Phashara’s song “The Storm” from “The Storybook Adventure” is featured on iTunes’”August 2008 Indie Spotlight Compilation”. The compilation is an iTunes exclusive put together by iTunes staff of their favorites. It’s a mixture of the best of the best independent hip-hop released in the month of August 2008.

Other artist featured on the compilation read like a who’s who of indie hip-hop from coast to coast. They are; Talib Kweli, Elzhi (Slum Village), Opio (Hieroglyphics), The Clipse, Strange Fruit Project, Skillz & People Under the Stairs.

Buy it on iTunes

D4E Hip-Hop Mixtape podcast features Phashara’s Young World. Here’s what they had to say about Phashara

Phashara has been grinding in the Chicago scene for some time and is no stranger to college/indy radio having been a regular on DJ 3rd Rail’s “The Last Crate” show on WCRX.  This is his first time going to radio outside of his home market, so lets show him some love!!!  Grab the bonus cut “O.P.M.” (Other People’s Money)

Download the Episode Now!!

Urban Underground hosting a dope night of hip-hop featuring Prince Po (Organized Konfusion), Phashara (Beatmonstas), Future Friends & more.

We, Phashara & DJ Dinari, went on at 11:00 and tore thru a 6 song set. Unfortunately, the set ended just before performing “Young World”. Still in all the set was hot. Big ups to the cat that reminded me that he was there to hear “Young World”. Thanks for the support and i will be sure to put that joint earlier in the set next time.

Prince Po hit the stage directly after me and set fire to the mic. Po made it clear that he is truely a poet when he spat verses acappella so that the crowd could clearly hear the message in the lyrics. DJ Leviathen dropped the classic “Stress” (Organized Konfusion) as Prince Po effortlessy murdered his verse. He later launched into “Right 2 Know” & “Get Paper” before blazing thru a new joint produced by Madlib. My bad Po I cant remember the name of the joint… but suffice to say it was so ill he performed it twice.

Peep the pics below of Prince Po, Future Friends, the host Pow Shadowz & DJ Leviathen.

Peace to the people in SD. I had a blast and I look forward to making it back that way soon.

Take a listen to the Phashara interview on Vivid N Urban Magazine's internet radio show. The interview with Phashara begins approximately 16 minutes into the show. The interview was recorded live in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 19th 2008. Here you can here Phashara describe the inspiration behind gems like "Bill Red" & "Young World" from The Storybook Adventure. Big ups to Pro and all the fam at V Mag.

The Storybook Adventure’s Release party at The Darkroom (Chicago) on 07/08/2008 was listed as “highly recommended” in The Chicago Sun-Times last week. Home team Hip-Hop heroes the Beatmonstas, Phashara, DJ Rude 1, Radius, Tall Black Guy & The 80’s Babies all received honorable mention in the article. In the article Phashara was said to sound “something like Black Thought channeling Slick Rick.”

Click here to read the article or continue to read it in it’s entirety below…

“Underground hip-hop has always been a vehicle for social criticism, and the Beatmonstas’ Phashara looks to continue the trend through his newest album, “The Story Book Adventure,” on which the rapper sounds something like Black Thought channeling Slick Rick. Radius (who’s fresh off his strong solo release, “Neighborhood Suicide: The Secret Life of Sound”) will also be there, pounding out live beats with Tall Black Guy (another beat maestro who uses Chicago as his main source of inspiration). DJs Sean Doe, ’80s Babies and Rude 1 will be manning the decks, so expect a dance-friendly environment.” - Chicago Sun-Times

Phashara’s “Young World” receives 4 out of 5 stars in UK based IDJ magazine. The review will be in the August 2008 edition of the magazine. Ryan Proctor writes…

With a nod to Slick Rick’s old-school classic ‘Hey Young World’, Chicago’s Phashara attempts to reach the minds of rap’s more impressionable listeners on this mellow, piano-laced head-nodder. Warning of the possible consequences of gangs, drugs and violence, Phashara draws on his own experiences to show his target audience they do have alternatives in life. Edutainment at its best. Ryan Proctor
4 / 5

Phashara featured in the Chicago Tribune. Get to know the man behind “The Storybook Adventure” in this local heroes article written by Chicago Tribune freelance writer Andrew Downing.

The article is scheduled to appear in the 4th of July edition of the Chicago Tribune’s Town Section. However, it is available online on the Chicago Tribune web edition.

Head over to the Trib and check it out

Found a dope new blog that features new music and like artists via podcast playlists by the head blogger in charge. Phashara’s Young World is featured in the latest podcast entitled “Ride With Me”. check it out

On June 24th 2008, OPM by Phashara featuring Therapy, hit radio ariwaves in Houston on KTRU 91.7fm’s “The Vinyl Frontier” radio show. Broadcasting from the campus of Rice University, the show is hosted by D.L. music enthusiast / scientist (literally, dude is a scientist). The show broadcasts live on Tuesday nights from 10pm to 1am and is one of the the longest running underground hip-hop mix shows in the Houston radio market. Big ups to D.L. for the spins.