Walter Reed, better known as Killah Priest, Iron Sheik from the Middle
East, King Kong, The Missing Link or Masada, is an American rapper
and affiliate of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. He is known for
intensely spiritual lyrics loaded with metaphors and religious references.
He is also connected to the Black Hebrew Israelites (specifically
the Israeli Church of Universal Practical Knowledge) and the Nation
of Gods and Earths (Five Percenters) through his rhymes, and is known
for controversial and Afrocentric subject matter. He is also a part
of supergroup The HRSMN along with: Canibus, Ras Kass, and Kurupt.
Priest first made himself known to the hip hop world rapping on
two songs on the Gravediggaz album 6 Feet Deep 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, 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 May 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 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.
[edit] 2000s
After leaving the Wu stable, and consequently also effectively leaving
Sunz Of Man, Priest helped form the hip hop 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.[1] 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."[2]
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 (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 2004, Priest performed numerous times with other 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 has a new album titled Behind the Stained Glass, 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.[3] 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. 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.
In a August 2010 radio interview with Mista Montana, Killah Priest
discussed the creation of his next album PWOWR, stating that the
Rza and many other key Wu Tang Clan members will feature on there,
including the Four Horsemen.[4]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Solo albums
[edit] Group albums
Album information
Heavy Mental
* Released: March 10, 1998
* Billboard 200 chart position: #24
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #4
* Singles: "Tai Chi", "Cross My Heart", "One Step"/"Fake
MC's", "If You Don't Know"/"Blessed Are Those"
View from Masada
* Released: May 9, 2000
* Billboard 200 chart position: #73
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #18
* Singles: "Whut Part of the Game?", "I'm Wit That"/"Gotta
Eat"
Priesthood
* Released: July 10, 2001
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles: "My Hood"/"C U When I Get There"
Black August
* Released: July 8, 2003
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles: "When I'm Writing"/"Excalibur", "Do The
Damn Thing"/"Robbery (Remix)"
The Offering
* Released: August 21, 2007
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles: "Gun for Gun (Rivers of Blood)"/"Happy", "Truth
B Told"/"The Offering"
Behind the Stained Glass
* Released: May 20, 2008
* Billboard 200 chart position:
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position:
* Singles:
The Exorcist
* Released: May 19, 2009
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles:
Elizabeth
* Released: October 20, 2009
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles: "The 7 Crowns of God"
The 3 Day Theory
* Released: July 27, 2010
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles:
The Psychic World of Walter Reed
* Released: Spring 2011
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles:
Album information
The Last Shall Be First with Sunz of Man
* 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 Horsemen Project with The HRSMN
* Released: 2003
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles: -
Black Market Militia
* Released: March 22, 2005
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles: "Audobon Ballroom"/"Thug Nation"/"Hood
Lullabye", "Gem Stars (Remix)"/"Mayday!"
Original S.I.N. with Almighty[disambiguation needed]
* Released: July 22, 2008
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles: "Obey (The Statesmen)"
Beautiful Minds with Chief Kamachi[5]
* Released: September 23, 2008
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles: -
[edit] 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, 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 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)
* 1998 "5 Boroughs" (with KRS-One, Buckshot, Cam'Ron, Redman, Run,
Keith Murray, Prodigy, & Vigilante) (The Corrupter Soundtrack)
* 1999 "4 Bars" (along with Canibus & Rose Cartel from Universal)
* 1999 "Real Nigga Livin" (with Fat Kat Kareem) (album unknown)
* 1999 "Temple of the Mental" (from the Material album Intonarumori)
* 1999 "Beneath The Surface" Feat, RES (From GZA/Genius "Beneath
The Surface")
* 1999 "1112" Feat, Masta Killa & Njeri (From GZA/Genius "Beneath
The Surface")
* 1999 "Feel Like An Enemy" Feat, Hell Raizah, Trigga & Prodigal
Sun (From GZA/Genius "Beneath The Surface")
* 2000 "Horsementality" (from the Canibus album 2000 B.C.)
* 2000 "Im a Horseman (Promo)" (on Tim Westwood's Radio 1 Rap Show
with HRSMN members Canibus & Ras Kass)
* 2001 "Bread of Life" (from the Cappadonna album The Yin and the
Yang)
* 2001 "Catechism" (with DJ Spooky off the Wu-Chronicles, Chapter
2)
* 2001 "In Here" (from the Guru album Baldhead Slick & Da Click)
* 2002 "Catechism Part 2" (with DJ Spooky)
* 2002 "Out Tha Spot” (with Kurupt) (Released: 2002 (Unknown))
* 2002 "No Chaser" (with Raze, Hot Rod, & Fokis) (also released
in 2003 by Raze on "Leavin Empty Shells")
* 2004 "Masters Degree" (with Block McCloud, Jean Grae, & Pumpkinhead
on album Uncle Howie)
* 2004 "Ain't No Way" ((with the HRSMN) off the unreleased album
Catch Me If You Can)
* 2004 "Never Imagined" (with Main Flow & Master Foul, off the
album Hip-Hopulation)
* 2004 "Chains" (with Masta Killa) (from R.A. The Rugged Man album
Die, Rugged Man, Die)
* 2004 "Secret Rivals" (from the Masta Killa album No Said Date)
* 2004 "Saviorself" (from the Jedi Mind Tricks album Legacy of Blood)
* 2005 "Champions" (with Soulstice) and "Wannabattle Tactics" (with
Buckshot & Donte) (from Main Flow album Notebook Assassins)
* 2005 "Horsemen" (by Pak-Man and the HRSMN off the Pak-Man album
Chow Time)
* 2005 "The Saints" (with Nas) (From the Dirty Harry mixtape The
Warriors)
* 2005 "The 10 Plagues" (by Socalled off the Socalled album The Socalled
Seder)
* 2005 "Testimony" (with SHI 360 and Remedy)
* 2006 "Beastin" (from the Chino XL album Poison Pen)
* 2006 "Constant Dreams" (from The UNDC album Closed captioned)
* 2006 "Pagan Helmets" (from Neurologists album As The Dark Settles)
* 2007 "Awaiting The Hour" (From The Ill Bill mixtape Black Metal)
* 2007 "Divine Sacred" (from Lightborn album "The Psychology
of Fire")
* 2007 "Shall I Continue" (from Gumz album From Fetus to Genius...)
* 2007 "In The Name Of Allah" (from the Cilvaringz album I)
* 2007 "Liquid Wordz" (from the Canibus album For Whom the Beat Tolls)
* 2007 "Taarruz Basladi" (from the Ako-Akonomi album)
* 2007 "Build" (from the Contribution X album Cobra Of The North)
* 2007 "Law & Order" (from the iCON the Mic King & Chum[disambiguation
needed] album Mike and the Fatman)
* 2008 "Galaxies" (from the Praxis album Profanation (Preparation
for a Coming Darkness))
* 2008 "Eat Ya Food" (from the Brooklyn Zu album Chamber #9, Verse
32)
* 2008 "Bloody Moon" (from VoodooCore {Shaka Amazulu The 7th & Wasabifunk})
* 2008 "One Day" (From Endemic (Terminal Illness) ft. Killah Priest & Timbo
King)
* 2008 "Theory Of Dominance" (with Corown Da Sensei/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, 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 [Black
Stone of Mecca album] 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 "Soul Purpose" (from Dusty Philharmonics album "The Audiotopsy",
Unexpected Records)
* 2010 "Purified Thoughts" Feat, GZA/Genius (From Ghostface Killah "Apollo
Kids")