Killah Priest is a tangential associate of the Wu-Tang Clan. The Brooklyn n… Read Full Bio ↴Killah Priest is a tangential associate of the Wu-Tang Clan. The Brooklyn native made his first recorded appearances on records by such Wu side projects and solo albums as the Gravediggaz, Ol' Dirty Bastard's Return to the 36 Chambers, and, most importantly, Genius/GZA's seminal Liquid Swords. His contributions became legendary and paved the way for the release of his acclaimed debut album, Heavy Mental, in the spring of 1998.

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.

Essential
Killah Priest Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Killah Priest]
The night's a dark lord, well dressed, inducing our Sun
Upon the dawning of a full day he usually will come
Galloping upon his winged horse
Leaving trails of Stars across the planet, night scene of New York
comes to life with lights, pubs, clubs with thugs
Mobsters, gangsters, criminals, dealers with drugs
Loud music, crowds are moving, up and down blocks

In and out of spots, cops watch for a foul shooting
So how're we moving?
My soul scour through the clouds where the moon'll sit
Like the wise Owl searching through a gloomy mist
Six, or bring a casket down to his tomb
Another child gets pushed through the uterus
From the womb we're intuitive, eternal peace or damnation?
Depending what we do with it, a genius or a lunatic?
A general or a fugitive? It's 'Essential'

[Interlude: Killah Priest]
Word!, it's 'Essential' to be a man of your words
Take care of your seeds, to the young kids, honour your mother

[Killah Priest]
The greedy night is full of demon's smiles
And every hustler wear horns and every fiend comes from the ground
The FBI got satellite radar screening our child
Jacking off to our chaos, the Beast get aroused
There's another world with under bosses, rich not into flossing
Put hits on certain lawman, who pick or run for office
If they switch then the guns are brought in
Who parted with professional ballplayers with big endorsements
Who love to trick a hoe that sniff blowing bathroom toilets
They're alcoholics, going through mad divorces
See their wives in the papers with half their fortune
Then there's the Mob - leaving tips, a hundred bucks at the bar
Big spenders, around the dealer, shuffling cards
Evil laughter, puffing cigars, in a room full of goons
Tats cover their bullet wounds, rats are pulled from the Lagoons
Mexican mob doing shots of tequila, live niggaz
Throwing up knots in their pictures with gang signs
At the same time, if crack was a wars and you can frame nines
You would have plaques of coke scales of money stacks
But there is another party with Presidents, CIA Intelligence
The Federal Defense, Executives with the Aliens
Iraqi's and Israelians and by the time of my demise
The one who talked to Cane should rise
The second time while Abel blood rain from the skies
And who knows where my soul will fly?
I'm in the cemetery on top of a dark hillside
It's 'Essential'...

[Interlude: Killah Priest]
Everything's 'Essential', to the single black mothers
who's handling business, always about their paper and doing their numbers
It's 'Essential', nah'mean? (It's +Essential+)
To the youth out there - be a soldier
Take care of yours, keep it health; always keep a clear mind
Look at the world in front of you, you know?

[Killah Priest]
Snow fills the night air as the wind throws her thick white hair
Across her face, icicles appear, fall from space
Like tears, white frosts like flakes
I'm with my peers, remorse at the wake
So many cats I know I lost this way
Sprayed up by bullets, I'm in my woolrich we crossed them graves
My man spoke mad hoarse from pain
He said "Yo Priest, just think of what we've lost today"
The city lights are like the ice around the rich mans wrist
Where every hustler, big dreamer, praiser, grants or wish
By myself, right off the Belt 'til I hit the Van Wyk
Cruising, jigsaw my thoughts, I need a plan to exist
Should I get on like them Cuban guerrillas?
Fly to their country make a truce with their killers?
Move in a Villa, come with few of my niggaz
They come with theirs; we politic on struggle and social affairs
While toasting beers, my man had cunning ideas to get rich with mobsters
But what if it didn't prosper? Look what they did to Hoffa
My feet buried in the sands out in Nicaragua
Or on a cruise out to Venezuela
On a ship with a pool, designer clothes and expensive tailors
Sipping cappuccino favourite flavour French vanilla
Exotic foods, catching shrimp, no more minutes failure
The Offering's the movie; my other albums are just trailers
I can't hardly sit through the news, watching this fictional tune
Political view, the sky's dark as the Original Jews
Subliminal clues left in the hieroglyphs
Where the ancient empires exist
Walk inside the cliffs of Cairo, read the papyruses
On the wall feel the Gaul off Judas the Disciple's kiss
At the Last Supper nowadays is a microchip
End of skull, my survival kit is a rifle clip
This is 'Essential'...

