Post by Dark 7 Invader on Feb 10, 2005 9:45:39 GMT -5
With over ten years of experience in this hip-hop game, Hell Razah has certainly paid his dues. As one of standout members of the Sunz Of Man crew, Hell Razah
has always been respected as one of the premier emcees coming out of the Wu-Tang family. Now Razah is ready to step out on his own and show the Hip-Hop world that he is not going anywhere. His latest album, Freedom Of Speech, finds Razah and 4th Disciple giving the game what it really needs, that real Hip-Hop music. Along with his mixtape, Black Presidents Vol. 1, Hell Razah is out for respect and he is certainly getting it.
BallerStatus.net recently caught up with Razah to discuss his resurgent career, as well his future projects, which include the Maccabeez and Black Market albums.
BallerStatus.net: With the recent passing of ODB, can you just speak on what your relationship was like with him and how his death has affected you so far. How shocked were you when you first head the news?
Hell Razah: It is still hard to believe. We didn't just lose a another rapper... to us, that was our brother, so it really hurts. I mean he had a sincere soul, one of the realest brothers in the game. I had a good relationship with him, and he gave me advice that was priceless. I was more shocked than when I heard about than the twin towers falling because that's fam, and that sh-t hit home.
BallerStatus.net: What is your best memory of ODB? What was the funniest thing you remember ODB doing?
Hell Razah: d**n its so many, but I say when we did "Shining Star" with Earth Wind & Fire and Wyclef in the studio. Lets just say, he was never one to bite his tongue. I have a DVD dropping on that too, y'all will see it. That was just one of the funniest moments, its too many laughs we had together.
BallerStatus.net: Let's move onto your career. I see you have two new joints out, Black Presidents Vol.1 Mixtape and Freedom Of Speech. So tell us about both of them.
Hell Razah: Well, the album is Freedom of speech and the mix CD is Black Presidents Vol.1. Me and 4th disciple had came together and formed a project called Ghetto Government Officialz and we wanted to go controversial with it. While everybody wanna vote or die, we was on some revolt or die nuts. Freedom of Speech just meant the truth, will set you free from mental slavery.
BallerStatus.net: What type of songs and concepts can fans expect on the Freedom Of Speech album? Run down some of the albums highlights.
Hell Razah: "Article 1" is a politically street banger. "Take Ya Time" and "Project Love" are real vivid and heart touching songs. "Way Of Life" is education for young hip-hop heads on the original pioneers. "Who Gonna Die Next?" is a dedication to the fallen soldiers we lost. I also got, "Baby Girl" and "Same Ol' Thugz," which are for the females looking for maturity in a man and be holding down the fortress...
BallerStatus.net: Tell us about the Maccabeez. When will that album drop? What label will that be on?
Hell Razah: The Maccabeez consists of me, Killah Priest, and Timbo King. We almost done with that album too, so look for it fall of 2005. But Maccabeez is independent and unsigned, so if you are interested, hit me up. The mixtape is already out there already, so make sure you check that out. And the history behind the name is, the Maccabeez were Jews who revolted against the Greek Hellenistic savage way of living and stood up for what they believed in.
BallerStatus.net: Tell us about Black Market and the future album in the works.
Hell Razah: Black market militia is a Priest and Tragedy [Kadafi] collabo featuring me, Timbo and introducing William Cooper from New Jersey. That will be out early 2005, around black history month. That album is historical and well put together lyrically and musically. But right now I'm in the studio recording the next official Hell Razah album coming out on New Kemit/Maccabee Int'l Records.
BallerStatus.net: What is the status of Sunz Of Man right now?
Hell Razah: Far as the Sunz Of Man go, we are still together, we have just been working on so many projects right now. But we are planning an album with Shabazz and Killah Priest, taking it back to how it originally started. And for the record, "No we didn't break up," we are just spreading out our talent.
BallerStatus.net: How did the whole Sunz Of Man crew come together?
Hell Razah: Sunz Of Man came together in '92, back when Wu was first recording Enter The 36 Chambers. We did 5 songs together and the chemistry was crazy we played it for Rza and he wanted us to be his group to set off Wu-Tang Records.
BallerStatus.net: Do you think Sunz Of Man (and yourself) gets the credit you deserver from the Hip-Hop public today?
Hell Razah: I don't think we get the respect we deserve because we were over a lot of people heads and before our time with our music. You can play our first album and see things just happening today.
