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.
Jeshurun
Killah Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We will shine in his presence
The truthful - when we find all his blessings
The power - we shall receive
Yahwu - eternity
The judgment - is coming swiftly
The kingdom - the golden city
The mission - fire and brimstone
[Killah Priest]
What if you found out everything you've been told was a lie
And the only way to find out the truth was to go inside yourself
And no one to provide you with help
Would you reach for that .9 in your belt?
Or go get the rifle from you shelf
Put the barrel to your mouth and blow your own brains out
Or do you want a second to figure this whole thing out?
What if I told you nothing is really what it appears to be
You wouldn't believe me
'Cause you a program from reality
Little fluffy bears, little cute lions
Thanksgiving Day, the underworld alliance
Secret societies, the brotherhood system
You can only join as a client
Spy satellite dishes, Christmas, the protocols of Zion
Science they stole from the Mayans
What if you found out the man in the pic
posing as Jesus was really Cesare -- Borgia
Would you do some study on that?
And would you really care?
What if you found out that the United States was a business
That's why they never address the president as the president of America
Would you go in mass hysteria?
But the president of a corp like your boss
Your corp is named United States
Would you unite or separate?
So who's the presidents of Americans?
(Chorus) Priest
Glory - we shall shine in his presence
The truthful - when we find all his blessings
The power - we shall receive
Yahwu - eternity
The judgment - is coming swiftly
The kingdom - the golden city
The mission - fire and brimstone
Freedom - no more hate 'cause our skin tone
It's coming - with angels with swords
The fallen - shall be my war
For us - Jeshurun
For us - Jeshurun
[Victorious]
From ashes to skull and bone
Bone to flesh, back to life, back to breath
Out of the dark came the light
And out of the life back to death
We all gotta go, it's the inevitable
Like the meek humble, good in heart
Inheriting the Merrill Lynch, fuck the sharing
We want America for vacation spot
Gracious opt, mansions in Morocco
Vatos, no more potholes
We sell the pacific, terrific ain't it
Known nation wide we famous for the ink pen paintbrush
'Cause animals ain't us
We the royal family, lost tribes in Egypt
Fell victim to the vanity
No different from the cameras we be in
Damaging the man and your sin is the end result
Diminishing even though we need the benjamins
Balance is the key, I'm ready for a dominion y'all
I'm finished man
(Chorus) Priest
Glory
The truthful
The power - we shall receive
Yahwu - eternity
The judgment - is coming swiftly
The kingdom - the golden city
The mission - fire and brimstone
Freedom - no more hate 'cause our skin tone
It's coming - with angels with swords
The fallen - shall be my war
For us - Jeshurun
For us - Jeshurun
The song Jeshurun by Killah Priest is a deep and reflective piece that questions the concept of reality and the perceptions of society. The chorus speaks of shining in the presence of Yahwu, receiving power and eternity, the impending judgment, and the freedom from hate and discrimination. The first verse delves into the idea of living in a reality that is constructed for us by society, and the possibility of everything we believe being a lie. It urges the listener to question their beliefs and not resort to violence when faced with this truth. The second verse explores conspiracy theories such as secret societies, stolen science, and the presidents of America. The bridge acknowledges the inevitability of death and highlights the importance of leading a balanced life.
Line by Line Meaning
We will shine in his presence
We will be full of radiance in the presence of God
The truthful - when we find all his blessings
The honest people will find all the favors of God
The power - we shall receive
We will receive the divine power of God
Yahwu - eternity
Eternal life is in God's grace
The judgment - is coming swiftly
The judgment day is approaching fast
The kingdom - the golden city
The kingdom of heaven is like a city of gold
The mission - fire and brimstone
The mission of God is to judge the sinner with fire and brimstone
Freedom - no more hate 'cause our skin tone
We will be free from discrimination based on our color
What if you found out everything you've been told was a lie
What if the truth is not what you've been told all your life?
And the only way to find out the truth was to go inside yourself
What if you can only find the truth by introspection?
And no one to provide you with help
What if nobody can assist you in finding the truth?
