Killah Priest became a household Hip Hop name decades ago as a Wu-Tang Clan associate. Eleven albums later, including last year’s under-the-radar Planet of the Gods, he’s back with For The Future of Hip Hop.
His most ambitious project to date, the album links him with experimental Chicago-based producer Bryan Ford. According to Ford, the initial connection between the two was purely organic.
“We felt connected through our friends and associates in Chicago,” he says. “I had a beat and we were going to see what would happen. As it turns out, Priest had a line that said For The Future of Hip Hop and that turned into the album.
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Less of the more boom bap many associate Killah Priest with, For The Future of Hip Hop is a hodgepodge of different sounds, from electronica, jazz, soul and live instrumentation. Of course, it’s all rooted in Hip Hop.
For Priest, he was up to the challenge in sound. “When you work with someone who knows what they’re doing, that’s first,” says the Iron Sheik from the Middle East during an exclusive interview with HipHopDX. “It’s more live and more humans with you instead of a machine. It’s also important that we never lost the boom-bap feel.”
Bryan Ford was aware of that and, although he grew up listening to The Pharcyde and A Tribe Called Quest, this is his first bonafide Hip Hop album. Released by label Revolutionary Music, other guests on the project are Windy City emcees Pugs Atomz and Awdazcate.
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Dropping May 6, For The Future of Hip Hop won’t be the last one hears from the two. Ford says that two or three songs were cut, but more could be made for another project.
“You can’t get it all, some stuff is exclusive,” explains Priest. “All of the beats I’ve heard are dope and we went through a lot of instrumentals.”
“Priest will come up with a verse on the spot,” Ford adds, “and blow your mind on some inspirational shit.”
