Heavy Mental

Heavy Mental
Studio album by Killah Priest
Released March 10, 1998
Recorded 1997-98
1995 (B.I.B.L.E.)
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)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic link
NME link
RapReviews.com link
Spin link
The Source

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 February 24, 1998, 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
  • First verse: Killah Priest
  • Second verse: Inspectah Deck
  • Third verse: GZA
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"