Masta Killa was the last member to join the Wu-Tang Clan; consequently he did not appear on the group's debut single "Protect Ya Neck". He was also the only member not to already be an experienced rapper at the time of the group's formation. He was extensively mentored by the GZA during his early days with the group, evident in the similar flow they both employ. He derived his rap name from the 1978 kung-fu film Shaolin Master Killer, (Shao Lin san shi liu fang). Masta only appeared on one track on the Wu-Tang Clan's first album in 1993, though his only verse on the album, the closing verse to "Da Mystery of Chessboxin", is considered by many fans to be one of its most memorable. Masta only narrowly made the track, and was almost left off in favor of Killah Priest. In fact, on the No Said Date DVD, Killah Priest claims that he and Masta Killa were in competition for the spot on Da Mystery of Chessboxin', and while Killah Priest fell asleep, Masta Killa stayed up all night writing rhymes and Killah Priest woke up the next morning to Masta Killa's verse. Since he was a developing rapper at the time Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) was being written, his verse in "Da Mystery of Chessboxin" was the only one that could hold up with the other, more experienced Wu-Tang members.
During the first round of solo projects, he made several appearances on tracks now considered Wu-Tang classics, such as "Winter Warz", "Duel of the Iron Mic", and "Glaciers of Ice". His flow at the time attracted attention for being very slow and laid-back, in contrast to the more manic, forceful styles of members like Inspectah Deck and Ghostface Killah. Masta Killa is also the Clansman fondest of Chinese martial arts imagery. In 1997, the Wu-Tang Clan's second album Wu-Tang Forever saw Masta become a mainstay in the group's line-up with regular appearances throughout the double album.
Masta Killa was the last member to release a solo project, after it was delayed for several years and finally released in June 2004 (2004 in music) with the title No Said Date. It was critically acclaimed and heralded by fans as a return to form for the Clan, with an ethos and sound reminiscent of the early and mid-1990s Wu-Tang and affiliate albums. His second album, Made in Brooklyn, was released in August 8, 2006, and includes production from Pete Rock and MF DOOM. "Ringing Bells", the Bronze Nazareth-produced lead single from the album, was released in March 2006. Also in 2006, Masta Killa became the latest in a succession of hip hop artists to endorse PETA, also participating in an advertisement for the organization and is also vegetarian.
He is known for being the most quiet and mysterious member of the Wu-Tang Clan, and little is still known about him. He rarely speaks in Wu-Tang interviews, and does not give many independent interviews. "I know I seem serious and quiet to a lot of the fans. That's because I take my work seriously. It's not a game. The Clan and I work hard to give you the best," says Masta Killa.
Name
Masta Killa takes his name from the 1978 film by Lau Kar-leung called Master Killer also known as The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. The main character in the movie is played by Gordon Liu who can be seen in many other films including a double role in Kill Bill.
Aliases
Jamel Irief (pron. Juh-mel I-reef)
High Chief
Noodles (from the film Once Upon a Time in America)
Cereal Man
Luongo
Digiwarfare
Masta Killa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We gon' take this back to old school
Off the head one time
Get the DJ set right here
Give 'em somethin' to scratch
Know what I'm sayin'?
My nigga Choco
Jam Master Jay on the 1's and 2's
Red Alert, Marley Marl
Funkmaster Flex and uh, Mr. Cee
I can't forget, Sway and Tech
Jazz, Joyce, DJ Clue? Cocoa Chanel
I be Jamel, I rocks the mic well, well
Rock the mic well, well
[Masta Killa]
On and On, to the break of dawn
Come all the way home say "What the.. Pop home"
Freak 'em to the left while we rock 'em to the right
Brooklyn in the house, who want to fight?
And we bounce, roll to the skate ya rock
Hip to the hop and ya don't dare stop
Come alive party people, gimme what you got
I guess by now you can take a hunch
Fine, I'm the ninth member of the bunch
Rockin' old school ain't shit to me
MC's OD on the shit that I wrote
Can we smoke while I'm drinkin'? I'm thinkin' of both
Sugar, I want to rock yo ass until the mornin'
Dia moanin', Jamel Arief, High Chief, comin' outta East Medins
[Chorus: Masta Killa]
Ladies in the house if ya clockin' Gs
Sippin' on drink, Long Island Iced Teas
Lookin' all good from ya toes to ya weave
Tell the fellas back up and like let ya breathe
Fellas in the house if ya know ya live
Punch killas in the face from Queens to Bed-stuy
Handlin' the steel if the shit get real
Just flip a pie and stack a mil'
[Masta Killa]
Activation, mind starts sparkin'
Constant elevation, sky walkin'
David Thompson, my Wu niggaz stompin'
Down the boulevard, shakin' yo ass
You better watch yo self, I'm tight slick
with a nice size, lemme see you work it
She full of suckin' in public
Ol' Dirty Bastard use it on a visit in, ya wit it?
