Black August
Rap isn't all about rags to excessive riches anymore. Thanks to die-hard lyricists like Nas and Eminem, hip-hop has finally started to move out of the superficial thrill of material excess and more towards an elevated position of lyrical enlightenment. Although he never surrendered his poetic authenticity, Killah Priest couldn't have picked a better time to present his spiritually minded fourth album, Black August. In an effort to cleanse rap's tainted state, the Brooklyn rapper (born Walter Reed) has created a solid collection of beats, rhymes, and life that not only showcases his dedication to the art of MCing, but also introduces a fresh crop of producers whose rich soundscapes stand strong behind Killah Priest's dense scripture."I know Black August's going to inspire rappers to step up their game," assures the Wu-Tang affiliate of his most cohesive audio collection to date. "I think it's time for real artists to come out and put their heart back into it." Ever since Killah Priest was introduced to hip-hop heads in 1997 on the poignant track, "B.I.B.L.E." from his rhyme mentor GZA's legendary Liquid Swords, Priest has flexed his poetic license to fantastic results. He was also a key collaborator on the horror-core cult classic albums Six Feet Deep and The Pick, The Sickle, and The shovel by the Gravediggers which gave Priest the opportunity to form the holy-core collective Sons of Man.But it was Killah Priest's run with the Wu-Tang Clan that gave him the proper studio training and worldwide exposure he needed to become a bona fide solo artist. In 1998, after touring the continental U.S. and Europe extensively with the Shaolin masters, Priest released his debut, Heavy Mental on Geffen Records to critical acclaim. He followed with two more solo offerings, 2000's View From Masada (MCA), and his independently released Priesthood (Proverbs) both of which were embraced by fans and critics alike.Today, Killah Priest has his sights set on shaking up the rap game's current events. "I've been put in the dark so long this is my time to come out and brighten up the rap game," explains Priest. "Black August is a phenomenon, it's not a gimmick. It's my heart spilled out on paper." When it comes to lyrics, few can express the trials and tribulations of the daily grind like Priest can. On the innovative stylings of "When I'm Writing", Killah breaks down his personal form of psychotherapy into a series of mentally charged metaphors, "I write rhymes like I'm doing time/Listen, when I hit the pen I start doing a sentence/ I got the flow locked behind each bar." Later on the conceptually driven "Deja Vu", Priest flips a dramatic storyline of a criminal trapped in a horrific turn of events. And "Robbery" perfectly exemplifies Priest's metaphoric vision as he uses an everyday heist to represent his aim to claim what is rightfully his. Pushing past what's expected of him, "Rain" finds Priest on the come-up, spitting with a Midwestern influenced bounce track alongside Main Flow.With an arsenal of solid tracks and candid lyrics, Killah Priest is in the best shape of his life. With his freshly inked deal with Recon/Artemis, Priest is determined to make serious moves. "It's about time I had the right promotion behind me. A real team of individuals, that's what this album is all about," declares Priest. "That's why I called it Black August. It's gonna be a terror to some, but to others, it'll be a nice day." With his steadfast devotion to enhancing hip-hop culture, Killah Priest is poised to break some new ground and give the game exactly what it's missing.