Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Brownsville, Killah Priest became infatuated with hip-hop as a child, listening to old-school and new school acts like Eric B. & Rakim alike. He also was influenced by local rappers, like GZA and Onyx's Suave, who would often play local parties. Killah Priest began working on his rhyming and eventually earned a considerable reputation in Brooklyn , but instead of pursuing his musical career further, he took a sabbatical in order to educate himself, primarily about religion and history.
Killah Priest returned to rapping in 1995, appearing on several Wu projects. All of his cameos were noteworthy, but his role on Liquid Swords earned special attention. By the end of 1996, he formed his own side project, the Sunz of Man. In 1997, GZA suggested to Geffen that they sign Killah Priest, and the label took his advice.
Killah worked on the album with True Master and 4th Disciple, two producers associated with the Clan. The resulting album, Heavy Mental, was dense with religious imagery and filled with evocative sounds. It received excellent reviews upon its March 1998 release and was a respectable commercial success, debuting at number 24 on the pop charts.
Killah Priest issued his second album, View from Masada, in the spring of 2000, further bolstering his status as one of the most compelling solo artists in the Wu-Tang stable. After that he has released more projects such as Priesthood and Black August.
Crime Cardinals
Killah Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Compulsive disorder, I step closer to the alter
Confessions, a preacher touches my dome, I soak in the water
My presence is there, but I can′t see it quite clear
But I can feel it, next to my nine, there's a bottle
And there′s a spirit, I feel sheer bliss
I've been baptivised, but I still feel bad vibes
From niggas, used to shoot fair ones, but now we pull guns
Took a hit of the L, the mixture, had me feeling sicker
Paint a dark picture that flicker, load my clip up with shells
The air got thicker... two more shots of Tequila
Stare at the mirror, the face is too familiar
The reflections of a true killer, whose
Though I'm drunk, I pick up my pump
Stand looking like Huey, but slumped
It′s Nostradam′ and Saint Thomas, with the uzi in front
My Garden of Eden is apartment where they puff they trees and
The serpents alerting through the weak secretions
The earth's scent from a furnace, quiet, Priest is teaching
Big Apple′s a hassle, project tabernacles
Telling stories through the urban tattoos
Bullet wounds, some serving capsules
Thug Vatican, Priest lounging between two Greek statues
You try to front, and the heat'll clap you
The Priest, the Nasarite, top 5, dead or alive
Crime cardinals, from Allah′s school
Israelite books, we both crooks
True don, let's get it on, word is bond
He′s God's Son, I'm the dark one...
Yo, I′m the Priest, he′s the Nasarite, top 5, dead or alive
Crime cardinals, from Allah's school
Israelite books, we both crooks
True don, let′s get it on, word is bond
He's the God Son, but I′m the dark one...
My pen's a paintbrush, with coloring books of gangstas
Ho′s who never change it's tampoon, thinking
Hot as a bullet that went in Abe Lincoln
Your page is the inkaholic, addict for drinking
The hundred proof truth, pouring down my platinum ink pen
Niggas is slipping, niggas forgetting
The child of Medusa's risen, twisted snake heads
You should envision, ice grill ya′ll to stone
Hypnotism, born with intuition
As an infant to keep me living, my moms fought off bats
Giant size, flap your wings, sicks with attack
Crying eyes, the next rapper king to react
The science God, is to know thy self
To civilize those around you′se a slow process
I release on my own recognence
My sirconscious, on a track as bomb as this one
Ear's to intertwine with, I kick a verse
Til M.C.′s get the curse
In “Crime Cardinals,” Killah Priest paints a picture of a world of crime and violence. He talks about compulsive disorder and confesses to a preacher. He is then baptised, but he says he still feels bad vibes from those who used to shoot fair ones but now use guns. He describes a world where people shoot each other, and the air is thick with violence as he drinks tequila and stares at the mirror, seeing the reflection of a “true killer.” He then switches to a verse where he talks about his pen being a paintbrush, painting pictures of gangsters, and the difficulties of life growing up.
The lyrics of “Crime Cardinals” are filled with references to religious and mythological figures. Nostradam and Saint Thomas are mentioned with an Uzi in front of them, and there are references to the Garden of Eden, Medusa, and the serpent. Killah Priest speaks of being in Allah’s school and references Israelite books, all while describing a world of thug Vatican and project tabernacles.
