THE GOOD NEWS:
The lyrics here just don't stop. KP is dropping serious knowledge on Heavy Mental. A lot of the beats are ill, too. Props go out to 4th Disciple, especially, for backing up Priest's odd lyrics with even more hallucinogenic beats.

THE BAD NEWS:
This isn't for everyone. A few of the beats here are just a tad on the boring side, and the entire album may seem dull to some tastes. It also seems to lack that special something -- that intangible quality that seperates the very good albums from the truly great ones.

Yo. What up? Not much here. I'm just enjoying my Spring Break (which is unfortunately drawing to a close). As you can see from my "Next Time" list, the next albums I'm reviewing will be the 2-disc (which means it'll be a short review) My Homies by Scarface and Co-Flow's Funcrusher Plus, as well as the underrated God Sound by Boogiemonsters. Also, be sure to check for reviews of the new albums by Gang Starr and A Tribe Called Quest not long after they hit the streets. But, for now, it's the newest Wu-Tang album (well, actually it's not the newest, as Cappadonna's album just came out a few days ago), Heavy Mental by Killah Priest.

Killah Priest isn't one of the nine official members of the Wu-Tang Clan. Instead, he's one of the 500 or so Wu-affiliates, along with emcees such as Cappadonna, Killarmy, La the Darkman, and Shyheim. However, unlike some of the Wu-family that just can't measure up to the Clan itself, Killah Priest holds his own with the best out of Shaolin. Also the a member of yet another Wu-affiliate crew, Sunz of Man, Killah Priest first made his mark on the world with appearances on solo albums by Ol Dirty Bastard and Genius/GZA. Particularly noteworthy was the song "B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)" on Genius's Liquid Swords. With no one else from the Wu backing him up, Killah Priest closed up Genius's album on the solo tip. It was an incredible song, showing tremendous potential for future releases by Killah Priest and Sunz of Man.

This brings us to Heavy Mental, KP's first solo album, released on Geffen Records. Let me tell you, Heavy Mental is about as fitting of a title as you can get for this album, as Killah Priest is dropping knowledge like encyclopedias into the Grand Canyon.

Heavy Mental begins with an intro track. Guess what it's called? "Intro." Wow. Big surprise. However, this one's cooler than its name suggests, since it's another one of those Wu-dialogue dubs that's lifted from some old Kung-Fu flick. Actually, it might not be a Kung-Fu film. . . just something along those lines. I've always liked these on all of the previous Wu albums, so I liked this one, too. It sounds just goofy enough to be really cool.

Well, Killah Priest really begins his lecturing with "One Step."

"Early natives related to throwns of David
 Captured by some patriots, and thrown on slave ships
 They stripped us naked, while they wives picked they favorite
 Lives were wasted, in the hands of the hated
 Driven from the garden, now we starvin in the modern Sodom
 They call it Harlem"

This is dope. KP's flow is nice, the lyrics are definitely nice, and the production is nice, too. What a nice guy.

	  "The president just ordered the Navy to hit the borders of Haiti
	   Slaughtered babies from the waters of Euphrates"

    "Promised us 40 acres and a mule, treated like an animal
     Understand the jewel, brought to the 50 states 
     Deuteronomy 28, verse 68, it all relates, 1555 is when we first arrived"

Some of you might disagree, but when a rapper is flippin knowledge like that, I at least have to give him a listen. Killah Priest was definitely worth the listen.

The tempo slows a bit for "Blessed Are Those." The beat here, produced by Y Kim the illfigure (somebody that I've never heard of before), is on the sparse side of things, consistenting of only a drumbeat, a bass-line, and occasionally a quiet sample of a female vocalist. Even without much noise, this track still did it for me.

	       "Many alliance will end, it's like a sad song
	        from a violin, trapped like Daniel's in the Lion's Den
	        Tryin to pierce the iron skin, of Leviathan
	        Souls blowin in the violent winds"

  "We forever servin Nebuchenezer, since the days of our ancestors
   Slaves to a mad pleasure, building great architectures
   Sharp dressers, smart professors
   Start my lecture, I build lyrics like a art director
   Show it to you like the film projector"

			  "Once shoved in ships, now we Bloods and Crips
			   Thugs with clips, niggas who love their clicks
			   Hit the clubs and sh*t, so they can rub their hips
			   Hugs and flicks, niggas with drugs and whips"

Um, does anyone not think this is dope? Just hearing this feels like a breath of fresh air to me. The lyrics are conscious, and well-done. What more can you ask for?

"From Now Till Then" continues the dopeness. It's not a great track or anything, but fits in nicely.

      "I can't take it, beauty that was once sacred
       Is now gettin facelifts, fake tits, and fake lips"

"Children used to grow on lillies, now they roll up Phillies
 But the pyramids of Cheops, is my weed spot
 Sometimes I eavesdrop in the books of Enoch
 We went from studying epistles of Paul
 Beneath a waterfall, rubbin crystal balls
 But now we spray paint initials on the wall"

KP gets some help from some other members of the Wu-fam on "Cross My Heart." Genius/GZA and Inspectah Deck guest-star, which all in all makes this one a collaboration of the three dopest emcees in the Wu, in my opinion.

