An anachronism is something thats out of place in a space in time. Youll hear film critics use it when things dont add up like a piece of money in Titanic. Rarely is the term good. But in Hip-Hop, the term is almost never used and if it were, it could mean something great. Everybodys talking bout the good ole days, the golden era, paradise lost. Masta Killa may very well be the anachronism of Hip-Hop.
Nobody speaks about the parks anymore. The block party is lost. But in Masta Killas world, these forgotten jewels are the very force behind his debut album, No Said Date. This albums been brewing since Killa touched the mic with his Wu-Tang brothers eleven years ago. The record approaches Hip-Hop with a timeless appeal, and that signature razors edge of lyricism, knowledge, and supreme consciousness.
Masta Killa reflects on the inner-turmoil of his group, the early days, and how all of it relates into the album. Masta Killa is an anachronism because he has no specific time frame. His world is a lot like his release schedule, No Said Date.
AllHipHop.com: I think its really something special that you independent route. Of the Wu brothers, youre kind of the first to do it like this, what has the indie label afforded you as far as freedom and creativity?
Masta Killa: Thats exactly whats it all about, right there. Being able to come from the heart. Hip-Hop to me, its just an expression being able to just be free with that. Without compromising the art. It started from the block and its something thats grown to a billion dollar business. So now, sometimes you have to do what you have to do because theres business involved, but to be able to capture everything from the essence, even if you make a mistake I guess thats why some people do the Unplugged thing. F**k it, if you make a mistake, keep going. Thats whats so beautiful about the independent thing.
AllHipHop.com: Over the years, youve had lots of material to pull from. With No Said Date, how much is older, and how much is new?
Masta Killa: I constantly work. Im constantly in the studio, doing something. Ive got songs on No Said Date that Ive had for over five years. When something is vintage, it is what it is. No matter how old, or how long you mightve had it thats why we still love the old Hip-Hop. What is old really? Its just vintage. Learn something from it, you can still put it on, itll still rock the party. The beats are still banging. If it cant rock a block party, it aint the s**t. You gotta be able to put it on in the park two turntables and a DJ scratchin/words seem to have an attraction/when they rhyming. It got to be Hip-Hop, man.
AllHipHop.com: Old Man is a crazy ODB moment. Im guessing its older, but was that recorded after he go out?
Masta Killa: Thats after!
AllHipHop.com: Damn, thatll shut down the ones who saying he changed.
Masta Killa: Yeah. Hey, this is a business. That dont got nothin to do with my brother bein my brother. Thats personal. If you working at Merrill Lynch, and Im working at Jacoby & Myers, so what! I told my brother I needed him, I was there.
AllHipHop.com: The Wu-Tang presence on this record is very thick.
Masta Killa: Wu-Tang is such a multi-talented group, I was just able to just be myself, really. I got Meth, I got Dirty doing something. Ghost is doing that, Rae, GZA. To just take it back to the essence with the block party. Everybody had every avenue covered.
AllHipHop.com: But this album is also filled with collaborations. Do you find yourself to be a better artist with others around you?
Masta Killa: Well, to me, first I like to listen to other people even before I listen to myself. I loved Hip-Hop [since] even before I was rhyming. I love to hear all the old school cats that was laying it down back then Kool Moe Dee, Treacherous Three, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Melle Mel, Kane, all the old greats. They aint that old. It was just at a stage when Hip-Hop wasnt everywhere in the world. It went through stages. I always loved this. For me to do a collaborations with someone else, I love that. I got the capabilities to do my own songs, I love to hear other MCs also. Thats what it was all about anyway, being braggodocious. Im nice! Im slicker than you! Whateva. So thats a personal thing, [being] and MC, I understand that. But when it comes to making a bangin f**kin song, dont let that stop you.
AllHipHop.com: Talking about Hip-Hop, one track that really jumped out at me on the record is High School. First of all, I love the story. Who was Masta Killa before Wu, and as a result of them, how did you change?