BallerStatus.net: Switching gears, what is your reaction to President Bush getting re-elected?
Hell Razah: I already expected him to be re-elected. Either way, him and Kerry was both skull N bones members, so its like picking the lesser of two evils. All we can do is prepare for the worst and stay devoted to God.
BallerStatus.net: Is democracy a reality in this country or just an illusion?
Hell Razah: Politics is a illusion period. These people don't give a sh-t 'bout the ghettos and we don't have nobody in the U.N. to speak for us. These fake uncle tom house niggaz don't represent us. That's why we need a ghetto government and black presidents. Democracy is a big hoax to me. Both political parties are out to enslave the masses.
BallerStatus.net: Do you think there will be a military draft in the future?
Hell Razah: Of course. When you got a lot of dead soldiers getting sent back home in caskets, you will never catch no president and his children fighting no wars in Iraq.
BallerStatus.net: When you are not in the studio recording, what do you like to do to just relax? What is your favorite chill out spot?
Hell Razah: I'm a simple person, I smoke and study, and just chill wit my seeds. My favorite chill out spot is in a coffee shop in Amsterdam.
BallerStatus.net: What else do you have going on in the future that you want fans to know about?
Hell Razah: I'm dropping a DVD, writing a book, finishing up my new album, working on some new groups and mixtapes. Checkout my site Hell-Razah.com for updates and exclusives.
BallerStatus.net: Are you going to be appearing on anybody's album? What about tours?
Hell Razah: Yes I'm on albums. But I'm really focused on my music right now. I'm about creating classic material and I need to be on point to do that. We putting our own tour together Sunz Of Man, Black Market, Maccabeez, Killarmy, Royal Fam, Brooklyn Zu and others. Look out for that this year.
BallerStatus.net: Anything else you want to address that we have not already talked about?
Hell Razah: Just keep supporting real hip-hop before that gets stolen from us too and whitewashed from history like the sphinx and the portraits of Jesus. All we got is each other, no matter where you from, we all came up from the struggle of oppression.
BallerStatus.net: Any last words, shout outs, plugs, etc?
Hell Razah: Check the websites SandBox and Hiphopsite and Hell-Razah.com for our catalogs and exclusives. I like to say R.I.P to O.D.B... we love you from the whole entire Wu family. Maccabeez is about to explode like a suicidal bomber on the whole industry. Shalom.
Props: Ballerstatus
has always been respected as one of the premier emcees coming out of the Wu-Tang family. Now Razah is ready to step out on his own and show the Hip-Hop world that he is not going anywhere. His latest album, Freedom Of Speech, finds Razah and 4th Disciple giving the game what it really needs, that real Hip-Hop music. Along with his mixtape, Black Presidents Vol. 1, Hell Razah is out for respect and he is certainly getting it.
BallerStatus.net recently caught up with Razah to discuss his resurgent career, as well his future projects, which include the Maccabeez and Black Market albums.
BallerStatus.net: With the recent passing of ODB, can you just speak on what your relationship was like with him and how his death has affected you so far. How shocked were you when you first head the news?
Hell Razah: It is still hard to believe. We didn't just lose a another rapper... to us, that was our brother, so it really hurts. I mean he had a sincere soul, one of the realest brothers in the game. I had a good relationship with him, and he gave me advice that was priceless. I was more shocked than when I heard about than the twin towers falling because that's fam, and that sh-t hit home.
BallerStatus.net: What is your best memory of ODB? What was the funniest thing you remember ODB doing?
Hell Razah: d**n its so many, but I say when we did "Shining Star" with Earth Wind & Fire and Wyclef in the studio. Lets just say, he was never one to bite his tongue. I have a DVD dropping on that too, y'all will see it. That was just one of the funniest moments, its too many laughs we had together.
BallerStatus.net: Let's move onto your career. I see you have two new joints out, Black Presidents Vol.1 Mixtape and Freedom Of Speech. So tell us about both of them.
Hell Razah: Well, the album is Freedom of speech and the mix CD is Black Presidents Vol.1. Me and 4th disciple had came together and formed a project called Ghetto Government Officialz and we wanted to go controversial with it. While everybody wanna vote or die, we was on some revolt or die nuts. Freedom of Speech just meant the truth, will set you free from mental slavery.
BallerStatus.net: What type of songs and concepts can fans expect on the Freedom Of Speech album? Run down some of the albums highlights.
