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.
Gun for Gun
Killah Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nasdaq Dow Jones ha ha
Guns for gun streets filled
With rivers of blood
Raised in the PJ's with real niggas and thugs
Eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth
Blood for blood coming to a theater near you
With rivers of blood
Raised in the PJ's with real niggas and thugs
I'll make Mussolini wear a Kufi
I talk like Dr ben but look
Like Malcolm holding his Uzi
Peering through curtains who would I murder?
Pearl silencer screw on my
Burner four four caliber
The new Nat Turner I'll make
Hitler wear a yarmulke kKK celebrate Kwanzaa
Should I pursue further?
I'm like Tutankhamen with the
Tools in my garment
Put a few in my cartridge
The moon and stars lit
Light up the hood it looks like a techno club
We slam dance to this music
When the Tek blow slugs it's ghetto thugs
Welfare and poor education and gang love
Sitting in the Federal waiting
Guns for gun streets filled
With rivers of blood
Raised in the PJ's with real niggas and thugs
Eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth
Blood for blood coming to a theater near you
It's all love guns for gun streets filled
With rivers of blood
Raised in the PJ's with real niggas and thugs
What did Malcolm think split second
Before he was shot?
Did he think to hit the deck
On the floor before he dropped?
Or did he just say "Fuck it"
I'm ah die for my brothers?
Cause by killing him just made
His words teach others
Like Martin Luther King he preached peace
Like the West East beef finally
That shit is rotten
Place yourself in the shoes
Of a people's leader
From drug kingpin to President either
Is off the meter
Your best man can turn it or squeeze
Ya burn you and leave ya
Beside a lonely road or inside a meat freezer
That's the way it goes on the
3rd rock from the sun (earth)
Alone circling the light were we
Begun where we become
Guns for gun streets filled
With rivers of blood
Raised in the PJ's with real niggas and thugs
Eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth
Blood for blood coming to a theater near you
It's all love guns for gun streets filled
With rivers of blood
Raised in the PJ's with real niggas and thugs
A follower to a general with soldiers to run
They move off every word of your tongue
Fearless and ruthless when you was
Young pulling your gun
Not scared to shoot shit remember it
Was all in the fun
If it's power you wanted can you
Control over a hundred minds?
And these are grown men who've
Killed over a hundred times
Every champ team has an arch rival
And it takes one time to mess
Up and niggas don't like you
You start to want peace
Niggas want you deceased
Your money low, niggas want you to go
Who else but I can bring
The most haunting flow? (Nas)
You soon to see the best of me
From a boy man to a king hear out my destiny
Guns for gun streets filled
With rivers of blood
Raised in the PJ's with real niggas and thugs
Eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth
Blood for blood coming to a theater near you
It's all love guns for gun streets filled
With rivers of blood
Raised in the PJ's with real niggas and thugs
When my fam is at stake
I think of how much slander I take
Then I sit back and watch
Tapes on Alexander the Great
I start studying how he bloodied men
I think of rappers I'm a massacre
Metal armor cover my skin
Take me to war, fuck y'all
Priest is Ivan the Terrible
Stare at my eyes, they're unbearable
You collide with the generals
Surround me like the most high
Surrounded by Cherubim
Who'd imagine the illest collabo
Priest and Nas are incredible
He's spit's ether, I spit urancha
Describe how you devils move
Scream on MC's as I recline on my pedestal
Guns for gun streets filled
With rivers of blood
Raised in the PJ's with real niggas and thugs
Eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth
Blood for blood coming to a theater near you
It's all love guns for gun streets filled
With rivers of blood
Raised in the PJ's with real niggas and thugs
The I to the L to the L to the
W the I to the L to the L
To the W the I to the L to the L
To bring trouble to all ya niggas
"priest" "nasdaq dow jones"
The song Live By The Gun by Killah Priest displays a grim portrayal of the reality of urban crime and gang violence. The lyrics describe the feeling of insecurity and fear of death that permeate all aspects of life in violent neighborhoods. They talk about how youth and adults alike carry guns for protection and as a sign of power, and how gangs wield guns like symbols of their strength and solidarity. With lyrics like "Live by the gun, die by the forty," the song suggests that violence is a cycle that will perpetuate itself unless some powerful force intervenes to break it. The chorus and closing line appeal to a divine power to forgive the people who have succumbed to this cycle of violence and to help change their ways.
Overall, the song Live By The Gun paints a vivid, harrowing picture of the streets, where angels and demons alike walk among us and where the sight of a weapon is never far away. Through deep and symbolic lyrics, Killah Priest explores the reasons and motivations behind the intense violence that exists in our society and the reasons that drive people to pick up a gun.
Line by Line Meaning
Live by the gun, die by the forty
The consequences of a violent lifestyle are often fatal.
I see demons in the atmosphere
The world is full of evil and danger.
Gats appears out of nowhere
Danger can arise suddenly and unexpectedly.
Blood and crips be thuggin it
Gangs engage in violent and criminal behavior.
Niggas be lovin that shit
Some people are drawn to violence and criminal behavior.
Bustin they guns to that shit
Some people use violence and guns to express themselves or defend their territory.
Look at shorty over there
There are young people who get caught up in dangerous lifestyles.
On the street corner, packin heat on him
Some people carry guns for protection or to assert their power.
Better warn em, bout to be dead soon
Those who live by violence are likely to die by violence.
Selling crack since seven
Some people are drawn into criminal lifestyles early on.
Got my momma on her knees by her bedsides
The dangers of a violent lifestyle can affect family members too.
Mind slippin, gotta focus
It is easy to lose your way in a violent and chaotic world.
Coming from a race of people thatæ?¯ hopeless, copeless
Some people feel trapped by their circumstances and have limited choices in life.
Itæ?¯ like the night brings, pain afflicting my brain
The darkness and uncertainty of life can be mentally and emotionally taxing.
Monster like Coby
Some people are dangerous and deadly like a monster.
Screaming bloody murdah, murder and more murder
Those who live violently are surrounded by death and danger.
Red rum red rum
The word 'murder' spelled backwards is a reminder of the violent reality.
North, South, Midwest, West, East Coast
Danger and violence exist in all parts of the country.
Wherever I go keep the heat close
Some people feel the need to carry guns for protection.
Got some .45 slugs make a nigga eat those
Some people are willing to kill others with their gun.
Many niggas stood in the quicksand and they sunk
Those who engage in violence and criminal behavior are often doomed to fail.
Swinging a double edge sword trying to stay the beast
It is difficult to avoid violence and aggression when they are so prevalent in society.
Father forgive us...
The singer acknowledges the wrongs and dangers of their violent lifestyle and seeks forgiveness.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Reborn Tha Rebizzle
Man, I ain't hear this joint in a minute and it's still 🔥🔥🔥👊🏿👊🏿👊🏿 Killah Priest and Nas should do an album together.
Audi
This is a golden joint yo what's good killa priest, nas
Carlos Cong
Killah Priest in the house! Wit Nas!
Tim Davis
Light up the hood it looks like a techno club/we slam dance to the music when the tech blow slugs
David Munoz
Killa Priest is my god. Even Nas respected him.
Mike T
I'm like Tutikamen with the tools of my garment
Anthony Bergonzi
Crime cardinals 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Pasquiat stcyr
I don't remember this best being the original.🤔
Chris Ballesteros
The other one is with kurupt sounds more west coast
Kevin Ramirez
Beat is Killah like Priest,not the biggest nas fan .....