Masta Killa: See, I never changed. Those experiences, like a High School experience was Masta Killa of Wu-Tang. I always loved Hip-Hop. I mightve wrote a little rhyme myself, and not had the heart to say it in front of a crowd. But you go to school, theres cats at school in the lunch room thats naaaasty! Just to be able to hold the crowd, you know I went to school in Brooklyn, New York, so to be able to hold a crowd in the lunch room or the back of the A-Train, just in a cypher alone, you gotta have a certain amount of talent to do that. Your wordplay has to be intriguing, because theres really no beat. I was always around that, from a child. Wu-Tang forming that [was] just children growing up to form something that took the world by storm. Hip-Hop was always there.
AllHipHop.com: This record is coming at a perfect time. Its proving the Wu-Tang union.
Masta Killa: Were not trying to paint a picture like were the perfect family that doesnt go through problems. Everybody goes through problems. Immediate family go through problems. It doesnt change the fact that at the end of the day, I still love you and if you need me, Ill still be there. This is life, real life too. When we came into the Rap industry, thats what we brought to the table. We brought unity, along with good music. People most of all, loved us coming together. I have songs on my album for dolo, and I have songs for unity. Because the most banginest Wu albums, even individual [albums], was always Wu-Tang Clan albums.
AllHipHop.com: Bedroom producers love Wu for what you guys do to a beat. Youve got the new heads on there, but its great to see RZA fill out a lineup like that again.
Masta Killa: RZA always has bangin beats. But its your preference of what you wanna choose from when you get to the chamber. He can play you a hundred beats. But you have to know what youre looking for. Its really your ear. I try to rhyme on something thats just undeniable, something that I would think every MC would want to rhyme on. If gotta think too hard about it, I dont think its gonna be a hit. Its not gonna be that s**t. In the parks, when DJs would cut certain records, it didnt take long for you to want to freestyle or breakdance. As soon as he started cuttin that s**t, it was the s**t! It didnt have to grow on you. When The Rulers Back was on tape, before it was on f**kin album, s**t was bangin. It was already what it was. I come from all that. I listened to studied and all of that.
AllHipHop.com: Going back into the timeline as we go back, was Winter Warz. I can remember how that stuff just rocked me. That was a live Masta Killa moment.
Masta Killa: That moment right there, Im still a seed of it. I still think Im still growing as an MC. At that point, I was amongst MCs that was much more talented and advanced on a MC level. I think Cappa mightve been the star of the show on that Winter Warz s**t. I was always a creative writer. Theres much more to it, as far as being an MC. Its breath control, its flowing, its bouncing, attractiveness. Mystery of Chessboxin is one of the first rhymes I ever really wrote. GZA helped me construct that, to a degree of how to flow it. Right then, I was still in a growing state. I think Im still growing. Wu-Tang Clan was gonna happen whether I wanted to be an MC or not. I just took time to apply myself and make something that was able to hold the weight of everything else around me to make it on [Enter the Wu-Tang].
AllHipHop.com: Because its been such a long time coming, and such a big moment for you, how tough of a critic against your own work were you?
Masta Killa: I think Im my worst critic. I never think its there. Im always looking to get it better, get it tighter. I like to really know my lyrics before I say em in the booth. I dont really like to read them off the paper. Its like an actor knowing his lines opposed to reading them on paper. If you did a Broadway play, you would have to know your s**t, because then you can get more into the theatric of it, and aura. You can feel it. I like to be in that kind of world.
AllHipHop.com: On a final note, I think your story is a great one. Kids today are so impatient, and many lack the talent to be so impatient. Youve waited ten years. What words of advice would you give the next MCs reading this?
Masta Killa: I would say, study the game of chess. It definitely teaches patience. To wait, will be beneficial. Like a ballplayer, dont chase the game, let the game chase you. Even though you love the art of the Hip-Hop, its very important to study the business. However amount of time it takes you to study your craft inside and out. Take as much time as possible. Money will come and go. But to be able to give something to the world, it takes time. Its like cookin food. You can throw something together real fast to put in somebodys mouth, but to make real home-cooked food, you gotta let things come together.
No Said Date is in stores now.