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.

Intro
Killah Priest Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Are you trying to tell me that you will fight against me?)
Oh you will win that too
For if you fail to silence me you know what I will do

(What will you do physician?)
I will go among the people
And try to answer the questions that burn in their hearts
The questions that I've asked myself for all my life

Wherever I've wandered in the world and which were answered for me
By a dying man I will wear the clothes of a slave

And kick the sandles from my feet, and speak to the wives
As they fry their fish before their mud huts by the river

To the porters on the docks, to the smiths by their belows
To the slaves under the yolks, and I will say

Overall Meaning

These lyrics from Killah Priest's song "Intro" depict a conversation between two individuals. The first person seems to be someone with power or authority, who is questioning the other person's loyalty. The second person responds with confidence and suggests that even if they were to fight against one another, the second person would win. However, the conversation takes a turn when the first person asks what the second person would do if they were to fail in silencing them. The second person responds with a plan to go among the people and answer the questions burning in their hearts.

The second person's response is powerful and revealing. They indicate that they have been asking themselves these same questions for all their life, which suggests a deep sense of purpose or mission. The idea of wearing the clothes of a slave and speaking to common people shows that the second person is willing to humble themselves and connect with those who are often overlooked or oppressed. This response hints at a deeper message in the song about the importance of standing up for what you believe in, even in the face of powerful opposition.

Line by Line Meaning

(Are you trying to tell me that you will fight against me?)
Are you implying that you desire to engage in conflict with me?

Oh you will win that too
You are confident in your ability to prevail in that scenario as well.

(What will you do physician?)
Inquiring about your plans, healer?

I will go among the people
I will seek to be amidst the populace.

And try to answer the questions that burn in their hearts
I will strive to address the inquiries that weigh heavily on their souls.

The questions that I've asked myself for all my life
The same questions that have consumed me throughout my existence.

Wherever I've wandered in the world and which were answered for me
Regardless of my travels, I have found resolution to these quandaries.

By a dying man I will wear the clothes of a slave
From a man on his deathbed, I received understanding and will don the garments of the oppressed.

And kick the sandals from my feet, and speak to the wives
I will remove my footwear and conversate with the spouses.

As they fry their fish before their mud huts by the river
While they cook their meals before their humble abodes along the waterway.

To the porters on the docks, to the smiths by their belows
To the laborers at the marina and the blacksmiths at their forges.