| The HRSMN | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | The Four Horsemen |
| Origin | Jamaica (Canibus) Brooklyn, New York, USA (Killah Priest) Long Beach, California, USA (Kurupt) Carson, California, USA (Ras Kass) |
| Genres | Alternative hip hop West coast hip hop |
| Years active | 1996-present |
| Labels | Think Differently Music Proverbs Music Inc. |
| Associated acts | Dreddy Kruger |
| Members | |
| Ras Kass Kurupt Killah Priest Canibus |
|
The HRSMN (aka The Four Horsemen) is an American hip hop group that has released one album entitled The Horsemen Project. The group consists of the platinum and gold selling artists, Canibus, Ras Kass, Killah Priest, and Kurupt. The name of the group is in reference to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who appear in the Book of Revelation from the Bible. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are traditionally named Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death. Throughout the HRSMN songs, there are many references to each of the members representing one of these entities. They have each frequently appeared on each of the members solo albums, such as Canibus's 2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus) and Killah Priest's Priesthood. Other affiliated members include Chino XL [6] and Pharoahe Monch (who acted as the hype man on the leaked Im A Horseman (Promo) and also rapped on Horsemen from Canibus's 2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus).
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On April 9, Chino XL's debut album Here to Save You All was released, it featured the first collaboration between Chino XL and Ras Kass on the track titled Riiiot!.
On January 14, the Rhyme & Reason: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released, it featured the first collaboration between Ras Kass and Canibus on a track entitled Uni-4-Orm.
Late in March a white label appeared featuring a HRSMN track titled Abide By. The track featured the same lyrics as later heard in Horsementality (from Canibus's 2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus)), and the beat was from the E-Swift produced Hip Hop Drunkies from the album Likwidation by Tha Alkaholiks. On September the 22nd Ras Kass's second album Rasassination was released, it featured the first collaboration between Ras Kass and Kurupt.
In February in an interview for The Source, Kurupt stated that Dr. Dre and Daz Dillinger would be helping with production on the HRSMN album. As of now the idea of Dr. Dre and Daz Dillinger handling production on a HRSMN album has never come to fruition. On October 19 Pharoahe Monch's debut solo album Internal Affairs was released, it featured the first collaboration between Canibus and Pharoahe Monch.
On May 9 Killah Priest's second album View from Masada was released. The album featured two HRSMN collaborations, the first was a song called What Part of the Game? which featured Ras Kass, and the second was Bop Your Head which featured Canibus. There is also a shoutout in the sleeve stating "Four Horsemen, Canibus, Ras Kass, (Kurupt catch you on the next one)", meaning he was planning on working with Kurupt on his next album. The words "Horsemen, Horsemen" are also briefly repeated by Killah Priest on the outro track.
On August 20 in an interview with RapReviews.com Canibus shed some light on the status of the HRSMN. He stated the name would be changed from "The Four Horsemen" to just "Horsemen", and under this title Ras Kass, Pharoahe Monch, Killah Priest, and Kurupt would be appearing on his new album, 2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus). He also mentions the idea of other members joining the group, such as Lonnie B and Danja Mowf (from the Supafriendz), and that they are currently looking for more members.[7]
In September Killah Priest stated in an interview that he had not spoken to Ras Kass since he had been locked up but he did say "we’re still going to do the HRSMN joint."[8] Later on in the same month ripthejacker.net reported that Canibus had "been quite busy along with Killah Priest and Ras Kass. They have begun re-recording and building the HRSMN album! It will feature a cast of emcees not before a part of the group and it will be out the Summer of 2004 on Mic Club. Updates will be included in a new Media News section at Micclub.net so stay tuned."[9] Unfortunately a HRSMN album was never released in 2004 on Mic Club and a "Media News" section on the website never appeared. Also in September during an interview Canibus sparked rumors that other members would be joining the group such as Crooked I, Pak Man, Kool G Rap, Royce Da 5'9", Keith Murray, Journalist, Common, Rakim, Vinnie Paz (from Jedi Mind Tricks), Pace Won and Young Zee (from the Outsidaz), and Lonnie B and Danja Mowf (from the Supafriendz),[10] as of yet it has still not been confirmed whether they will actually be included in the group.
In October, Killah Priest and Dreddy Kruger released a nine track album entitled The Horsemen Project, it was released independently through Think Differently Music/Proverbs Music Inc. and was only available to purchase off the internet.[11] Each track featured at least two members of the group as well as an appearance by Pak Man. It is currently unknown who handled the majority of the production on the album, although it is known that Mark Sparks was responsible for two songs.
