Walter Reed, better known by his stage name Killah Priest, is an United States|American rapping|rapper and List of Wu-Tang Clan affiliates|Wu-Tang Clan affiliate who was raised in Brooklyn. He is known for intensely spiritual lyrics loaded with metaphors and religion|religious references. He is connected to the Black Hebrew Israelites through his rhymes, and is known for controversial and political subject matter. He is also a part of Supergroup (music)|supergroup the HRSMN along with Canibus, Ras Kass, and Kurupt.
Biography
1990s
Priest first made himself known to the hip hop world rapping on two songs on the Gravediggaz album 6 Feet Deep (which are " Diary of a Madman (Gravediggaz song)|Diary of a Madman " and "Graveyard Chamber") in 1994, and followed this with two appearances on each of two Wu-Tang Clan solo albums, Ol' Dirty Bastard 's Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version and GZA 's Liquid Swords, both from 1995 (see 1995 in music ). Liquid Swords in fact included a Killah Priest solo track titled "B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)". Also in 1995, Priest's group Sunz Of Man with rappers Hell Razah, 60 Second Assassin (emcee)|60 Second Assassin, Prodigal Sunn were signed to Wu-Tang Records and released three 12" singles through the label. Initially Sunz Of Man included Shabazz the Disciple, who had previously been in a duo with Priest called The Disciples, but Shabazz basically left the group before the contract with Wu-Tang Records was signed, thus only appearing on the B-side "5 Arch Angels".
Killah Priest's first solo album was Heavy Mental, released on Geffen Records in February 24, 1998. It mostly expanded on the themes of "B.I.B.L.E.", featuring religious references and allegory woven into commentary on African American society and history. The album was mostly produced by the Wu-Elements producers, a group of in-house Wu-Tang producers mentored by Wu leader RZA. Sunz Of Man released their debut album The Last Shall Be First (Sunz of Man album)|The Last Shall Be First later in 1998, but by that time Priest's ties to the Wu were beginning to weaken, as he and long-time friend Shabazz clashed with RZA (their business ties with the Wu also began to weaken after the GZA Entertainment management agency, which they were both signed to, dissolved in 1996). After unsuccessful attempts by the pair to create new post-Wu Tang crews (Priest proposed a crew called the Maccabeez which would include himself, Shabazz and Timbo King among others, while Shabazz proposed a group including himself and Priest called the Sunz Of Thunder) they both effectively went their separate ways and cut their respective Wu-Tang ties.
2000s
After leaving the Wu stable, and consequently also effectively leaving Sunz Of Man, Priest helped form the hip hop supergroup (bands)|supergroup The HRSMN with Ras Kass, Canibus and Kurupt. In October 2003, Killah Priest and Dreddy Kruger released a nine track album entitled The Horsemen Project. It was released independently through Think Differently Music / Proverbs Music Inc. and was only available to purchase off the internet. Each track featured at least two members of the group as well as an appearance by Pak Man. It is currently unknown who handled the majority of the production on the album, although it is known that Mark Sparks was responsible for two songs. On Killah Priest's HipHopGame.com journal, he mentions the Horsemen a few times. The talks about a new album were mentioned on the May 1, 2006 entry. He said "The Horsemen project is definitely going to come. Right now we just have to get Kurupt. He's been doing the Dogg Pound thing, but it's definitely going to come. We have songs recorded and we have more in store."
Ras Kass and Canibus were featured on Priest's second album, View From Masada, which featured no Wu-Tang input whatsoever (though the album's liner notes included the note "Peace to Wu-Tang Clan"). The album had a decidedly more commercially minded style than Heavy Mental, and introduced his new Maccabeez crew, featuring a crew of then-unknown rappers. The album was also an important early stepping stone to stardom for producer Just Blaze, who would later go on to produce countless mainstream hip hop hits for the likes of Cam'ron, Erick Sermon, Fabolous and Jay-Z. However, View From Masada received mixed reviews.
