Photo courtesy of MAC Media
Born Walter Reed, Killah Priest is a 31-year Hip-Hop veteran who is most famous for being an affiliate of the one and only Wu-Tang Clan. Much like the Wu-Tang Clan, Priest’s lyrics are full of street stories, spirituality and mysticism. Since his 1998 debut solo album “Heavy Mental” Priest has put together an impressive catalog of albums that only true heads can appreciate.
In the fall of 2010 Priest dropped his tenth album “The 3 Day Theory” which at the time was arguably his best work since Heavy Mental. I got the opportunity to interview Killah Priest and we spoke about his religious beliefs, The 3 Day Theory, and a possible sequel to Heavy Mental.
Enjoy!
TRHH: Explain what “The 3 Day Theory” is.
Killah Priest: The 3 Day Theory is two brothers sitting down and in three days coming up with a theory of how we could put an album together.
TRHH: Is that really what it is?
Killah Priest: That’s what happened, brother. In three days, we did that album.
TRHH: Wow. So, who was involved in the production?
Killah Priest: There’s only one producer, Kount Fif. He did his thing. He engineered that whole thing.
TRHH: “A Priest History” is a personal song. What made you decide to go in and write that one?
Killah Priest: We was sitting down talking about what we should talk about and he came with the idea of letting fans know how I started. Even for new cats that don’t know who Killah Priest or Priesthood is.
TRHH: On another song “Book of Life” you say, “Remember God is in you, you don’t have to search outside the Earth/Search inside the verse.” How do you explain to someone who is born in a Judeo-Christian society that God is inside them?
Killah Priest: You gotta take it back to the basics. Even Christ says, “Seek ye the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of heaven is within yourself.” It’s just like when you look down and dive into the scriptures it says the kingdom of heaven is inside you. You can just feel that from the way he dropped it. That’s coming from Christ.
TRHH: You mentioned Christ, but you’ve been associated with the Hebrew Israelites and the Nation of Gods and Earths. What is your religion or way of life?
Killah Priest: I don’t have any religion. My nationality, I know I’m Hebrew. That’s the nation that I come from. My religion is just God. I have no religion, I just believe in the most high.
TRHH: I first heard of you from the GZA album on “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” You’ve made several songs with information and inspiration. What song of yours would you say has the most important message?
Killah Priest: To date?
TRHH: To date.
Killah Priest: I would have to say this song called “Just Listen To Me.”
TRHH: Which album is that on?
Killah Priest: That one’s coming off The Psychic World of Walter Reed, the next one that’s coming out.
TRHH: When does that drop?
Killah Priest: That’s probably going to drop sometime in January next year.
TRHH: The GZA is reportedly recording Liquid Swords 2. Have you been asked to get on that one?
Killah Priest: Of course, of course. Yep. I’ve been asked to do my B.I.B.L.E thing at the end and take it home from there.
TRHH: What about Heavier Mental?
Killah Priest: Heavier Mental is like getting all the elements right and getting all the producers that I worked with before. I want the same vibe. In order to create it we have to do the same vibe. That starts with the production.
TRHH: Will there be another HRSMN project?
Killah Priest: Yep. That’s in the works right now. We just had a meeting where all the HRSMN were present and it’s on. Everybody put everything aside and we’re gonna do it.
TRHH: Is there a date?
Killah Priest: Nah, it’s no date on it yet, but there are songs.
TRHH: Ten albums in, what else does Killah Priest have to prove?
Killah Priest: [Laughs] Household name, household name, bruh! I don’t really have to prove anything as far as emceeing. It’s something that I wanna do as far as being a household name. As long as I’m heard from the people. I know at this point that I won’t get the recognition that I really, really want, but it’s been good for me. Killah Priest don’t have to prove too much.
TRHH: What else do you have coming up in the near future?
Killah Priest: The Psychic World of Walter Reed, that’s next. In the future you’re going to see a book from me, trust that, and some ideas for this movie.
TRHH: Can you give some insight into the book and the movie?
Killah Priest: Put it like this, you heard Heavy Mental, it’s going to be some stuff to put people in awe that didn’t know I could write like that.
TRHH: Why should fans go out and cop that 3 Day Theory?
Killah Priest: It’s raw Killah Priest. You hear me talking about my kids on there, to out-of-body experiences, levitation, to meditation, to realness. It has a movie feel to it.
Stream Killah Priest’s Solo Discography