginning of the year in the midst of his transition from an unfortunate period in his life, roaring back with “Bad News’’ and continuing his onslaught of quality music and singles into the rest of the year thus far. It’s hard to believe that 2021 is halfway over, but let’s review his incredible half-year of consistency and quality.

January:

Pharaoh set the tone for the year with both the music single and innovative 3D animated music video for “Bad News.” As written in a previous post, Pharaoh was able to lament his negative feelings whilst providing clever lyricism and songwriting throughout, delivering a standout track in his already quality discography. During the first month of the year, as the anniversary of the pandemic in the US was approaching, Pharaoh would drop merchandise in the form of official Pharaoh Lamar face masks. In terms of setting a standard for himself and others, Pharaoh made the grade passing his first trial of the month with flying colors.

February:

February would see the consistent grind one sees within a studious scholar, with Pharaoh tapping into the powers of his peer group like the illest string of group projects never before seen. During February 2021, Pharaoh would promote the “Subie Days” music video with frequent collaborators Gravey and Witchmob, promote the “Friends” track with Blk Lexx, and would finally follow up with the much anticipated Homegrown EP.

March:

A year into the anniversary of the US pandemic, Pharaoh’s accomplishments became stacked like that of a student of the game who can coast because they put in so much work prior in the semester. After dropping the music video and bar filled “Look Both Ways” single/music as again covered by SpeedOnTheBeat, Pharaoh would grace his followers and fans with a myriad of clever remixes and freestyles.

April:

Pharaoh Lamar would continue the steady coasting and breezy remixes all the way up to the end of April 2021 with a seamless release of his second big project of the year: his album, Growing Pains Radio. Complacency is a sin for high achievers, and Pharaoh has definitely proven that as he continued to evolve dramatically in only a few months. Growing Pains Radio is no less than a good motherfucking album from top to bottom. Conceptualization, marketing, rollouts, skits and quality tracks in clear cohesion are not easy feats to pull off for any tier of artist, but the cohesion was more than evident for Growing Pains Radio. The album felt like a story, triumph and candid look into the artist, growing from the struggles stressed beforehand in past singles and personal conversations, all whilst seeming like an actual radio show or podcast.

May:

Even after a grand — and successful — effort of Growing Pains Radio, Pharaoh Lamar would graciously gift us with more singles, the “Voodoo Child” single, and personal reflections before his final play at the end of the first half of 2021.

June:

The music video for the catchy bop of “Goofy” with long-time collaborator and friend Gravey would precede the Pharaoh & Friends EP to end the first half of 2021, emphasizing the community that kept and guided Pharaoh thus far through his fantastic music career and healing process. “Have to keep the clip loaded,” the rapper humbly and jokingly said ahead of his music video for “Tints” dropping after Pharaoh & Friends. All in all, the music compliments this artist and their work ethic.

The trials of life were taxing, but Pharaoh Lamar paid it in full like a classic 90s film and then some, scoring high marks with his own journey’s unique criterion. I can say confidently that the kid has straight A’s, and can rest easy for the remainder of 2021 if he so wishes.

You can follow the story and updates of the artist on his Instagram @Pharaoh_lamar_ to keep up with the release of further content and projects going forth this year.