Then holla like wheels on appeal, don't squeel
Just keep it on the wheels for the Masta Kill
Just givin' you somethin' that y'all can feel
I see you in the hood, then ya fam from 'til then
Slid through the back of the buildin', heat concealed in
Stare to your place
Rae bomb the elevator, an Incarcerated Scarface, staircase
The lace from the dominant race to the base
In ya face like paste, baby doll
Uh, uh, uh, uh
Yes yes y'all
Welcome to the block party
You might want to hit our deck but stay calm
It's only us, every thing's still, well.. plush
We freakin' the streets, the Shiek shows the beat {*echoes*}
[RZA]
1-2, 1-2 I'ma try this one more time
Lemme in there, yo put that nigga back son
[Crisis]
Yeah, hit hard
[Masta Killa]
Hip hop, like socialize
Clean out ya ears and ya open ya eyes
Liquid Sword to the city
Peace Allah Just, one of the committee
Let's separate the 6 for a chess contest
Leave a little stress
I'll snatch a bag of the Uptown's best
Make ya love it when ya smell it
It's the velvet
The chocolate for a 100
Dredd' got lbs if ya want to get down
We can catch 'em on the next round
My universal sound is like world reknowned
World reknowned, world reknowned
My universal sound is like world reknowned {*echoes*}
[Chorus]
The song "Digi Warfare" by Masta Killa takes the listener back to the old school style of hip hop. It starts off with an introduction that pays homage to the DJs and radio personalities who made a mark on the hip hop music industry, such as Jam Master Jay, Funkmaster Flex, and Red Alert. The lyrics speak of Masta Killa's skill and confidence as an MC, as well as his ability to rock the crowd and get them to "come alive." He also mentions his connection to the Wu-Tang Clan ("David Thompson, my Wu niggas stompin'"), and the importance of representing his block and his crew.
The chorus of the song is a call out to the ladies and fellas in the house, urging them to represent and be proud of where they come from. Masta Killa's flow is smooth and effortless, as he spits rhymes about his prowess on the mic and his talent for creating memorable lyrics that get people hype. He also speaks of the importance of unity within the hip hop community, and how coming together and supporting each other is key to success in the industry.
Overall, "Digi Warfare" is a classic hip hop track that showcases Masta Killa's skills as an MC, while paying tribute to the old school hip hop era and the legends who helped shape the genre.
Line by Line Meaning
We gon' take this back to old school
We are going to go back to old-school hip hop style
Off the head one time
We are performing improv without a pre-written script
Get the DJ set right here
Make sure the DJ is set up and ready to go
Give 'em somethin' to scratch
Give the DJ something to scratch or mix
My nigga Choco
Referring to a colleague named Choco
Jam Master Jay on the 1's and 2's
Giving a shout-out to legendary DJ Jam Master Jay on the turntables
This is how we do
This is how we perform, our style
Red Alert, Marley Marl
Shout-out to DJs Red Alert and Marley Marl
Funkmaster Flex and uh, Mr. Cee
Shout-out to DJs Funkmaster Flex and Mr. Cee
I can't forget, Sway and Tech
Shout-out to radio hosts Sway and Tech
Jazz, Joyce, DJ Clue? Cocoa Chanel
Shout-out to DJs Jazz, Joyce, DJ Clue?, and Cocoa Chanel
I be Jamel, I rocks the mic well, well
The rapper introduces himself as Jamel and boasts about his microphone skills
Rock the mic well, well
Reiterating the boast about being a skilled rapper
On and On, to the break of dawn
The party continues all night long
Come all the way home say "What the.. Pop home"
Getting hyped and excited after a night out at a party
Freak 'em to the left while we rock 'em to the right
Dancing and having a good time, moving in different directions
Brooklyn in the house, who want to fight?
