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.
Ghetto Jezuz
Killah Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chop it sell it to fiends to make a profit back
Dealers gamblers and hustlers pimp ballers and players
Thugs thieves and killers let us bow in prayer
Our father who art in jail I shall be thy gangster
Thy kingdom of guns and thy will swing a razor
On the street corners as it is in prison
Give us gats this day and spray our daily lead
For thine is thy kingpin power and the glory
Forever more amen now pour out some 40s
For shorties 6 feet under hustlers and number runners
Surround our Ghetto Christ at the last supper
Tables of yayo cathedrals of kilos
Gangster bibles and Desert Eagles
Apostles with their liquor bottles
Bullets with tips that's hollow
Silencers that fit the nozzles, banana clip that follows
A gun aficionado the last Epistle's novel
[Hook:]
Ghetto Jezus... Let us all pray Ghetto Jezus...
His disciples
First there's Pistol Paul then there's John the Ratchet
Right across the hall two cats he sold his crack with
Along with gangster James the other killer Andrew
One like the Son of Man stood within the seven candles
With was a number spot raided by a hundred cops
But Ghetto Jezus stood there till a gun was shot
And there was a Murder Mark along with Tom and Phillip
They hung in the park
Talking 'bout stacking mills up along with Money Luke
Him and Peter Black the wild one of the crew
Never scared to squeeze his gat and there's the Nazarite
Shaking three pairs of dice kiss them said the Anti Christ
That's the crackpipe he blew on 'em rolled them on the corner
All his disciples got warrants
Crackheads that's the torment
Hell followed the horsemen
Jails crowded with lawmen
[Hook]
The lyrics of Killah Priest's "Ghetto Jezuz" offer a striking commentary on the ongoing plight of urban communities trapped in cycles of poverty, violence, and crime. The rapper addresses his lyrics to the "dearly beloved brothers" who are engaged in various forms of illicit activity, from drug-dealing and gambling to pimping and killing. He invokes a twisted vision of Christianity that blends the language of street culture with the iconography of religious symbolism, portraying himself and his fellow "gangsters" as a new breed of disciples who follow a "Ghetto Christ" that rules over a kingdom of guns, drugs, and gangs. The chorus urges everyone to "pray to Ghetto Jezus" in a vivid and explicit invocation of the twisted beliefs of those who thrive on the margins of society.
The verses of the song describe the various disciples or "apostles" of this new form of religion, each one engaged in their own form of criminality and violence. These figures are portrayed as the heroes and leaders of their communities, revered and feared by those around them for their power, wealth, and influence. The song is full of vivid imagery that conveys the atmosphere of inner-city life, from the "tables of yayo" to the "cathedrals of kilos" that dominate the landscape. At the same time, it offers a stark and unblinking portrayal of the toll that this way of life takes on individuals and communities, with the despair and violence of the streets seeping into every line.
Line by Line Meaning
My dearly beloved brothers ye who cook coke to crack
Addressing fellow drug dealers who turn cocaine into crack
Chop it sell it to fiends to make a profit back
Selling the crack to addicts to make money
Dealers gamblers and hustlers pimp ballers and players
Acknowledging the different types of criminals in the community
Thugs thieves and killers let us bow in prayer
Coming together in prayer despite their criminal activities
Our father who art in jail I shall be thy gangster
Acknowledging God while also embracing the gangster lifestyle
Thy kingdom of guns and thy will swing a razor
A violent interpretation of God's kingdom
On the street corners as it is in prison
Indicating that criminal behavior is pervasive in both public and private life
Give us gats this day and spray our daily lead
Asking for guns and ammunition to commit violent acts
Who testify against us we pray they soon be dead
Wishing harm on those who may testify against them in court
For thine is thy kingpin power and the glory
Reframing criminal power as something bestowed by God
Forever more amen now pour out some 40s
Drinking to celebrate their criminal lifestyle
For shorties 6 feet under hustlers and number runners
Remembering the people who have died as a result of their criminal activities
Surround our Ghetto Christ at the last supper
Comparing themselves to Jesus and his disciples
Tables of yayo cathedrals of kilos
Describing the drug trade as a religious experience
Gangster bibles and Desert Eagles
Weapons are seen as sacred objects
Apostles with their liquor bottles
Drinking alcohol to celebrate their criminal lifestyle
Bullets with tips that's hollow
Using hollow-point bullets for maximum damage
Silencers that fit the nozzles, banana clip that follows
Describing the mechanics of their weapons
A gun aficionado the last Epistle's novel
A love of guns and violence is celebrated
His disciples
Continuing the metaphor of comparing themselves to Jesus and his followers
First there's Pistol Paul then there's John the Ratchet
Introducing their associates with nicknames related to guns
Right across the hall two cats he sold his crack with
Describing a drug dealer's situation
Along with gangster James the other killer Andrew
Listing more associates with violent names
One like the Son of Man stood within the seven candles
Comparing one of their associates to Jesus
With was a number spot raided by a hundred cops
Describing a police raid on one of their locations
But Ghetto Jezus stood there till a gun was shot
Despite their faith, they will still resort to violence
And there was a Murder Mark along with Tom and Phillip
Describing the tragic consequences of their lifestyle
They hung in the park
Referring to a public execution
Talking 'bout stacking mills up along with Money Luke
Discussing their plans to make money while referring to one of their associates
Him and Peter Black the wild one of the crew
Introducing another associate and his nickname
Never scared to squeeze his gat and there's the Nazarite
Describing another associate who is not afraid to use his weapon
Shaking three pairs of dice kiss them said the Anti Christ
Invoking religious imagery while describing a dice game
That's the crackpipe he blew on 'em rolled them on the corner
Introducing drug use into the song
All his disciples got warrants
Acknowledging their criminal status
Crackheads that's the torment
Describing the destructive nature of drugs
Hell followed the horsemen
Suggesting that they are bringing destruction upon themselves and their community
Jails crowded with lawmen
Acknowledging the consequences of their criminal activities
Ghetto Jezus... Let us all pray Ghetto Jezus...
Reiterating the central metaphor of the song while invoking prayer and religion
Contributed by Taylor J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
aztlanplay
Amazing song, lyrics, instrumental, album!!!
🔹 Sinouhe 🔹
Classic
new beat
✊🏿
Sydwell Sedibe
Amen
MS. Beast
This is my future 25; for Life