Audio Killah Priest
The Offering

MP3: Killah Priest? Killa: Iron Sheik from the Middle East. Haha, the one and only. How you doing, man? I'm good. I'm good. Right on. Good to hear. So you've got a new record coming out, The Offering. I'm excited man. I'm excited. It's about to be my summer. It's going to be my era right now. That's what's up. What can you tell us about it? The album is classic vintage Priest. It's classic for me. It's a step up from Heavy Mental, you know. I took it back. But it's not the same thing. The album, I've got A-list features and I've got A-list underground features. So it's, like, everybody on my album is just spitters, you know. Excellent, man. Who you got on there? I got Nas on the album. Nice. Yeah. He came through and blessed me. I got Immortal Technique on the album. I got Hell Razah on the album from Maccabeez. I've got Sunz of Man. I've got Four Horsemen on the album, each member, Ras Kass, Kurupt and Canibus. Awesome. The only thing right now is just that my timing, you know what I mean, I really, really want the album to come out in August, but it I had a couple of shows, so it seems like it's going to be pushed back to September. But I really want it to come out in August. It's my birthday, and you know I had some losses in my family, so… And you were just in Germany for a while, right? Yep, I was out in Germany. How was that? It was very good. It was very good. It was prosperous. The love that they show me overseas is great. Because they just like raw vintage hip-hop over there, you know. Over there, people like music that's raw. No doubt. They definitely seem to appreciate it more over there. So now what's up with the Black Market Militia? Are you still working with those guys? Or was that a one-off thing? Oh, definitely. We're going to drop "Militia," though. We're going to use just "Black Market." That's going to come out, like, probably, I don't know, like, in three months. But, you know, me and Trag, we talk. Razah, Timbo King. You know, everybody's going to come through on that. And we're going to get Immortal Technique, a lot of things on there. I liked that last record a lot. I was definitely feeling that. Yeah, thank you, man. I didn't really like the sequencing of it, but this time I think that, you know, I'm going to be really hands on like I was before in the earlier process of Black Market. We going to be the future! Just listening to all the music that's coming out, you know, with The Offering and all of that, you know, we gonna be the future. We're gonna hold it down for, you know, that golden era, the nineties era, you know. There's going to be a lot of very, very good music coming out there for hip-hop. So it's not dead. It's not dead. I guess it's just in the recovery room. (laughs) Yeah, I hear you man. ICU. Now I wanted to talk about a little bit…you know, your style is very grimy and hard but your lyrics are very informative and intelligent, and on a positive tip which is something that's, you know, not exactly popular right now. A lot of the stuff that's coming out, at least that's on the radio and whatnot, everything's about a catch phrase or a chorus or a hook. You know, what is your take? Do you feel like the tide is turning back to lyricism being more important in hip-hop, or what? Yeah. Like, well, it's like worlds, you know. I never was so concerned about that world. We have our own world that we deal with. Just like the underground. I don't think the underground associates with the commercial level of hip-hop. And their time is just borrowed time, you know what I'm saying. Because at least we make music that's going to be immortal, you know. Not just for now. Because a lot of those dudes, if you talk to them, you know, they don't really do it. It's just like—put it this way, it's like dancing and break-dancing. If you're a great break-dancer and you're around a break-dancing convention and that's all you have to do, you know, the guys just do windmills, and one cat comes in and just do a two-step, just rocking side to side, he's going to be looked at as different. That's how I relate that to how rap is because he's going to be looked at like, "Yo, man, this is called break-dancing and all you're doing is two-stepping." And you're not going to get recognition by all the break-dancers because that's what it is, you know. Totally. I also wanted to touch on, you're New York born and raised. It seems like, you know the past few years at least New York has kind of been in the shadows of what else is going on. The South has really been dominating and even cats out of the Midwest. Do you feel like New York is kind of getting ignored or do you feel like people need to step their game up? Step their game up. New York did it to theyselves. They're very congested as far as rap music. New York, as far as music period, New York has—I think they swallowed, and they started following when they used to be the trendsetters. Just like rap. You know, the streets used to dictate what we do on the mike. But now it's different because these cats just coming up now, that's in hip-hop…like when I rhyme, I used to rhyme, emceeing, that's what it was called. I rhymed for people like KRS-One and Slick Rick and Big Daddy Kane and Rakim. So I could never be called corny by them. Now, the hip-hoppers that rap now, because those guys are not given a chance, their music is pushed to the side, they're not out, you know. I mean, they're looking at the guy that's up there that's making music but making regular—I mean, you know, just like radio songs. Jingles and ringtones and sh*t. Yeah, jingles! So they need a whole re-education on what hip-hop really is. And I've got a chance to be that, because I was looking at the game. I was looking at a lot of rappers, and just for The Offering to come out when it's coming out. You know, I can get other rappers really, emcees to look at that and be a Stonehenge. No doubt, man. Now, you've been around, you've been putting out records for, over a decade now. You've done major label stuff. You've done independent stuff. You've got a big fan base in the States and also overseas. What is the secret to, like, your longevity? I mean, this game is so notorious for, like, just spitting people out after one or two records, how have you been able to maintain your longevity? I think I got a loyal fan base, and I think I got true believers. And I believe in myself, you know. I don't get caught up in all of that. I mean, I believe in real—The hip-hop that I grew up on I'll stick to it, you know. And I believe in it. And I believe it's a true art form. Not hip-hop, because hip-hop is a culture itself. But rap is an element in hip-hop, and rap like I said before I believe in rap music, real emcees and real emceeing. So I'll just stick to my guns. I don't think that rap could fade away as long as it's called rap music. But they're doing something different. They're leaving what we did. You know, they're leaving true emceeing. Like I said before in the break dancing thing, that's just, like, getting on TV and doing that gay routine behind Britney Spears. (laughs)