[Outro: Killah Priest]
It's +Essential+ to lookout our family
Stay strong, yo Ebo man? I don't even know man?
This is +Essential+...
Got me zoning out right now, but look at the world
The entire art, you'know'what'I'mean? The mind, body and soul
Yo, I just wanna give a shout out
I wanna give a shout out to the whole world man
Everything's +Essential+, you'know'what'I'mean?
To the hoods and everybody, you'know'what'I'mean?
Become your own Government man, become your own
Live, you gotta live strong, you'know'what'I'mean?
It's +Essential+, food, clothe and health
All that, you'know'what'I'mean?
I wanna give a shout out to the whole Brooklyn
Gates Ave. where I'm from, you'know'what'I'mean?
Brownsville, where I'm from, you'know'what'I'mean?
For Whole Brooklyn, big up to Red Hook
Yeah, whatup Shabazz the Disciple man?
I'ma shout you out, that's my nigga right there
Word up! Yo, for everybody who helped me on the album
You'know'what'I'mean? Since you came through
Fo'real, it's no life that's +Essential+ man
Shout out everybody out there man
Live long or live strong, you'know'what'I'mean?
This goes out to DJ Huggy man
Good looking on this track right here, fo'real
Just live long (Pittsburgh; light born I see you)
(Uh, you'know'what'I'mean?, stand up man, stand up like a man)

(I'm ready, I'm ready for the war man, I'm ready, I'm ready y'all)
(Priest is ready man, aka putting in work, uh)

Overall Meaning

In "Essential," Killah Priest offers a powerful reflection on life and the world around him. He paints a vivid picture of the night, describing it as a "dark lord" that induces the arrival of the Sun each day. He goes on to detail the hustle and bustle of New York City, where the streets come to life with lights and the sounds of people moving and music blaring. Amidst the chaos, Priest suggests that our futures are in our hands and that we must choose between intuition, which may lead to genius, or madness.

The song addresses issues of power and violence, describing the greed and corruption of those who wield it. He speaks of a world where "every hustler wear horns," where law enforcement is corrupt and intelligence agencies watch every move. Killah Priest calls for a new way forward, urging listeners to take responsibility for their own lives, care for their families, and become their own government.

Line by Line Meaning

The night's a dark lord, well dressed, inducing our Sun
The night has a powerful and commanding presence, enticing the sunrise

Upon the dawning of a full day he usually will come
Usually, the night transitions into the day

Galloping upon his winged horse
Moving swiftly and gracefully on a mythical steed

Leaving trails of Stars across the planet, night scene of New York
Leaving behind a mesmerizing display of starlight across the city

comes to life with lights, pubs, clubs with thugs
The city comes alive with vibrant lights, bustling venues, and a presence of criminal activity

Mobsters, gangsters, criminals, dealers with drugs
An environment filled with organized crime, illicit activities, and drug trade

Loud music, crowds are moving, up and down blocks
The streets are filled with lively music, and people continuously move throughout the neighborhood

In and out of spots, cops watch for a foul shooting
People move in and out of various locations, while law enforcement stays vigilant for any violent incidents

So how're we moving?
In this chaotic environment, how are we navigating and progressing?

