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.
THE WORLD
Killah Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What we're living in
What we use to
The whole damn world
What we're living in
What we're living in
What we're living in
The whole damn world
What we're living in
What we're living in
The whole damn world
What we're living in
What we're living in
What we're living in
The whole damn world
What we're living in
What we're living in
What we're living in
The whole damn world
Yes we're living in
Yes we're living in
Yes we're living in
Yes we're living in
Yes we're living in
Yes we're living in
Yes we're living in
[Killah Priest]
(So what we live by?)
The laws of the most high
(Moses?) Yes!
He received that on Mount Sinai
(For the Israelites right?)
Indeed, 'cause man once believed in other Gods
They received the sun, moon and stars
(From the Egyptians?)
Yeah they were enslaved over there
For over 400 years of hard labor and tears
What a coincidence (Almost the same time?)
Yep! Black people had spent over here
Which brings me to this important fact
The ancient Israelites were black!
(If we keep his laws and study his commandments
We can chase the devil right off of our planet
If we don't lie, hate or kill one another
Boys obey your fathers, girls obey your mother)
And this is law
Sing along children
Sing along
Priest!
(Now there's Cain)
Who killed Abel over jealousy
And this been going on for centuries
(So who is he?)
Your Condoleezza's, your Oprah Winfrey's
(And who is that?)
Michael Jordan, your Muhammad Ali's
(Tell us more about Esau)
And Jacob, sure
Want to hear more? (Yeah!)
Well they were twins in Rebekah's womb
And they were fighting
(Fighting for what?) For more room
I guess, so she suggest, she should ask the Lord
So she prayed, while her husband Jacob snored
And she was told: "These two kids should be two nations
From the womb they shall be separated
The one shall be stronger then the other
(But they were brothers)
And one loved by the father
The other by the mother"
And look deep in the story you will discover
(The mysteries)
The first kid was hairy and red; he was a hunter
Sold his birth right because of hunger
The second child was a cool peaceful brother
His skin resemble his father and mother
Nutting more to explain
Let's say later on in the chapters their names changed
And nothing ever stays the same
Good night!
(Priest talking)
Dedicated to one of the greatest emcees ever
Slick Rick; I love you brother
(Hosea 4, Verse 6)
I'm out, G-Sciples
Good night!
(Read Hosea 4, Verse 6)
G-Sciples
(Read Hosea 4, Verse 6)
The lyrics to Killah Priest's "The World" address various religious and historical themes, beginning with a discussion of the laws of the "most high" received by Moses on Mount Sinai. The song notes that the ancient Israelites were black and were enslaved for over 400 years in Egypt, a fact that is presented in relation to the history of black people in America. The chorus repeats the phrase "what we're living in" to emphasize the importance of acknowledging the world as it is and working to make changes.
The song then moves into a discussion of the biblical story of Cain and Abel, pointing out that jealousy and violence have been present in the world for centuries. The story of Jacob and Esau is also addressed, with Killah Priest providing a brief overview of their conflict and its resolution. Throughout the song, the lyrics encourage listeners to study religious doctrine and follow ethical principles, including honesty, nonviolence, and respect for authority.
Overall, "The World" is a complex and thought-provoking song that raises important questions about social and religious issues. By blending historical and biblical themes with contemporary commentary, Killah Priest encourages listeners to engage critically with the world around them and work to create a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
What we're living in
Killah Priest is referring to the state of society and the world that we are living in
What we use to
The current situation that we are living in, which is a result of what we have been using or depending on
The whole damn world
The entirety of the world, encompassing the people, the laws, or simply put, the current state of everything
Yes we're living in
The repetition reinforces the idea of our current living conditions that Killah Priest wants to highlight
(So what we live by?)
The laws of the most high
The laws of God or the Almighty that serve as the basis for how we should live
(Moses?) Yes!
He received that on Mount Sinai
God's commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai, which make them the basis for how we should live our lives
(For the Israelites right?)
Indeed, 'cause man once believed in other Gods
They received the sun, moon and stars
(From the Egyptians?)
Yeah they were enslaved over there
For over 400 years of hard labor and tears
What a coincidence (Almost the same time?)
Yep! Black people had spent over here
Which brings me to this important fact
The ancient Israelites were black!
The ancient Israelites received the wisdom of the true God through Moses, and were saved from their enslavement under the Egyptians. This is important because the Israelites were actually black people
(If we keep his laws and study his commandments
We can chase the devil right off of our planet
If we don't lie, hate or kill one another
Boys obey your fathers, girls obey your mother)
And this is law
By following God's laws, we can rid our society of evil and violence. Killah Priest outlines God's commandments - to avoid lying, hating, or killing others
(Now there's Cain)
Who killed Abel over jealousy
And this been going on for centuries
(So who is he?)
Your Condoleezza's, your Oprah Winfrey's
(And who is that?)
Michael Jordan, your Muhammad Ali's
(Tell us more about Esau)
And Jacob, sure
Want to hear more? (Yeah!)
Well they were twins in Rebekah's womb
And they were fighting
(Fighting for what?) For more room
I guess, so she suggest, she should ask the Lord
So she prayed, while her husband Jacob snored
And she was told: "These two kids should be two nations
From the womb they shall be separated
The one shall be stronger then the other
(But they were brothers)
And one loved by the father
The other by the mother"
And look deep in the story you will discover
(The mysteries)
The first kid was hairy and red; he was a hunter
Sold his birth right because of hunger
The second child was a cool peaceful brother
His skin resemble his father and mother
Nutting more to explain
Let's say later on in the chapters their names changed
And nothing ever stays the same
Good night!
Killah Priest explains how people, including influential figures like Condoleezza, Oprah, Ali, and Jordan, have been engaged in violence and jealousy since the time of Cain and Abel. He then describes the story of Rebekah's twins and how they were destined to become two different nations. Despite being brothers, they were different in character and only one was loved by the father. Their story contains many mysteries, but Killah Priest explains how these two nations are Esau, the hunter, and Jacob, the peaceful brother. The story of these two figures teach us that nothing ever stays the same, and we must stay mindful of our heritage and what we can learn from it.
(Read Hosea 4, Verse 6)
Killah Priest encourages his audience to read Hosea 4, Verse 6, which warns against forgetting God's laws
Contributed by Alexander M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
raph
killah priest never stops amazing
arashiku
I love his flow
Asanda Bikani
I just listened to Slick Rick for the first time, CHILDREN'S STORY. Man Priest has an eye for dope rappers, that guy is as cool as Priest.
Daniel N
BIG UPS IF YOU STILL BUMP THIS IN 2013 PRIESTHOOOOOOD MASADA 4EVER
36Oz
only 4000 views!!!!!! how lame this is probably the best album ive heard in a while, the offering was a classic!! i wish NaS was on this tho!! Go out and buy this!!!
jsosa504
Fire!!
BBD Destroyer
Some king author knights of Camelot type beat!
jay305
2019 still listening Tribe of Simeon and Levi.
Kasim Rai
such deepness
adam marsh
i tolde my church the devil is dead and they whanted to see a death certificit