During January in an interview conducted by AllHipHop.com, Ras Kass stated that Kurupt had contacted him while he was in prison, and that he was currently looking for a major label to distribute a new HRSMN album.[12] On February 18 it was announced that Killah Priest would be appearing on Chino XL's next album, Poison Pen.[13]
During March an apparently unreleased HRSMN track was to emerge on Pak Man's debut album Chow Time, unfortunately the track turned out to be the previously released Horsemen Are Here (which also featured on The Horsemen Project under the shorter title Horsemen).[14] Once again during March, another apparently unreleased HRSMN track was set to appear in the form of a collaboration with Canibus and Kurupt. The track, titled Not 4 Play, was scheduled to appear on Canibus's new album Mind Control, unfortunately it turned out to be the previously released Scrolls from The Horsemen Project.[15]
Towards the end of March during an interview with RasKass-Central.com, Ras Kass shed some light on the status of a new HRSMN album:-
| “ | We gonna do it, but we gotta do it the right way. It’s cool that Killah Priest let the people get the stuff we did. He gave it to the world and I’m never mad at that. But I don’t think that should be the judgment of what the HRSMN could be, that was just what we was doing at that time. When we do the HRSMN s**t it’ll be right. I got big visions for what that album could really be. That s**t could be crazy, but it’s gotta be right. Kurupt has some legal contractual s**t that he needs to fix, as do I. When s**t is right that’s when you do s**t. So we’ll do it when s**t is right. | ” |
For an interview conducted with ThaFormula.com, Killah Priest stated that various members have tracks that were recorded, and he hopes that they can once again come together.[16]
Early in November in an interview with HipHopSite.com Ras Kass stated that once he can sort out his own "business" he would be interest in recording a new HRSMN album.[17] On November 18 in an interview conducted with HipHopDX.com Ras Kass once again stated his interest in working with the HRSMN.[18] On November 24 in an interview conducted with ChinoXL-Central.com, Chino XL stated that he has worked with each of the main members of the HRSMN, and he hopes that a new HRSMN album would eventually appear.[19] Towards the end of November during an interview conducted by WuForever.com Killah Priest stated that a new HRSMN album would be recorded.[20]
On January 23 it was announced that the main members will be present on Killah Priest's upcoming album The Offering.[21] On March 17 the Chino XL album Poison Pen was released featuring the Killah Priest collaboration Beastin. On Killah Priest's May 1 journal entry at HipHopGame.com he mentioned the HRSMN and the possibility of a new album. He said "The Horsemen project is definitely going to come. Right now we just have to get Kurupt. He's been doing the Dogg Pound thing, but it's definitely going to come. We have songs recorded and we have more in store." [1] On November 29 on Phathom's MySpace page, a track featuring Canibus, Chino XL and Crooked I was released, it also appeared on his album Poetical Minded.[22]
On the Canibus album For Whom the Beat Tolls Killah Priest is featured together with Sun on the track Liquid Wordz. The HRSMN also collaborate on Killah Priest's album The Offering on the song "Inner G", produced by 4th Disciple.
Recently, member Kurupt announced plans to effect a 4 HRSMN reunion album featuring himself, Canibus, Killah Priest and Ras Kass.[2][3] It was later reported that the group had reformed, with business-related assistance from M-Eighty, A&R and executive producer of Canibus' Melatonin Magik.[4] Recently the HRSMN have appeared on a track from Ras Kass' newest album 'A.D.I.D.A.S'. In a August 2010 radio interview with Mista Montana, Killah Priest discussed the creation of the Four Horsemen album, stating that they plan to bring in producers from all their camps.[5]
In 2011, a video appeared announcing a summer release date for the group's album. Member Ras Kass described it as a "sintro," or alternately a "trailer," featuring text lyrics to a song called "The End is Near." Kass went on to divulge that the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA will be executive-producing the album, and will produce "two or three" tracks for the album. The group hopes to land production from DJ Premier. Guest appearances will include RBX (their upcoming first single, "Impossible"), RZA, Ghostface Killah and Prodigal Sunn of the Wu-Tang camp, while Mos Def and Pharoahe Monch are "listed as possibilities."[6]
Previously, group member Kurupt revealed that a collaboration with Slaughterhouse was in the works, listing possible titles as "House of Horses" and "The Four Slaughters."[7]
| Album information |
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The Horsemen Project
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The End is Near
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