My soul scour through the clouds where the moon'll sit
My inner essence searches and observes the realm above, where the moon resides

Like the wise Owl searching through a gloomy mist
Similar to an intelligent owl combing through a foggy haze, seeking wisdom and clarity

Six, or bring a casket down to his tomb
Either follow a path of enlightenment or face a tragic demise

Another child gets pushed through the uterus
Another life is brought into the world through birth

From the womb we're intuitive, eternal peace or damnation?
From the moment of birth, our intuition guides us, leading to either eternal peace or damnation

Depending what we do with it, a genius or a lunatic?
Our actions determine whether we become geniuses or lunatics

A general or a fugitive? It's 'Essential'
We can choose to become leaders or outcasts, and this decision is crucial and essential

Word!, it's 'Essential' to be a man of your words
It is crucial to be someone who keeps their promises and follows through with their commitments

Take care of your seeds, to the young kids, honour your mother
Nurture and protect your children, and show respect and gratitude to your mother

The greedy night is full of demon's smiles
The night is filled with deceptive and manipulative beings

And every hustler wear horns and every fiend comes from the ground
Every ambitious person is driven by their selfish desires, and every addict seems to emerge from a dark place

The FBI got satellite radar screening our child
The FBI uses advanced technology to closely monitor the activities of individuals

Jacking off to our chaos, the Beast get aroused
Taking pleasure in observing the chaos we create, the Beast becomes excited and gratified

There's another world with under bosses, rich not into flossing
There exists another realm controlled by powerful figures who are wealthy but not focused on materialistic displays

Put hits on certain lawman, who pick or run for office
Ordered assassinations target specific law enforcement individuals who engage in corruption or run for political positions

If they switch then the guns are brought in
If these individuals betray or change allegiances, violence and weapons are introduced into the situation

Who parted with professional ballplayers with big endorsements
Associating with professional athletes who have lucrative sponsorship deals

Who love to trick a hoe that sniff blowing bathroom toilets
Who take pleasure in manipulating women addicted to drugs, engaging in degrading activities

They're alcoholics, going through mad divorces
They are addicted to alcohol and experiencing numerous failed marriages

See their wives in the papers with half their fortune
Witnessing their ex-wives obtaining a significant portion of their wealth through divorce settlements

Then there's the Mob - leaving tips, a hundred bucks at the bar
The Mafia, discreetly leaving generous tips amounting to one hundred dollars at bars

Big spenders, around the dealer, shuffling cards
High rollers, gathered around the dealer, playing card games such as poker

Evil laughter, puffing cigars, in a room full of goons
Sinister laughter echoes while smoking cigars in a room filled with intimidating henchmen

Tats cover their bullet wounds, rats are pulled from the Lagoons
Tattoos conceal scars from gunshot wounds, and betrayers are exposed and dealt with

Mexican mob doing shots of tequila, live niggaz
Members of the Mexican Mafia engaging in shots of tequila, living a dangerous lifestyle

Throwing up knots in their pictures with gang signs
Displaying their wealth and loyalty by flashing large sums of money and gang affiliations in photographs

At the same time, if crack was a war and you can frame nines
Simultaneously, if the crack cocaine epidemic was a war, and you could capture firearms

You would have plaques of coke scales of money stacks
You would have significant amounts of crack cocaine, scales used for measurement, and large sums of money

But there is another party with Presidents, CIA Intelligence
However, there is another faction composed of politicians, CIA agents, and spies

The Federal Defense, Executives with the Aliens
The government's defense sector, along with high-ranking officials collaborating with extraterrestrial beings

Iraqi's and Israelians and by the time of my demise
Iraqis and Israelis, and by the time of my death

The one who talked to Cane should rise
The one who conversed with Cain, referring to a figure with great authority, should ascend

The second time while Abel blood rain from the skies
During a second occurrence, blood from Abel's sacrifice pours from the heavens

And who knows where my soul will fly?
No one knows where my essence will journey after death

I'm in the cemetery on top of a dark hillside
I find myself in a graveyard situated on a gloomy hill

Everything's 'Essential', to the single black mothers
Everything is crucial and important to single African American mothers

who's handling business, always about their paper and doing their numbers
These mothers are focused on managing their affairs, consistently earning money and counting their successes

It's 'Essential', nah'mean? (It's +Essential+)
It's crucial, you know what I mean? (It's absolutely necessary)

To the youth out there - be a soldier
To the young individuals out there - be resilient and stand strong

Take care of yours, keep it health; always keep a clear mind
Take care of your loved ones, prioritize your well-being, and maintain a focused mental state

Look at the world in front of you, you know?
Observe the reality that surrounds you, you understand?