Hell Razah: "Article 1" is a politically street banger. "Take Ya Time" and "Project Love" are real vivid and heart touching songs. "Way Of Life" is education for young hip-hop heads on the original pioneers. "Who Gonna Die Next?" is a dedication to the fallen soldiers we lost. I also got, "Baby Girl" and "Same Ol' Thugz," which are for the females looking for maturity in a man and be holding down the fortress...
BallerStatus.net: Tell us about the Maccabeez. When will that album drop? What label will that be on?
Hell Razah: The Maccabeez consists of me, Killah Priest, and Timbo King. We almost done with that album too, so look for it fall of 2005. But Maccabeez is independent and unsigned, so if you are interested, hit me up. The mixtape is already out there already, so make sure you check that out. And the history behind the name is, the Maccabeez were Jews who revolted against the Greek Hellenistic savage way of living and stood up for what they believed in.
BallerStatus.net: Tell us about Black Market and the future album in the works.
Hell Razah: Black market militia is a Priest and Tragedy [Kadafi] collabo featuring me, Timbo and introducing William Cooper from New Jersey. That will be out early 2005, around black history month. That album is historical and well put together lyrically and musically. But right now I'm in the studio recording the next official Hell Razah album coming out on New Kemit/Maccabee Int'l Records.
BallerStatus.net: What is the status of Sunz Of Man right now?
Hell Razah: Far as the Sunz Of Man go, we are still together, we have just been working on so many projects right now. But we are planning an album with Shabazz and Killah Priest, taking it back to how it originally started. And for the record, "No we didn't break up," we are just spreading out our talent.
BallerStatus.net: How did the whole Sunz Of Man crew come together?
Hell Razah: Sunz Of Man came together in '92, back when Wu was first recording Enter The 36 Chambers. We did 5 songs together and the chemistry was crazy we played it for Rza and he wanted us to be his group to set off Wu-Tang Records.
BallerStatus.net: Do you think Sunz Of Man (and yourself) gets the credit you deserver from the Hip-Hop public today?
Hell Razah: I don't think we get the respect we deserve because we were over a lot of people heads and before our time with our music. You can play our first album and see things just happening today.
BallerStatus.net: Switching gears, what is your reaction to President Bush getting re-elected?
Hell Razah: I already expected him to be re-elected. Either way, him and Kerry was both skull N bones members, so its like picking the lesser of two evils. All we can do is prepare for the worst and stay devoted to God.
BallerStatus.net: Is democracy a reality in this country or just an illusion?
Hell Razah: Politics is a illusion period. These people don't give a sh-t 'bout the ghettos and we don't have nobody in the U.N. to speak for us. These fake uncle tom house niggaz don't represent us. That's why we need a ghetto government and black presidents. Democracy is a big hoax to me. Both political parties are out to enslave the masses.
BallerStatus.net: Do you think there will be a military draft in the future?
Hell Razah: Of course. When you got a lot of dead soldiers getting sent back home in caskets, you will never catch no president and his children fighting no wars in Iraq.
BallerStatus.net: When you are not in the studio recording, what do you like to do to just relax? What is your favorite chill out spot?
Hell Razah: I'm a simple person, I smoke and study, and just chill wit my seeds. My favorite chill out spot is in a coffee shop in Amsterdam.
BallerStatus.net: What else do you have going on in the future that you want fans to know about?
Hell Razah: I'm dropping a DVD, writing a book, finishing up my new album, working on some new groups and mixtapes. Checkout my site Hell-Razah.com for updates and exclusives.
BallerStatus.net: Are you going to be appearing on anybody's album? What about tours?
Hell Razah: Yes I'm on albums. But I'm really focused on my music right now. I'm about creating classic material and I need to be on point to do that. We putting our own tour together Sunz Of Man, Black Market, Maccabeez, Killarmy, Royal Fam, Brooklyn Zu and others. Look out for that this year.
BallerStatus.net: Anything else you want to address that we have not already talked about?
Hell Razah: Just keep supporting real hip-hop before that gets stolen from us too and whitewashed from history like the sphinx and the portraits of Jesus. All we got is each other, no matter where you from, we all came up from the struggle of oppression.
BallerStatus.net: Any last words, shout outs, plugs, etc?
Hell Razah: Check the websites SandBox and Hiphopsite and Hell-Razah.com for our catalogs and exclusives. I like to say R.I.P to O.D.B... we love you from the whole entire Wu family. Maccabeez is about to explode like a suicidal bomber on the whole industry. Shalom.
Props: Ballerstatus