For well over a decade, the man born as Walter Reed, but known in the Hip-Hop world by his “Killah Priest” moniker has been feeding those who listen food for thought. Ever since his debut album, Heavy Mental back in 1998, he’s made sure the malnourished indulged in all that he had to offer.
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Now in the year of 2010, his spiritual and strong religious content is ready to once again connect with the people in the form of his tenth studio album, The 3 Day Theory. So as this Wu-Tang affiliate/HRSMN member sheds light on what has been left in the dark, make sure that you pay close attention— because you just might miss out on some valuable teachings.
StreetLogik.com: You just released your latest project, The 3 Day Theory… So for the people that haven’t gotten familiar with it yet, can you break down the concept and ideas behind it?
Killah Priest: We actually did it in three days, and the concept was just to knock out something really quick… So when we were knocking it out, cats were just coming with these beats and we were just challenging each other…
It got to the point where we’d see who could come up with the most beats and the most rhymes… Most of the songs, we didn’t even listen to them… We would just do them, knock it out, and put it away… Next thing you know; we would orchestrate it later on…
StreetLogik.com: With you doing The 3 Day Theory literally in three days, would you say it’s been your most challenging project to date?
Killah Priest: Nah, not really, because it was more fun… We had moments where brothers were getting married and getting divorced during the making of it— like if you look at the song ‘Betrayal’ with me and Cappadonna… There was just different situations, and whatever was going on at the time; we’d talk about it… We captured the moment of what was going on during that record…
StreetLogik.com: Do you ever feel like today’s Hip-Hop audience will have a hard time digesting your type of lyrical content?
Killah Priest: Before I thought like that [Laughs]… Before the labels would make me think that I was going too left field, and that there was something wrong with me… But now in these times that we’re living in with a different president, and all that Free Mason stuff with Jay-Z and Kanye [West]; I think the people prepared themselves for something like this… But we were talking about this stuff a long time ago…
StreetLogik.com: Speaking of talking about stuff a long time ago, The 3 Day Theory is your tenth album… So has the creative process gotten easier or harder?
Killah Priest: Man, I don’t know if I stepped into a vortex, but now I’m just giving it out man… The first couple of mixtapes I gave out for free, and there were some dope songs on there… Then on my forum, people were telling me what songs I should’ve put on whatever album…
I don’t really care man, you can call me crazy or whatever, but it was time to give it out… The vortex was the creation of energy that fell on me, and I just started creating…
StreetLogik.com: So how would you rate The 3 Day Theory versus your past projects like, Heavy Mental, Black August, The Offering, and Priesthood?
Killah Priest: I would definitely rate it as a Killah Priest joint that you should have… This is one that all the fans should get just on the strength… You have songs on there like ‘Outer Body Experience,’ and just all the different types of stuff that we’re doing… I would rate it up there, I would give The 3 Day Theory an 8.5.
StreetLogik.com: How would you rate yourself? How do you feel about your career up to this point? Do you feel as if you get the recognition you deserve?
Killah Priest: I’m going to say this: Priest never gets the props he deserves, and that’s what keeps me going… I’m thankful for my fans, but I always wanted more, and I was always striving for something big… So that is what keeps me going; you know? Right now, I’m doing this for me and my fans, and that’s what I’m concentrating on…
I’ve been around for a long time, but people think I’m new from the way the industry tried to suffocate me… It’s like they’re scared, but people out there know… That’s why I’m so glad for the Internet, and now I have access to put out any type of music that I want…
So I’m going to keep pushing too, and we’re going to see who lasts out of the machine or the man… If 10,000 people hear my music, then that’s 10,000 people that know what time it is… Even if it’s only a 1,000 hear it, then it’s 1,000 people that know what time it is…
StreetLogik.com: So when can the Hip-Hop world expect another HRSMN project with you, Kurupt, Canibus, and Ras Kass?
Killah Priest: The HRSMN project is in the works right now… We sat at the table like all grown men, and this happened two days ago, literally… I’m not lying… We had a conference call, and everybody took off their gloves and talked about it, because a lot of people are waiting for it… We look like idiots sitting around with so much to do, but we have this project to completely finish…
StreetLogik.com: When you’re working with lyricists of that caliber, does it ultimately push your pen game even further than it would otherwise?
Killah Priest: Sometimes you just have to blackout, because these dudes are all lyrical beasts… So I have to stay on my A-game, and they push me… You got Canibus and Ras Kass, and then you have Kurupt who is like the illest linguistic person alive; he knows how to throw words front and back [Laughs]… So I just blackout, man…
