The Book of Judges (Hebrew: Sefer Shoftim ספר שופטים) is the seventh book of the Hebrew bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its title describes its contents: it contains the history of Biblical judges, divinely inspired leaders whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as champions for the Israelites from oppression by foreign rulers, and models of wise and faithful behaviour required of them by their god Yahweh following the exodus from Egypt and conquest of Canaan. The events of Judges are set "between c. 1380 [B.C.E.] and the rise of Saul, c. 1050." The stories follow a consistent pattern: the people are unfaithful to Yahweh and he therefore delivers them into the hands of their enemies; the people repent and entreat Yahweh for mercy, which he sends in the form of a leader or champion (a "judge"); the judge delivers the Israelites from oppression and they prosper, but soon they fall again into unfaithfulness and the cycle is repeated.

Judges forms part of Deuteronomistic history, a theologically-oriented history of Israel from the entry into Canaan to the destruction of the Temple. The details of this history's composition are still widely debated, but most scholars place its origins, or at least its final form, in the 6th century BCE and the community of the Babylonian exile. Nevertheless, fragments of Judges (such as the Song of Deborah) have been dated from much earlier, perhaps close to the period the book depicts.

Troy Donald Jamerson (born October 31, 1972), better known by his stage name Pharoahe Monch is an African-American rapper. He is known for his complex lyrics, complex delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhyme schemes.

Pharoahe Monch's name is derived from the monkey doll Monchhichi. After receiving a bad haircut, which left Monch looking like a "chimpanzee", girls in Monch's class at the High School of Art and Design began calling him "Monchhichi", which was later shortened to "Monch". Monch adopted the "Pharoahe" prefix after meeting future Organized Konfusion partner Prince Po.^{[citation needed]}

Monch released three albums as part of the rap duo Organized Konfusion with partner Prince Poetry: The self-titled Organized Konfusion, Stress: The Extinction Agenda and The Equinox. The duo handled a large amount of production on these albums themselves. All albums received positive critical reviews, but moderate sales. As a result, the duo split up after recording their final album The Equinox in 1997. Prince Poetry has since denied the possibility of an Organized Konfusion reunion.

Marc Eckō (born August 29, 1972) is an American fashion designer, entrepreneur, investor, artist, and philanthropist. He is the founder and Chief Creative Officer of Marc Eckō Enterprises, a billion-dollar global fashion and lifestyle company. He is also founder of Artists and Instigators, a venture innovation company, and a partner at SeventySix Capital, an early-stage venture capital fund.

Marc Ecko was born Marc Louis Milecofsky in New Jersey in 1972. He was brought up with his twin Marci and an older sister, Shari, in suburban Lakewood, New Jersey, where his father was a pharmacist and his mother was a real estate broker. The siblings attended local public schools.

In his teenage years, Ecko turned his parents’ garage into a design studio and showroom, creating and marketing t-shirts with his own designs, customizing hip-hop clothing, and airbrushing girls’ fingernails.

Ecko entered Rutgers University’s School of Pharmacy after high school. During his time in college he dabbled in graffiti and became absorbed in drawing, taking “Ecko” for his tag. In his third year, the school’s dean encouraged Ecko to take a year off and pursue his dream. “You don’t want to be 40 with regrets,” the dean said.