 	     "The capacity of tragedy, hold the crowd down like gravity
 	      Back the f*ck off, stop grabbing me, hands off me, niggas start to bore me
 	      I'm getting sleepy, I need some coffee, me and my Wu-bandits
 	      We carry niggas deep in the canvas, body bandage, like some mummies
 	      You f*cking dummies, you can't take nothing from me
 	      It's the longest waited, the most anticipated, the album amputated
 	      Scream the name out Killah Priest, I leave the blood filling in the street"

		        "My force is combined, new world, 2009
		         Digital, criminals you'll make mils in cyber-crime"

  "I'm victorious with no opponents, I blast through components, with microphonics
   Watch the whole world live the moment, anything in time
   Became approaching this, are incompable of speech, remains motionless"

The lyrics definitely didn't disappoint here, with GZA coming off especially tight.

Speaking of tight, KP decides to take out all the suckas with "Fake MC's."

	   "Claim that you're dons, rap superstars look cute with your cigars
	    It's like that, where your mics at? Bite me, I bite back
	    Plus I break backs, you can sue me, yours truly, say I'm phony 
	    There's too many rappers in the East wanna be gangstas
	    Too many gangstas in the West wanna be rappers
	    Bunch of actors, I oughta smack ya, who's your master?"

Did you hear that? He said, "Too many rappers in the East wanna be gangstas/Too many gangstas in the West wanna be rappers." Damn!

  "Show your mad face, and only show bad taste
   Runnin around like your delirious
   Foamin from the mouth like you're furious
   I'd rather be serious, keep the audience curious"

And Killah Priest does keep it serious. . . I don't think there's much intended humor on this album at all.

Next, KP speeds it up a little with "It's Over." I didn't feel this one as much as some of the other cuts. It's still good. . . just not overly dope.

			  "All science addicts, religious fanatics,
			   Curiosity seekers, Biblical preachers, historians,
			   Ritual believers, scholars, teachers, spiritual leaders,
			   High priests, generals, sergeants, and them rude captains,
			   Lieutenants, lower your gimmicks I'm the Hip-Hopper"

Again, the song doesn't keep up with the pace Priest was going at in terms of dopeness, but it's still far from wack.

Next, KP hits us with the 58 second "Crusaids." He really just says some stuff, then repeats it. Not too much here to get too excited about. . .

There is quite a bit to get excited about for Wu-heads on "Tai Chi," though. The beat here, provided by 4th Disciple, is probably the illest on the album, and Killah Priest definitely doesn't disappoint with the lyrics.

"We buildin projects to pyramids, evil kid
 I destroy your ass like London Bridge"

Some guy named Father Lord with a pseudo-ragga flow comes in for the second verse. I had no clue what he was saying, for the most part. And I guess since I'm too lazy to look up the lyrics on Flash's site (even though I just made a link and all I'd have to do was click on it), so I'll just forget about them for now.

One of the coolest cuts on Heavy Mental is the title-track, "Heavy Mental." This one is more of a spoken-word track than a true rap track, but it's still ill. The lyrics to this one were actually printed in the CD's booklet.

    "I'm the pilot on galactical plain of knowledge the culture my sculpture
     Light up the ultra violet so you could see my brain is symbolic to a palace
     Therefore I keep my hair stylish, flesh solid and my teeth polished 
     Next stage, examine my x-ray, take notest for your essay
     And let my cassette play for longer than a decade"

	            	     "The world looks at me with envy and hatred
		     	      Just because I appear to them half naked
		     	      With an arm full of solid gold bracelets 
			      The only time you could catch jet lag
		  	      Is if you cassette drag"

Next up is "If You Don't Know," featuring the only and only Ol' Dirty Bastard. Osiris (that is his nickname these days, right?) makes a memorable appearance, and as a whole, this song is dope.

"I'm complete analyzer of your entire eye
 Debut not told to crawl, so walk on by
 I'm the insect in your pie, the hair to your lie
 Do good to you mind, your question to your why
 The wing to your fly, bone to your high
 The Dirt Dog, I be the God, the tear to your cry"

		 	 	        "From religious cults, half man and half goat
		   	  		 Tomorrow hopes, based on the horoscopes
		   	  		 We followed goats, our nose and hella smoke
		   	           	 Fire breathin dragons, I rubbed the gold lantern
		   	  		 To the see the future, through the crystal ball"

Killah Priest keeps up the good work on "Atoms to Adams." The track kicks off with an extremely dope sung chorus by some cat named Shanghai the Messenger, then it goes into KP's verse.

 	 "Transform from the celestial, shot through a sexual
  	  Terristical, testicle vessel, small as a decimal where I nestle
  	  Nine months later, special delivery, the Killah P-R-I-E-S-T
  	  From the fetus to the cleavage, from atoms to adams"

This reminded me of something, but I can't tell exactly what. . . oh, well.

Next up is "High Explosives."

					"I'm a space cadet, with a tape and a cassette
					 Player, mine faster than prayer, or pass me the ozone layer"

		"Been updated, microphone mighty king David
		 My eyes have seen the spaceship, lying of Judah"

Not bad. . . this one is a little more laid back than much of the album, but it's still dope.

