Judah Priest is born in Philadelphia and raised in Staten Island, New York. Buddha Monk brought him closer to the world of the music industry and the Chambemusik label, with which Judah Priest began collaborating. Between the late 1990s and early 2000s, Judah Priest collaborated with some of Wu-Tang's main affiliates. His debut solo album, originally released in 2004, is launched by Buddha Monk and his group Brooklyn Zu. Production is mainly handled by Derrick Christopher, together with Judah Priest, some producers close to Killa Beez such as Falling Down, Rebel Dainja, Cee The Architek, Kevlaar 7 and 3Fifths, as well as Marc Peterman, Souljahz 4 GOD and OZ.
The Wu-Tang affiliated groups Staten All-Stars, Brooklyn Zu, The Lost Children of Babylon (and the internal duo Foundation), Zu-Bullies and the duo Da HURT participate on the album. In addition to them, Dungeon Masta, Salute da Kid, Darkim Be Allah, M-Eighty, Hell Razah, Timbo King & William Cooper of Black Market Militia are also present, as well as guests outside the Wu-universe like GS Advance, Doubie and Yung Budd, Isaiah, J J, G Ruger, Rain the Quiet Storm, Revelation, Dainjamental, Sadat X, G-Clef da Mad Komposa, Surgeon, Big City, Chubb Rock, Emceem and G-Fella.
The album opens with "Hallow Be Thy Name": the intro with kung-fu movie samples gives you oriental vibes and makes you understand that maybe you're on an album that is somehow linked to Wu-Tang, even if you couldn't understand how. Normal boom bap made by Derrick Christopher and Judah Priest for a rare solo by the author who delivers bars with a slow style over a beat that features a downtempo drum. "We Run This" is a mega posse featuring Staten Island rap group Staten All-Stars aka Staten Stars, which is made up of various Killa Beez related artists who are part of other groups, in most cases. In this posse of over six minutes, in addition to Judah Priest, there are Buddha Monk of Brooklyn Zu, Fes Taylor of Housegang, Iron Mic of Ruthless Bastards, Stumik and Donny Casch of Icewater, Baka Don and Heidi Flyce. Christopher's rhythm is ok with a normal drum and loop, the guys spit hardcore without carving out anything memorable.
The third choice has a boom bap with hard drums and ok rapping by Judah Priest. "Best Keep Secret" brings together Judah Priest, GS Advance of Vega Brothers and Yung Budd on a questionable beat by Christopher who places hard drums and an abrasive loop to support the performers' rough rapping. "If I Die" boasts the best soundscape of the project, it's no coincidence that it comes from the hands of Rebel Dainja, which he has already produced for several guys linked to the double v such as the group Killarmy, Dom Pachino and 9th Prince. Punchy loop, good melancholy melody, good drums, Judah Priest delivers worthily supported by singers Isaiah and J J. Judah Priest sounds confident on “The Love of Money” over a production conceived by Cee The Architek, a boy who in the following years produced for Inspectah Deck, Solomon Childs, Fes Taylor, Hanz On and Method Man.
The seventh choice features a pleasant chipmunk soul sample combined with good drums, a good melody created by the beatmaker OZ comes out which is the backdrop to the author's slow and confident rapping. Dungeon Masta of Brooklyn Zu Fam and G Ruger are the guests of "Walk These Streets": loop ok, drum hard, decent boom bap from Christopher, average rapping from the performers. The ninth track is another Derrick Christopher production: boom bap, honest loop, drum ok, in Judah Priest and the duo Da H.U.R.T. Double and Young Budd format. After a few minutes, Judah Priest returns solo in "Jah's Children" on one of the first productions of Kevlaar 7 of Wisemen. Fes Taylor of Housegang hosts “Love the Game”, over average boom bap production by Marc Peterpan. “Fallen Angels” is a big posse featuring Brooklyn Zu, Foundation, Rain the Quiet Storm, Revelation, LCOB and Zu Bullies as guests.
Over decent boom bap production by Souljahz 4 G.O.D, good downtempo drums, good melody, average rapping. The performers of this posse are 5 Foot Hyper Sniper of Zu Ninjaz, Flicky Fitz, John Murdock & Lex Starwind of Foundation (an inner duo of the group The Lost Children of Babylon aka LCOB), Menace O.B.E.Z. (affiliated with Brooklyn Zu), Rain the Quiet Storm and Revelation. Christopher places a good sample to build the rhythm of "I Rool On", while Falling Down provides its first beat on this record in "Foolish Games", inserting a soulful chipmunk sample to support Judah Priest's inspired rapping. Derrick Christopher returns behind the keyboards on "The Destruction": on a production that features better-than-usual drumming and an alarmingly enveloping loop, Judah Priest is joined by Wisemen rapper Salute da Kid. "The Take Over" is produced by Falling Down: uptempo drum, chipmunk soul sample, reggae hook, hardcore rap from the performers, there's Dainjamental on the mic with the main rapper. The end of the album features four consecutive posse tracks.
"The Movement" is produced by 3Fifths (who will produce for Buddha Monk): on a bad beat with a terrible loop Buddha Monk of Brooklyn Zu, Darkim Be Allah of AIG and Sadat X come forward, none of them sound inspired. "Wolves in Sheep's Clothing" is the first of three collaborative productions in a row between Derrick Christopher and Judah Priest: decent rhythm, hard drum, poor hook, lackluster rap, together with the author are ChamberMusik boss G. Clef da Mad Komposa and Surgeon. The penultimate cut boasts a barely ok beat on which Big City, Chubb Rock, Emceem, G-Fella and M-Eighty of Almighty unleash. After 75 minutes of material, Judah Priest's first album is closed by a posse with Maccabeez on good production with obsessive snare and a good loop: in "Maccabee Rydahs", an almost homonymous title with respect to one of the tracks later released in the group's mixtape, namely "The Spooks Who Kicked Down Tha Doorz" (2005), there are Hell Razah of Sunz of Man, Timbo King of Royal Fam (both part of Maccabeez), William Cooper, who together with Razah and Timbuktu is part of Killah Priest's other group Black Market Militia, and Solomon Wise, to end the record on a slightly higher note than the last twenty minutes.
Good tape that exceeds in quantity, isn't a essential listening for Wu-Tang stans, overall. 6/10.
No comments:
Post a Comment