Snow fills the night air as the wind throws her thick white hair
Snowflakes fill the atmosphere as the wind tosses its icy tendrils

Across her face, icicles appear, fall from space
Icicles form on her face, descending from the vastness of outer space

Like tears, white frosts like flakes
Similar to tears, white frost descends gently in flake-like formations

I'm with my peers, remorse at the wake
I am in the company of my peers, feeling sorrowful during a funeral gathering

So many cats I know I lost this way
I have lost numerous acquaintances in this tragic manner

Sprayed up by bullets, I'm in my woolrich we crossed them graves
Shot by a barrage of bullets, I find myself standing near tombstones, wearing my Woolrich clothing

My man spoke mad hoarse from pain
My friend's voice was strained and affected by immense pain

He said 'Yo Priest, just think of what we've lost today'
He expressed, 'Hey Priest, reflect upon the losses we have experienced today'

The city lights are like the ice around the rich mans wrist
The city lights resemble the opulent jewelry adorning the wrist of a wealthy individual

Where every hustler, big dreamer, praiser, grants or wish
A place where ambitious individuals, ambitious dreamers, and those who exalt blessings have their desires fulfilled

By myself, right off the Belt 'til I hit the Van Wyk
Alone, driving along Belt Parkway until reaching Van Wyck Expressway

Cruising, jigsaw my thoughts, I need a plan to exist
Contemplating, piecing together my thoughts, I require a strategy to survive

Should I get on like them Cuban guerrillas?
Should I adopt the mindset and tactics of Cuban guerrilla fighters?

Fly to their country make a truce with their killers?
Travel to their nation and establish a ceasefire with their assassins?

Move in a Villa, come with few of my niggaz
Reside in a luxurious villa, accompanied by a select few of my close friends

They come with theirs; we politic on struggle and social affairs
They bring their own associates, and we engage in discussions regarding our hardships and societal issues

While toasting beers, my man had cunning ideas to get rich with mobsters
As we raise our glasses in celebration, my friend shares clever plans to accumulate wealth through involvement with the Mafia

But what if it didn't prosper? Look what they did to Hoffa
However, what if these plans don't succeed? Consider the fate of Jimmy Hoffa, who faced a grim outcome

My feet buried in the sands out in Nicaragua
Finding solace with my feet buried in the sandy beaches of Nicaragua

Or on a cruise out to Venezuela
Alternatively, embarked on a cruise journeying towards Venezuela

On a ship with a pool, designer clothes and expensive tailors
Aboard a luxurious vessel with a pool, adorned in designer clothing tailored by high-end fashion designers

Sipping cappuccino favourite flavour French vanilla
Indulging in my preferred cappuccino flavor, French vanilla

Exotic foods, catching shrimp, no more minutes failure
Experiencing exquisite and uncommon dishes, catching shrimp instead of enduring moments of disappointment

The Offering's the movie; my other albums are just trailers
The main event or significant contribution is represented by The Offering album, while my previous works are merely teasers or previews

I can't hardly sit through the news, watching this fictional tune
I find it difficult to endure the news, as it feels like I'm witnessing a fictional narrative

Political view, the sky's dark as the Original Jews
Considering the political landscape, which appears bleak and gloomy like the original Hebrews

Subliminal clues left in the hieroglyphs
Cryptic hints are encoded within ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs

Where the ancient empires exist
Where the remnants and influence of ancient civilizations persist

Walk inside the cliffs of Cairo, read the papyruses
Enter the caverns within Cairo and examine the papyrus scrolls

On the wall feel the Gaul off Judas the Disciple's kiss
Touch the rough texture of the stone inscribed with Judas Iscariot's treacherous kiss

At the Last Supper nowadays is a microchip
In contemporary times, the Last Supper is symbolized by a microchip

End of skull, my survival kit is a rifle clip
Braced for the worst, my means of survival is a loaded rifle magazine

This is 'Essential'...
All these aspects and revelations are vital and essential

Everything's +Essential+, to the single black mothers
Everything is crucial and important to single African American mothers