And then, you know, grassroots, it still exists, break-dancing still exists, you know, and it's stronger than ever now, just like rap is. But it's just like somebody got to carry this sh*t and put it out there like that, man. And I'm willing to do it. I mean, I'll sacrifice anything. If there's anybody I got to battle, any corporation I got to step up against, I'm not compromising, you know. And I think that's what the people like about me is that I won't compromise and I won't sell out. And that's what this album is about. Right on. I also wanted to touch on Sunz of Man. Are you still tight with all those guys, or do you guys have any, you know, thoughts of doing more projects as Sunz or Man, or is everybody doing their own thing or what? Well, I'm going to release the secret behind all of that stuff like that. Yeah, everybody's chilling. You know, me and Prodigal, we kick it. You know, Razah, me and Razah always chilling. 60 Second, we got to get him. But, I think everybody's just doing what they doing. We formulating. We're evolving. And I think, you know, after I put out this album and stuff like that I'll be more focused. I mean, we got so many projects coming, man, we just got to get in the studio. I'm up for the game. I mean, I wouldn't say it's completely over with. I wouldn't say that. I think that we can definitely put something together. It might have to go under another name. That's why I was trying so hard to switch up the name. Even though Sunz of Man's a dope name, it's just that we got to reinvent, inside. Totally. You've got to keep it fresh. I hear you. Keep it fresh! Now, I also wanted to ask, you know, obviously you're down with the Wu and you go way back with those guys. Are you going to be involved at all with the new record that they're supposedly recording, or do you know anything about that? That's the talk. That's the talk, you know, I'm here. I mean, I just was with GZA. I'm with him most of the time. And I got a phone call from RZA, told me to come to the studio, you know, out in L.A. So, I was like, "yo, I'm game for that," you know. See what happens. I'm definitely game for that. Yeah, because I think that should be a secret element, and that would be something deep that the Wu needs right now. I mean, I know I've been out, but now I've got a chance to put my fan base into the house, you know. Totally, man. What ever happened with Killarmy? Are those guys around at all, it just sort of seemed like they disappeared. No, no. They all got jail time, man. Oh, they're all locked up? Yeah. Sh*t is real out here. Except PR Terrorist. But, everybody locked up, man. There's a lot of us, man, cuz sh*t is real out here. So it's, like, when we talking about strugglin and shootin, it's not a joke. Sometimes we just got the time to get to the studio and lay it down. But some of us are blessed and we can get into the studio and just lay it down, man. Because I'm not—you know, the streets are calling but I'm ignoring its phone call. I won't pick up, you know. I won't pick up. Yeah, that's the key. Streets is calling. You know, everybody's calling but, you know, they're collect calls. I can't accept that. (laughs) (laughs) Right. I hear you, man. So I got one more question for you, man, and then I'll let you roll. Now, you know, everybody wants to be a rapper now. Every kid, like, grade school kid, high school kid, college. Everybody wants to be an emcee. They all want to shine. They've all got their MySpace and this and that. You know, as somebody who is a true lyricist and a true emcee like yourself, somebody that's been doing it for so long, what advice would you give to all these young cats out there that want to get on? Yo, everybody can't be an emcee, you know. I mean, look at yourself. Look in the mirror, man. You know, search your own destination out. I mean, you'd probably be a better accountant or a manager, you know. But for those that's real emcees, I mean, stick to the art, man. If you believe in yourself and you believe that you can do this, it's all about what you believe internally. And you can put it that way. And you know what? You've got to go and push yourself to the top

Like, Rick Ross made this song that's true, man. It's called "Push It to the Limit." I'm just talking about the sample. I mean, that song is real. You've got to push yourself to the limit, man, you know, and stick to what you do. If you really like rap music and not hip-hop, you know, a lot of cats get caught up because they'd be in hip-hop. But this is rap music, and they get rap music confused with hip-hop. So they thinking that they could just come and get on the mike, when they're a damn DJ. (laughs) Like, you can't be an emcee if you're a DJ at heart because you get caught up. You get caught up into hip-hop. Rap is what we do. I'm just speaking about emceeing is what we do. Like, but, hip-hop is a culture. It's good. Love hip-hop, you know. Represent hip-hop to the fullest. But I'm not carrying the whole hip-hop on my back. Rap is. So August or September for The Offering? I don't know. September. But it is going to be there, The Offering. It'll be there. It's good, though. That's what's up, man. Well, I look forward to hearing it, and thanks for taking the time to talk to me, man. I appreciate it. Good music. That's all I'm saying. Yo, the good music era is back. Good music. You know how disco just came in and f***ed niggas up when soul music was out? (laughs) Soul music is back. Even though I like disco, though. I ain't gonna front. Right on, man. It's good talking to you, and good luck with the album. Thank you brother. Peace man.