Heavy Mental

Heavy Mental is the debut studio album by the American rapper Killah Priest, released in March 1998.^[1][2] Killah Priest is an associate of hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan and a member of the group Sunz of Man.^[3]

Heavy Mental
Studio album by Killah Priest
Released	March 1998
Recorded	1997–98, 1995 (B.I.B.L.E.)
Genre	Hip hop
Length	74:12
Label	Geffen/MCA GEFD-24971
Producer	True Master Y-Kim 4th Disciple Killah Priest The Arabian Knight John the Baptist
Killah Priest chronology
Heavy Mental (1998) View from Masada (2000)

The album contains references to Judeo-Christian-Islamic mythology and theology, drawing parallels to the condition of Black people in the United States to that of the Jewish people during Exodus. A notable track on the CD is "B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)", which had appeared on GZA's 1995 Liquid Swords album in a slightly different form. Another is the title track, which features Killah Priest rhyming in a style reminiscent of slam poetry and prominently features a didgeridoo. "One Step", with its refrain of "Your arms too short to box with God", reached No. 84 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop singles chart. The album peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200^[4] and No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop charts.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
Robert Christgau	A−[6]
NME	8/10[7]
RapReviews	8.5/10[8]
Spin	8/10[9]

Spin noted that Killah Priest's rapping is "more consistently metaphysical than Ghostface's blunt confessions but still in line with the Wu belief that black soul is more interesting than black violence."^[9] Robert Christgau deemed the album "Shaolin mystagogy meets millenarian panic in music for the end time."^[6]

Track listing

Track listing information is taken from the official liner notes.^[10]

Heavy Mental

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"			0:53
2.	"One Step" (Featuring Tekitha and Hell Razah)	Walter Reed Derek Harris	True Master	4:20
3.	"Blessed Are Those"	Walter Reed Ernest Aye	Y-Kim the illfigure	3:28
4.	"From Then Till Now"	Walter Reed Ernest Aye	Y-Kim the illfigure	3:44
5.	"Cross My Heart" (Featuring Inspectah Deck and Genius/GZA)	Walter Reed Derek Harris Jason Hunter Gary Grice	True Master	3:46
6.	"Fake MC's"	Walter Reed Selwyn Bogard	4th Disciple	3:36
7.	"It's Over"	Walter Reed Selwyn Bogard	4th Disciple	3:29
8.	"Crusaids"	Walter Reed Selwyn Bogard	4th Disciple	0:58
9.	"Tai Chi" (Featuring Hell Razah, 60 Second Assassin and Father Lord: R.I.P.)	Walter Reed Selwyn Bogard C. Smith F. Cuffie	4th Disciple	4:02
10.	"Heavy Mental"	Walter Reed	Killah Priest	4:16
11.	"If You Don't Know" (Featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard)	Walter Reed Russell Jones Derek Harris	True Master	5:15
12.	"Atoms to Adam" (Featuring Shangai the Messenger)	Walter Reed Selwyn Bogard	4th Disciple	5:28
13.	"High Explosives"	Walter Reed Sulayman Ansari	The Arabian Knight	3:04
14.	"Wisdom"	Walter Reed Selwyn Bogard	4th Disciple	2:03
15.	"B.I.B.L.E."	Walter Reed Selwyn Bogard	4th Disciple	4:52
16.	"Mystic City"	Walter Reed Ernest Aye	Y-Kim the illfigure	4:11
17.	"Information"	Walter Reed Selwyn Bogard	4th Disciple	4:42
18.	"Science Projects" (Featuring Hell Razah)	Walter Reed Selwyn Bogard	4th Disciple	4:19
19.	"Almost There"	Walter Reed Selwyn Bogard	4th Disciple	3:55
20.	"The Professional"	Walter Reed John Hitchman, Jr.	John The Baptist	3:48
Total length:				74:09

Notes

• "The Professional" is only found on CD versions of the album.

Samples

• "From Then Till Now" contains a sample of "Diamonds Are Forever", written by D. Black/J. Barry and performed by London Starlight Orchestra, and a sample of "The Man In The Raincoat", written by W. Warwick and performed by Marion Marlow.
• "Fake MC's" contains a sample of "My Little Brown Book", written by B. Strayhorn and performed by John Coltrane & Duke Ellington.
• "Atoms to Adam" contains a sample of "Sweet Pain", written by M. Brook/Ali Khan and performed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn, and dialogue from the speech "Blue Eyed Devil" by Malcolm X.
• "Information" contains a sample of "All The Kings Horses", written by A. Franklin and performed by Grover Washington, Jr.

Album singles

Single information
"Cross My Heart" (featuring GZA and Inspectah Deck) Released: 1997 B-Side:
"One Step" (featuring Tekitha & Hell Razah) Released: 1998 B-Side: "Moanin'" (feat. Killa Sin) / "Street Opera" (feat. Hell Razah)
"If You Don't Know" (featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard) Released: 1998 B-Side: "Blessed Are Those"

References

1. Fernando Jr., S. H. (2021). From the Streets of Shaolin: The Wu-Tang Saga. Hachette Books.
2. Berman, Marshall; Berger, Brian, eds. (2007). New York Calling: From Blackout to Bloomberg. Reaktion. p. 354.
3. The 100 Greatest Bands of All Time: A Guide to the Legends Who Rocked the World. ABC-CLIO. 2015. p. 709.
4. "Billboard 200". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 16. Apr 18, 1998. p. 83.
5. "Heavy Mental Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
6. "Killah Priest". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
7. Goldsmith, Mike. "Killah Priest Heavy Mental". NME. Archived from the original on 2000-08-17.
8. Rodriguez, Kenny (June 29, 2004). "Killah Priest Heavy Mental". RapReviews. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
9. Frere-Jones, Sasha (Apr 1998). "Mama Said Knock You Out". Spin. Vol. 14, no. 4. p. 123.
10. Heavy Mental (booklet). Killah Priest. Geffen/MCA Records. 1998. GEFD-24971.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)