Priest had to leave the major labels behind after View From Masada sold poorly. His first independent release Priesthood (album)|Priesthood (2001), released on Proverbs Music, his own record label, was critically acclaimed though it suffered from very limited distribution. Black August followed in 2003 on Recon Records, and was also well-received. Priest also released an album on the Internet titled Black August Revisited a few months after the release of Black August which shared few similarities with the original, save its title. Black August Revisited also saw Priest rediscover his Wu-Tang ties, including collaborations with Hell Razah and Ol' Dirty Bastard. He also appeared in the music video for the single " Made You Look " by fellow New York rapper Nas. In 2009, Killah Priest launched the controversial music video "Redemption" directed by One_Over. The video promotes the beliefs of the Black Hebrew Israelites that believe in the 12 Tribes of Israel in the name of Jesus Christ (Yahawashi Ha Mashayach).
In 2004, Priest performed numerous times with other List of Wu-Tang Clan affiliates|Wu-Tang Killa Beez and also appeared on Masta Killa 's album No Said Date . November 2005 saw the re-release of Priesthood on Mic Club Music, a label owned by Louis Lombard III (aka Luminati), who produced Priesthood as well as recent albums by Canibus. March 2007 saw the release of Killah Priest's mixtape album "End of the World".
On August 21, 2007, Killah Priest released The Offering, which was sequenced by his former manager, Stacey Castro and featured appearances from Nas, Immortal Technique, his fellow HRSMN, & 4th Disciple as well as Hell Razah, who appears on the advance single title track that was released in October 2005.
Killah Priest next album titled Behind the Stained Glass, was released on May 20, 2008 on the label Good Hands Records. It's reported that he's also in the midst of recording Behind the Stained Glass Part Two. Killah Priest also released an album titled Elizabeth on October 20, 2009 on Proverbs Records, which Priest owns. Killah Priest is also recording another double album called The Psychic World of Walter Reed, produced by Dutch producers Godz Wrath, 4th Disciple, RZA, and more. Killah Priest also mentioned in a YouTube interview for Pyramid West that he is also working on a sequel to Heavy Mental called Heavier Mental.
2010s and beyond
In a August 2010 radio interview with Mista Montana, Killah Priest discussed the creation of his next album The Psychic World of Walter Reed, stating that the RZA and many other key Wu-Tang Clan members will feature on there, including the Four Horsemen. cite web|author=August 20, 2010 09:00 PM PDT |url= http://conspiracyworldwide.podomatic.com/entry/index/2010-08-20T21_54_06-07_00 |title=PodOmatic | Podcast - Conspiracy Worldwide Hip Hop Radio -
After several delays, The Psychic World of Walter Reed was released on February 25, 2013. https://www.facebook.com/KillahPriestOfficial/posts/540882465930301 http://www.facebook.com/KillahPriestOfficial/posts/436052066462856 In March 11, 2013 Priest was hosting the Digital Dynasty 24 , after already hosting Digital Dynasty 15.5.