Line by Line Meaning
The reep of presents, I reach for my weapon, stressing
Amidst all these gifts, I feel uneasy and anxious, prompting me to grab my gun
Compulsive disorder, I step closer to the alter
My compulsions drive me to the church's altar
Confessions, a preacher touches my dome, I soak in the water
I confess my sins to the preacher, who baptizes me in holy water
My presence is there, but I can't see it quite clear, But I can feel it, next to my nine, there's a bottle
Although I am physically present, my mind is fuzzy, and I can sense an alcohol bottle next to my gun
And there's a spirit, I feel sheer bliss
The alcohol has uplifted my spirits, and I feel elated
I've been baptivised, but I still feel bad vibes
Although I have been baptized, I still have negative thoughts and feelings
From niggas, used to shoot fair ones, but now we pull guns
We used to fight with our fists, but now we resort to using guns
Quicker, I took a lip from the liquor
Drinking alcohol has made me take a quick sip, further leading to my altered state of mind
Took a hit of the L, the mixture, had me feeling sicker
Smoking marijuana mixed with alcohol made me feel nauseous and sick
Paint a dark picture that flicker, load my clip up with shells
I paint a dark image in my head, load my gun with ammunition
The air got thicker... two more shots of Tequila
The atmosphere becomes tense as I take two more shots of Tequila
Stare at the mirror, the face is too familiar, The reflections of a true killer, whose
Looking at myself in the mirror, I recognize the face of a true killer
Though I'm drunk, I pick up my pump, Stand looking like Huey, but slumped
Despite being drunk, I grab my gun and stand like Huey, but in a slouched state
It’s Nostradam’ and Saint Thomas, with the uzi in front
I feel like Nostradamus and Saint Thomas as I hold my uzi
My Garden of Eden is apartment where they puff they trees and
My paradise is an apartment where people smoke marijuana
The serpents alerting through the weak secretions
Drug dealers use deception to manipulate their customers
The earth's scent from a furnace, quiet, Priest is teaching
The smell of burning drugs fills the air as the Priest is preaching in silence
Big Apple's a hassle, project tabernacles
Living in New York City is challenging, with its many projects and hardships
Telling stories through the urban tattoos, Bullet wounds, some serving capsules
The tattoos on the people in my neighborhood tell their stories, including their experiences with violence and drugs
Thug Vatican, Priest lounging between two Greek statues
My neighborhood is like a criminal holy land, as I relax between two Greek statues
You try to front, and the heat'll clap you
If you try to provoke me, I will shoot you
The Priest, the Nasarite, top 5, dead or alive
I am the Priest, and my partner is the Nasarite, and we are among the top five rappers of all time
Crime cardinals, from Allah's school, Israelite books, we both crooks
We are both criminal masterminds who learned from Allah's teachings and the Israelite books
True don, let's get it on, word is bond
We are true leaders and will take action, as our word is our bond
He's God's Son, I'm the dark one...
My partner is referred to as God's son, while I am the dark one
My pen's a paintbrush, with coloring books of gangstas
I use my pen like a paintbrush, illustrating stories of gangsters
Ho's who never change it's tampoon, thinking
Prostitutes who never change their ways are stuck in monotony
Hot as a bullet that went in Abe Lincoln
My bars are fierce, like a bullet that went through Abraham Lincoln
Your page is the inkaholic, addict for drinking
The recipient of my words is addicted to my lyrics, like an alcoholic to their drink
The hundred proof truth, pouring down my platinum ink pen
My lyrics are a hundred percent truthful, flowing out of my platinum pen
Niggas is slipping, niggas forgetting
People are forgetting to stay on top of their game
The child of Medusa's risen, twisted snake heads
I have risen like the child of Medusa, with a powerful venom like a snake
You should envision, ice grill ya'll to stone
You should imagine me glaring at you, turning you to stone with my intense gaze
Hypnotism, born with intuition
My words can hypnotize, and I was born with natural intuition
As an infant to keep me living, my moms fought off bats
My mother fought off danger to ensure my survival from an early age
Giant size, flap your wings, sicks with attack
I am a giant who can attack, even with a sickness
Crying eyes, the next rapper king to react
My eyes are full of tears as I anticipate the next rapper's response
The science God, is to know thy self
The key to knowledge is self-knowing
To civilize those around you'se a slow process
It takes time and effort to change the people around you
I release on my own recognence
I am free to do as I please, without anyone's approval
My sirconscious, on a track as bomb as this one
My subconscious speaks on this explosive track
Ear's to intertwine with, I kick a verse, Til M.C.'s get the curse
My lyrics are so intense that they will leave other rappers cursed
Writer(s): REED WALTER
Contributed by Peyton T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Brpskidoomxzx
"my garden of eden is the apartment where they puff their trees in killah priest is dope
@poetryselite
"Men married men inside the Vatican/ 666 leviathan/ poke by the dragons pen." Priest is way too ill. And of course, Nasty Nas "Hot as the bullet that went in Ab Lincoln/ the page is the ink-aholic, addict for drinkin". Priest and Nas are 2 of the greatest MCs to eva grace the mic. If only this kinda realness were played on the radio... then people wouldn't be as ignorant as they are.
@ebibere5506
Please can I get the complete lyrics for Killah Priest? Thanks
@Ori0nStar
2 of my fav Emcees forever
@blachand38
Alot of jewels in this song killah priest & nas deadly combo
@tryandria
Real Hip Hop will never be on the radio, so thank GOD for You tube and musick like this!!!!!!
@thetraveler9
Priest is the greatest ever.
@mikeillusion7379
Nas is my favorite rapper of all time but Priest shined on this 💯
@iloveowls8748
"my pen's a paintbrush with coloring books and gangsters" !!! Are you serious!? daaaaaamn Nasir the King
@mrmurphylavish
KILLAH PRIEST IS HEAVY MENTAL!!