Heavy Mental

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Heavy Mental
Heavymental.jpg
Studio album by Killah Priest
Released March 10, 1998 [1]
Recorded 1997-98
Genre Hip hop
Length 74:12
Label Geffen/MCA Records
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)View from Masada2000
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars link
NME 8/10 stars link
RapReviews.com 8.5/10 stars link
Spin 8/10 stars link
The Source 3/5 stars

Heavy Mental is the debut album by rapper Killah Priest, an associate of hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan and a member of the group Sunz of Man. It was released on March 10, 1998,[2] on Geffen Records.

The album is resplendent with 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 already 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 #84 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop singles chart. Priest released the album through Geffen/MCA Records, which already had a relationship with Wu-Tang Clan. The album peaked at 24 on the Billboard top-200 and at 4 in the Top R&B/Hip Hop charts.

Track listing

# Title Time Producer(s) Guests Sample(s)
1 Intro 0:54
2 One Step 4:20 True Master Tekitha
  • Chorus: Hell Razah
  • Contains a sample from "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" as performed by William Bell
  • Contains a sample from "It Ain't Long Enough" as performed by Judy Clay
3 Blessed Are Those 3:28 Y-Kim the Illfigure
4 From Then Till Now 3:45 Y-Kim the Illfigure
  • Contains a sample from "The Man in the Raincoat" as performed by Marion Marlowe
5 Cross My Heart 3:46 True Master
6 Fake MCs 3:36 4th Disciple
  • Contains a sample from "My Little Brown Book" as performed by John Coltrane
7 It's Over 3:29 4th Disciple
8 Crusaids 0:58 4th Disciple Tekitha
9 Tai Chi 4:02 Father Lord
  • Contains a sample from "Get Out of My Life, Woman" by Lee Dorsey
10 Heavy Mental 4:16 Killah Priest
11 If You Don't Know 5:15 True Master Ol' Dirty Bastard
12 Atoms to Adam 5:28 4th Disciple Antonio Chance a.k.a. Shanghai the Messenger
13 High Explosives 3:05 Arabian Knight
14 Wisdom 2:03 4th Disciple
15 B.I.B.L.E. 4:52 4th Disciple
  • Contains a sample from "Our Love Has Died" as performed by Ohio Players
16 Mystic City 4:11 Y-kim The Illfigure Antonio Chance AKA Shanghai the Messenger
17 Information 4:42 4th Disciple
18 Science Project 4:19 4th Disciple Hell Razah
19 Almost There 3:55 4th Disciple
20 The Professional 3:48 John the Baptist

Album singles

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

References