As if you weren't hearing enough wisdom already, KP actually comes with a track entitled "Wisdom" next.

    	 "With God control, I take a photo of the globe
     	  Like a space probe, let your tape roll to roll
      	  My ways of life shine purple rays of light
     	  Ways that are right take long days and night
     	  Then I enter wind, there's no interfere
     	  No sense of care, tense at the prayer"

The background track here is nice, too.

 "Abortin the River Jordan like a RZA recordin
  4th Disciple, bring forth the cycle
  Or a tidal wave, it's like a Bible page"

On the subject of Bible pages, this leads right into "B.I.B.L.E." Yes, "B.I.B.L.E." is on Heavy Mental. The exact same track that was on Genius's Liquid Swords. It almost felt like a bit of a rip-off. . . I wish they would've at least done a remix or something, as I've already heard the song a thousand times. Still, it does sound just as good as it did three years ago, and if you haven't heard it, you definitely won't complain that it's on here. It's easily the best track on the album, in my mind.

KP comes back with an original track in the form of "Mystical City."

	  "Theory of the 12 monkeys, left in this cold war hungry
	   We kill over blood money, the cops seem to think it's funny
	   We murder over pennies and crumbs"

  "Half of my crew is atheists
   While the other halfs waiting on a spaceship
   I can't take it"

Even the chorus in this one was cool. Definitely a great cut on the album.

Track #17, "Information," is sorta on that New World Order-paranoia type tip that seems to be prevalent in underground Hip-Hop these days (not that Killah Priest is very "underground," he's signed on Geffen Records for God's sake, but he fits the profile of an underground emcee quite well despite his major label status). This one's cool. . . but not as cool as it could've been.

	  "Information, we have to come with the laser scanners and shoot ya
	   In supermarkets and department stores, direct mail houses
	   Were to record every single items we purchase
	   Data about ya, daily habits, and movements will flow into the B-system
	   From spy satellites, constantly searching overhead
	   Watching us like we're squirting, a suburban 666 database investigate
	   Entire race heading for a cyberspace
	   Riots breaks inside an empire states, every move you make, is recorded on tape"

The only thing that really didn't make much sense about this is that Killah Priest keeps on saying that we're being watched, and that soon the government will completely control our lives. . . but he offers no sort of fact to back it up. He just keeps going on like some crazed millitia man. It would've been much cooler if he would've pointed out some of the recent events that actually do support the New World Order theory (like Poor Righteous Teachers did on their last album, for instance).

"Science Projects" features fellow Sun of Man, Hell Razah. He doesn't really do any rapping, though, just the song's outro. Killah takes care of all the emceeing duties. And, as you can imagine, he does a good job.

						   "You sound like a savage
						    Couple of years ago you spoke mathematics
						    I peeped your ways now you carry automatics
				  		    And try to give niggas traffic"

This brings us to the last couple of tracks of the album, "Almost There" and "The Professional." To tell the truth, this is Killah Priest at his worst. The beats are strictly-by-the-numbers-eery-Wu-Tang-production (like we haven't heard that enough already), and the cat seems to have run out of interesting lyrics. If one of these songs wake you up on your radio alarm clock, you won't need to hit the snooze button to fall back asleep. Be sure not to operate heavy machinery while listen to these. "The Professional" is a little better than "Almost There," but the same loop over and over again grew on my nerves. . .

Well, aside from those last two tracks, I have to say, I REALLY liked Killah Priest's debut album. It's got what I really appreciate rap albums having: intelligent, conscious lyrics, and original beats. KP delivers all that I expected. A lot of heads were disappointed by this one, but I don't see why, unless they were expecting a classic.

Really, though, in many ways, Heavy Mental reminded me of Genius/GZA's Liquid Swords. It's a Wu-Tang album filled with wisdom backed up by low-key beats. And like GZA's album, this definitely isn't for everyone. I remember how many people thought Liquid Swords was boring. I'm sure even more will think that KP's offering is dull. However, even with these similarities, be sure to keep in mind that Killah Priest's album is nowhere near the quality of the masterpiece Genius put out in 1995.

This is a good album and should definitely be in the collections of all Wu-jockers around the world (I myself might be included in that group). If you're gonna try to rock a party, pick up something else. Personally, I'm not going to be trying to rock many parties, so this'll do. :) I just LOVE it when emcees drop knowledge. That's why rappers like KRS-One and Ras Kass are among my favorites. However, Killah isn't quite on the level of a KRS or a Ras. . . at least not yet. He doesn't seem to back up his arguments as well, or come quite as focused, not to mention the fact that his rhymes are almost completely devoid of humor, something which KRS and Ras Kass were able to use to their advantage. But, with albums of this nature still very, very rare, if you get into conscious, intellectual rap music, I recommend that you purchase Heavy Mental. It's certainly a large step above the majority of what's out there, and, as it stands, is one of my favorite albums released thus far in 1998. I've been playing it constantly. It's pretty damn good. And that's all I have to say about it.

---Steve Clark

Did I get it wrong? E-mail me at stevec@netnitco.net with all comments or questions you may have.

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