Boasting about Brooklyn's rough reputation and daring anyone to fight
And we bounce, roll to the skate ya rock
Dancing and moving to the beat and rhythm of the music
Hip to the hop and ya don't dare stop
Encouraging people to keep dancing and enjoying the music
Come alive party people, gimme what you got
Encouraging the crowd to keep the energy high and enjoy the party
I guess by now you can take a hunch
Suggesting that by now people should know that he is a great rapper
Fine, I'm the ninth member of the bunch
Claiming to be the ninth member of the Wu-Tang Clan
Rockin' old school ain't shit to me
Saying that he is great at performing old-school hip hop music
MC's OD on the shit that I wrote
Saying that his lyrics are so good that other rappers can't handle it
Can we smoke while I'm drinkin'? I'm thinkin' of both
Asking if it's okay to smoke while drinking and shows that he wants to enjoy both vices
Sugar, I want to rock yo ass until the mornin'
Flirtatious lyrics aimed at a woman
Dia moanin', Jamel Arief, High Chief, comin' outta East Medins
Ending with more boastful lyrics about his skills and where he is from
Ladies in the house if ya clockin' Gs
Calling out to women who are looking to make money
Sippin' on drink, Long Island Iced Teas
Describing what the women are drinking
Lookin' all good from ya toes to ya weave
Complimenting women on their appearance
Tell the fellas back up and like let ya breathe
Asking men to give the women some space and not crowd them
Fellas in the house if ya know ya live
Addressing the men in the crowd and asking if they are confident and feeling good
Punch killas in the face from Queens to Bed-stuy
Boasting about being able to take down tough people
Handlin' the steel if the shit get real
Being prepared to use a weapon if necessary
Just flip a pie and stack a mil'
Making money by selling drugs
Activation, mind starts sparkin'
Getting motivated and energized
Constant elevation, sky walkin'
Continually striving and growing
David Thompson, my Wu niggaz stompin'
Referring to another rapper and his friends from the Wu-Tang Clan
Down the boulevard, shakin' yo ass
Dancing and enjoying the party
You better watch yo self, I'm tight slick with a nice size
Being confident and able to handle any situation with ease
lemme see you work it
Asking someone to dance and show their moves
She full of suckin' in public
Making a sexual reference
Ol' Dirty Bastard use it on a visit in, ya wit it?
Referencing another Wu-Tang Clan rapper and asking if the listener is interested in something sexual
Then holla like wheels on appeal, don't squeel
Telling someone to be discreet and not talk about what happens
Just keep it on the wheels for the Masta Kill
Keeping it discreet and not spreading gossip
Just givin' you somethin' that y'all can feel
Performing with energy and enthusiasm, providing a good time for the listeners
I see you in the hood, then ya fam from 'til then
Being friendly and supportive of people in his neighborhood
Slid through the back of the buildin', heat concealed in
Sneaking into a building with a weapon hidden
Stare to your place
Asserting dominance and intimidating someone
Rae bomb the elevator, an Incarcerated Scarface, staircase
More boastful lyrics about taking down an enemy in a building
The lace from the dominant race to the base
Saying that he is superior to his enemies
In ya face like paste, baby doll
Being direct and in someone's face, using endearing terms to create contrast
Welcome to the block party
Announcing that this is a block party and everyone is welcome
You might want to hit our deck but stay calm
Telling someone to relax and enjoy themselves
It's only us, every thing's still, well.. plush
Reassuring the listener that everything is under control and comfortable
We freakin' the streets, the Shiek shows the beat {*echoes*}
Dancing and enjoying the music in the streets
1-2, 1-2 I'ma try this one more time
The producer is trying to make some adjustments to the song
Lemme in there, yo put that nigga back son
Asking to be let into the song and telling someone else to step aside
Yeah, hit hard
Agreeing with the producer's change and indicating that it is effective
Hip hop, like socialize
Describing hip hop as a social activity
Clean out ya ears and ya open ya eyes
Encouraging people to pay attention and be aware
Liquid Sword to the city
Referencing his own album and expressing his presence in the city
Peace Allah Just, one of the committee
Giving a shout-out to a fellow rapper named Allah Just
Let's separate the 6 for a chess contest
Proposing a friendly game of chess with someone in the crowd
Leave a little stress
Relaxing and having fun, letting go of stress
I'll snatch a bag of the Uptown's best
Referring to drugs and indicating that he can obtain the best quality drugs
Make ya love it when ya smell it
Using a metaphor to describe the pleasant aroma of the drugs
It's the velvet
Another reference to the quality of the drugs
The chocolate for a 100
More lyrics referencing drugs and their quality
Dredd' got lbs if ya want to get down
Giving a shout-out to someone named Dredd and advertising that he has a lot of drugs available
We can catch 'em on the next round
Looking forward to another opportunity to make money selling drugs
My universal sound is like world reknowned
Saying that his music is universally appealing and successful
World reknowned, world reknowned
Repeating the boast about his music being famous and popular
My universal sound is like world reknowned {*echoes*}
Repeating the boast about his music being universally successful
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind