Published: Friday - October 12, 2007
Words by Tha Advocate
Killah Priest (Photo: Insomniac Magazine)
Wu-Tang Clan ain't nothing to f--- with... and neither is Killah Priest. A lot of your favorite rappers' favorite rappers pay homage to Killah Priest.
The WU affiliate released an underrated classic, titled Heavy Mental, in 1998 and scorched the radio air waves with his spiritual single "One Step." Yes! Believe it or not, in 1998, music with meaning saw daylight and blasted through your radio speakers. Almost 10 years later, Priest is back at it again with The Offering.
Priest didn't follow any modern day trends and stayed true to himself. In a convo with Priest, Ballerstatus.com discussed everything from today's ringtone rappers and the state of the music to his new album and the past.
One thing shines clear about the MC: he is a leader not a follower. When looking at his stained glass Star of David and the various songs he has out there, you know are dealing with an emcee from a era of go gettas. In return, tons of loyal fans stormed there favorite music store to pick up the album. So what else can a spiritual, trend setting MC -- that bares the "W" logo -- have to offer the game? More knowledge and a first aid kit for today's top 40 spins.
Ballerstatus.com: You dropped your new album, which many say is your best work since Heavy Mental. What kind of mind state were you in when you went to record The Offering?
Killah Priest: It was just different. My mind state was like making something new, something different from the game... bringing it back to real hip-hop.
Ballerstatus.com: How did you come up with the title?
Killah Priest: Well, before it was [called] The Priest Offering. Then, I sat and thought about it when I was with 4th Disciple because he kept saying The Priest Offering sounds good, but you should just come with The Offering. Overall, it's something I wanted to GIVE to the game.
Ballerstatus.com: What producers and features were on there?
Killah Priest: Canibus, Ras Kass, Kurupt, Nas, Immortal Technique and Hell Razah. As for producers, I had Sam Sneed, 4th Disciple, Chucky Madness, Newcomer Shyheim, and this group from overseas called Gods Wrath.
Ballerstatus.com: What's your favorite joint on there?
Killah Priest: My favorite joint on the album? I would say it switches all the time. But I would have to say "Essential" 'cause that was the last song I did.
Ballerstatus.com: I know you got that crazy track with Nas and about a year ago this time he came strong with his Hip-Hop Is Dead campaign. Is it safe to say you agree with it?
Killah Priest: I agree with a lot that he's saying right now. I think that's why we clicked because we are in the same mind state as far as hip-hop. The art of rap and the skills of it is definitely some what on the deceased level (laughs) because no one wants to take chances with there artistry-- either because they can't rhyme or they can't follow. It's like if you are a break dancer, you can't go into a break dancing circle and do a 2 step. It's the same form with this rap because we are MCs first.
Ballerstatus.com: It's almost to the point where you have to be wack now to get a deal (Priest Laughs). There's no artist development anymore.
Killah Priest: Exactly. It's like I can get my son to walk up in there and just say anything. All you need is the producer to be hot. I don't even know if you even need the beat to be hot the way sh-- is going now. N----s is just nodding. The word "wack" hasn't been used in so long. They are like "Oh that can work." What happened when New York used to call sh-- corny if it was or if it's wack, it's wack.
Ballerstatus.com: The game went from day to night in the last 10 years. In your opinion, do you think there will be a day where "real" MCs get that radio play again?
Killah Priest: I think it has to come back. Everything comes in a full circle. If you look at the situation now and it gets to the level where no one can take that bullsh-- anymore. Even though I think it's deeper then just the radio, the radio's pushing that wack sh-- out there and it decreases the power of hip-hop. Same thing happened with jazz, you keep pushing the same thing, then all of a sudden where's jazz today? It's gonna have to come back full circle 'cause if it don't, then I don't know man. I'ma have to start listening to country music (laughs).
Ballerstatus.com: Record sales are down even more then last year. It's close to 70 percent. Do you think that it's because the quality of the music being made or do you feel it's because of the internet?
Killah Priest: I think it's a little bit of all of that .It's both really... I think people are like "Take that sh-- man" 'cause there's nothing sacred anymore. There's nothing that you really respect.
Ballerstatus.com: You are on an indie now (Good Hands), do you like them better then a major?
Killah Priest: It's good. I was a little upset at first with the distribution, but it's good overall. Indies are better because it's more hands on unlike with a major, they are moving on to the next project. With an indie, they are letting it marinate. It's not just a bunch of college kids who don't give a f---.
Ballerstatus.com: I noticed you don't rock "blood" diamonds and you have an ill stained glass piece. Do you think that more cats in the public eye like yourself need to trend set in a more positive way like you are?
Killah Priest: Yea, I think so. I think that a lot of rappers with a lot of power should do it because a lot of people listen to us. We are like the voice of the youth. I hink that we should make a change, man. That's why I have an ill Star of David stained glass piece. A lot of cats are digging it.
Ballerstatus.com: Hip-hop artists want change, but don't do anything about it, which is the same for the majority of the fans. They want better music to drop, but don't cast that vote when it does. Do you think that a lot of fans are lacking support?
Killah Priest: Yea, I think they need to support. Really, they are fighting against the machine. They have to look at the machine... its like 1988 now. Now you have to get those mixtapes to get the real sh--. You have to search to find that real sh--, searching the internet and etc. They should support the Immortal Techniques, Dead Prez and Killah Priests.
Ballerstatus.com: What's poppin' with the 4 Horsemen? Is that project gonna drop?
Killah Priest: Oh yea, we definitely gonna drop.I just spoke to Ras. This is like the longest wait for a f---in' LP in the world (laughs).
Ballerstatus.com: Word, it's gonna be like a decade soon (laughs).
Killah Priest: Yea we should been dropped this.
Ballerstatus.com: So we talking album, mixtape, or both?
Killah Priest: Yea, album.
Ballerstatus.com: How come it didn't drop before?
Killah Priest: I think everyone had there own agendas and plans that got in the way of that. It's a long story with that.
Ballerstatus.com: Any touring?
Killah Priest: Yea, I'll be in the north, South, West Coast, East... all over the place.
Ballerstatus.com: No doubt as far as future projects coming soon what's in line?
Killah Priest: I got a double LP dropping called Behind The Stained Glass. I got a whole bunch of sh-- that I'm working on right now.
Ballerstatus.com: You always been pretty vocal about life in general and stuff like that. Are you gonna go deep with the elections coming up and politics like that?
Killah Priest: Yea, yea, yea. On Behind The Stained Glass, there's a lot of stuff like that. There was stuff for The Offering I didn't put on, touching that. That will be on the new CD and there's a lot of new stuff also. So you're gonna get that energy with political, personal and spiritual stuff on there. It's a double album from me, so picture what you're gonna get.
Ballerstatus.com: Do you have a favorite for the elections coming up?
Killah Priest: Nah, I'ma let it play out for a while 'cause, you know, everyone's a puppet (laughs). I'ma stay silent on it for now, but I'll be there when it goes down.
Ballerstatus.com: I have some submitted fan questions from the site, so these are straight from them. Ready?
Killah Priest: Let's do it.
Ballerstatus.com: Diz from Jersey wants to know who you think the top 5 rappers alive are right now?
Killah Priest: I have to think on that one. It's hard to say. The old school n----s is in there... (pauses)... I'll pass on that one (laughs).
Ballerstatus.com: How bout Saigon and Papoose?
Killah Priest: I think they are definitely spitting right now. I want to hear more from them. I think they follow that generation of real spitters. A lot of other cats come out and you can tell they ain't properly educated on this hip-hop sh--.
Ballerstatus.com: Sai been going to war with his label because his music is too lyrical...
Killah Priest: Yea, let me address this, I remember Rass had that problem. How the f--- can you be too lyrical? (laughs) That's like being in car racing and they say you are too fast.
Ballerstatus.com: To this day, people still talk about Rass's joint "Nature Of The Threat" and "Interview With A Vampire." No one does sh-- like that anymore. It's like the more creative you are, the more you get frowned upon. They want something catchy that sounds like a Tootsy Roll commercial.
Killah Priest: (Laughs) Hell yea man. Like we going out to make McDonald ads or some sh-- like that. They want jingles.
Ballerstatus.com: Dynasty from Toronto wants to know what was it like working with GZA?
Killah Priest: It was a challenge. It was different. I would have never seen myself in that position before. But now, its different. He's like my brother. I can always say that's a MC that I knew that personally made it.
Ballerstatus.com: Unda from Detroit wants to know how you got the name Killah Priest?
Killah Priest: It came from RZA and 52nd Assassin . Killah Priest came about during the Gravediggaz era. That's when everyone was spitting that horrorcore and stuff like that. It's a old school era name. It's definitely gonna be Priesthood for now.
Ballerstatus.com: Jenna from Miami wants to know if Wu-Tang will have that talked about comeback? And will you be involved?
Killah Priest: Yea. I'ma be involved. I don't know how involved. But I'll be there. Rza talks to me here and there and says he wants me to be on it.
Ballerstatus.com: My personal question is what year do you think was the best for hip-hop?
Killah Priest: (laughs) 07 when I dropped The Offering.
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