Discography
Solo albums
Year
Album
Peak chart positions
US
US R&B
1998
2000
2001
2003
2007
2008
2009
The Exorcist
—
Elizabeth
—
2010
2013
2013
TBA
TBA
Singles
Year
Single
B-Side
Album
1998
(feat. Hell Razah & 60 Second Assassin (emcee)>60 Second Assassin )
Heavy Mental
"Cross My Heart" (feat. Inspectah Deck & GZA )
"One Step" (feat. Hell Razah )
"Fake MC's"
"If You Don't Know" (feat. Ol' Dirty Bastard )
"Blessed Are Those"
2000
"Whut Part of the Game?" (feat. Ras Kass )
View from Masada
"I'm Wit That"
"Gotta Eat"
2001
"My Hood"
"C U When I Get There"
Priesthood
2003
"When I'm Writing"
"Excalibur"
Black August
"Do The Damn Thing"
(feat. Elephant Man (musician)>Elephant Man )
2007
"Gun for Gun (Rivers of Blood)" (feat. Nas )
"Happy" (feat. Stori James)
The Offering
"Truth B Told"
"The Offering" (feat. Hell Razah )
2009
"The 7 Crowns of God"
Elizabeth
2012
"Brilliantaire"
The Psychic World Of Walter Reed
Group albums
Album information
The Last Shall Be First (Sunz of Man album)
Released: July 21, 1998
Label: Red Ant Entertainment
Singles: "Natural High", "Shining Star"/"Cold", "The Plan"/"Collaboration '98"
The First Testament with Sunz of Man
Released: January 31, 1999
Label: Red Hook Records
Singles: "Deep in the Water"/"In the Beginning..."/"The Sins of Man", "Who are the Sunz of Man?"/"The Valley of Death"/"Bring Back the Mike"/"Valley of Kings"
''The Lamb's Supper with Hell Razah as Thug Vaticans cite web
Released: TBA
Billboard 200 chart position: -
R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
Singles: "New Millennium Child"
Guest appearances
1994 "Diary of a Madman" and "Graveyard Chamber" ( Gravediggaz album 6 Feet Deep )
1995 "Where Ya At?" and "Where Ya At? (extended version)" (with Ice-T, Ice Cube, Chuck D, RZA, Kam (rapper)|Kam, Mobb Deep, DA Smart, Insane, Shorty, & Smooth B ) and "Wicked Ways" (with Sunz Of Man ) (from One Million Strong )
1995 "Greyhound, Pt. 2" (from the Jon Spencer|Jon Spencer Blues Explosion album Experimental Remixes )
1995 "Snakes"; "Proteck Ya Neck II The Zoo"; & "Don't U Know" (from the Ol' Dirty Bastard album Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version )
1995 "4th Chamber" & "B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)" (from the GZA album Liquid Swords )
1996 "America" (from the AIDS compilation album America Is Dying Slowly )
1996 "Parle (Hip-Hop Remix)" (with Kavalier album Nikera )
1997 "Repentance Day" (off the Gravediggaz album The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel )
1998 "Degree Zero" (from the DJ Spooky album Riddim Warfare )
1998 "Abide By" (with other HRSMN members Canibus, Ras Kass, & Kurupt from a 12" single called "White Label")
1998 "No Superstar" (from the Bounty Killer album Next Millennium )
1998 "Moanin"(By Antonio Chance,Killa Sin) and "Street Opera" (from the "One Step" UK single)
2008 "Theory Of Dominance" (with Corown Da Sensei/ Da shogunz|Da Shogunz )
2008 "Se7en" (With Shaka Amazulu The 7th ft. Timbo King)
2008 "Walking The Line" (with Annakin Slayd from the album Stalwart Empire )
2008 "Immaculate for the Babylon A.D. Film" (With Michael Arkangelo and Shakura Holiday Prod by RZA and Shavo ( Achozen ))
2009 "Babylon Beast" (from the Heavyweight Dub Champion album Rise of the Champion Nation )
2009 "Where I Come From (Remix)" (with Tha Advocate, Willy Northpole, Hussein Fatal, Stat Quo, Lords of the Underground|DoItAll, Big Lou, Sha Stimuli, Mr. probz )
2009 "God is Love" (from the U-God album Dopium )
2009 "Memoir Of A Gravedigga" (from Shaka Amazulu The 7th ft. 9th Prince, Warcloud, Frukwan, and Shabazz The Disciple)
2009 "Murder" (with Chino XL & Sean Price, off the DJ-JS1 album "Ground Original 2- No Sellout")
2010 "Sovereign Skies" (From Kdb & St. Peter album "Within The Solace"
2010 "Soul Purpose" (from Dusty Philharmonics album "The Audiotopsy", Unexpected Records)