What if I told you nothing is really what it appears to be
What if reality is different from the perception we have?
You wouldn't believe me
You may not accept that what you have known all your life is not accurate
'Cause you a program from reality
Your perception is influenced by the world you live in
Little fluffy bears, little cute lions
Even things that seem benign and innocent may mean something else.
Secret societies, the brotherhood system
Groups hiding their purpose or existence may be responsible for many things happening around us
Spy satellite dishes, Christmas, the protocols of Zion
Things that seem unrelated may actually be connected in some way
What if you found out the man in the pic posing as Jesus was really Cesare -- Borgia
What if the representation of a well-known figure is incorrect?
Would you do some study on that?
Would you want to know the facts?
And would you really care?
Would it matter to you if the representation is false?
What if you found out that the United States was a business
What if the country was not just a sovereign nation, but a commercial entity?
That's why they never address the president as the president of America
The country's name indicates a business, not a nation
Would you go in mass hysteria?
Would such a revelation lead to confusion or panic?
So who's the presidents of Americans?
Who is the real leader of the nation, considering the business aspect?
From ashes to skull and bone
From death to decay in the grave
Out of the dark came the light
After a period of sadness or struggle, happiness and illumination may appear
And out of the life back to death
After living, we all face death
We all gotta go, it's the inevitable
Death is an unavoidable part of life
Like the meek humble, good in heart
People who are righteous, meek, or sincere will face death with grace
Inheriting the Merrill Lynch, fuck the sharing
People prefer ownership rather than sharing
We want America for vacation spot
The nation is seen as a desirable tourist destination
Gracious opt, mansions in Morocco
Morocco is considered a lovely place to live
Vatos, no more potholes
Chicano term for people; wishing for a community without roads full of holes
We sell the pacific, terrific ain't it
We have ownership of the Pacific Ocean; great, isn't it?
Known nation wide we famous for the ink pen paintbrush
We are well-known for our artistic abilities
'Cause animals ain't us
Compares humans to animals
We the royal family, lost tribes in Egypt
The community sees themselves as descendants of the royal family and of the lost tribes of Israel residing in Egypt
Fell victim to the vanity
The community has become obsessed with their own reputation and appearance
No different from the cameras we be in
Their obsession with appearance is similar to the interview or surveillance footage taken of them
Damaging the man and your sin is the end result
This obsession can lead to destructive behavior
Diminishing even though we need the benjamins
Despite the need for money, obsession can damage you
Balance is the key, I'm ready for a dominion y'all
Maintaining a sense of balance is crucial, and the community is ready to lead
I'm finished man
The song comes to a close
It's coming - with angels with swords
On the judgment day, angels with swords who will punish those who have sinned
The fallen - shall be my war
I will battle the unjust and the fallen
For us - Jeshurun
We are the chosen ones
For us - Jeshurun
We are the special group that will be saved
Contributed by Ryan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@shamaYahu8635
years ago. Glad its still up
@poetryselite
Killah Priest is Hip-Hop... he spits with the most divine of lyricism. And his content is identical to his ill, poetical dialect. I just got into Killah Priest not even a month ago, but because he spits like this on every track... I cannot omit him from my top 5. Personally: 1. Nas, KIllah Priest, Black Dove, and Cormega, 2. Talib Kweli, 3. Immortal Technique, 4. AZ, & 5. Tupac and Common. Much respect to Priest for composin scriptures of mysticism.
@behr0009
top song
@incarnate187
Wow I did not know @djWoool is the one who produced this dope joint!
@TheSleepingSenatoroftheIslands
The dark one aka kp
@prophetkey
Is this song out in the store
@dofo258
"What if you found out the man in the pic, Posing as Jesus was really Cesare Borgia. Would you do some study on that? And would you really care?" --Those lyrics make you think...
@wukillah92
the lyrics are deep, do you even listen to them?
@shamaYahu8635
U.s. is a business. Who's the president of American? Yep I am
@unblindswordzman
I know everyone has opinions, but this shit is ill. This track is a classic in my opinion whether feelin it or not..thats jus how i c it.