I remember an article in HipHopConnection back around 2000 where they crowned Priest's debut "the best hip-hop album of all time" and while there's no singular dopest LP ever made in my opinion, it's definitely up there. And as if Priest's lyrical power wasn't enough to bring this album home, 4th Disciple probably hooked up his best batch of beats for "Heavy Mental" - not to mention True Master's and Y-Kim's contributions. Fantastic flow and delivery, a commanding voice, lyrics packed with knowledge and his obviously a very smart person the only Wu-Tang representer that I can think of to be on that specific level is The GZA/Genius. Throughout the 20 tracks Killah Priest proved that he was easily one of the best emcees of all time, and still to this day his debut album stands as one of the sickest lyrical displays ever put down on wax. "Heavy Mental" runs for over 75 minutes without ever getting boring and should be listened to from beginning to end as it's one of a kind journey into the mind and spirit of Walter Reed. Or " Science Project" where Priest switch up his flow to tell a haunting narrative of a young kid in a rough hood that finds himself in a set-up over a frantic beat that builds up to the agressive end when you can barely take it anymore, Like Priest's companion Shabazz the Disciple once said: " Artists like 50 Cent and Jay-Z, they glorify the hood. Just check 4th Diisciple's paranoid backdrop and floating horns on " Information" where Priest dwells deep into scary, but most likely often true, conspiracy theories. Few times before or after have the production and heavy mental vocal performance by a true lyricist been such a perfect marriage. Almost the oppisute of your traditional '98 rap record consdering how different it was, the atmospheric and mystical producton that featured some of 4th Disciple, Y-Kim and Arabian Knight. It took me some time to fully appreciate the mental genius that is this album truly was.
But unlike Masta Killa, Priest is more of a solo artist than a team player as proven by his 1998 solo debut "Heavy Mental" still to this day, one of the illest and most original hip-hop albums ever created.
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