Introducing ‘Notes from Mr. Sandman‘ – a column slapping a spotlight on lyricists overlooked, under appreciated, or just plain criminally slept on. Or like a man named Nas once said, “I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death.” Enter Mr. Sandman with what y’all missed while chasing the REM dragon; Photo: N/A
The Black Market Militia is a rap supernova comprised of lyrical stalwarts Killah Priest, Timbo King, Hell Razah, Tragedy Khadafi and William Cooper.
Before even coming together, each had already established himself as an elite talent; Killah Priest and Timbo King with the Wu-Tang Clan, Tragedy Khadafi with the Juice Crew, Hell Razah with the Sunz of Man and William Cooper as an underground phenom. Together they brought an edge to hip-hop that was in direct response to what they viewed as an attack on their rights.
The Black Market Militia shared a similar creed as Boston-based rap group The Perceptionists. Both were politically-minded and both were relentless with their criticisms. The Black Market Militia came at the perfect time, smack dab in the middle of George W. Bush’s presidency. They were reeling over Bush’s second term, and coming together as a collective was an opportunity to vent their frustrations.
The one and only album Black Market Militia cut was a self-titled effort. It was an atomic bomb aimed directly at the White House, and hit with detailed precision. Fans lauded the effort, relying on the Militia to express the outrage they were feeling. There is a shadowy element in the production that mirrored the group’s militant attitude towards injustice. As a whole it sounded as if it were an offshoot of Wu-Tang.
Killah Priest lead the charge, serving as the group’s commander-in-chief. He’s in top form, digging deep into his vault to pull some of the most scathing lines in his catalog. As a frontman he shines, proving that he has the vision to lead a group into battle. Each lyricist feeds off his energy and the intensity carries on over right down the line.
On “Thug Nation” Killah Priest marches into the apocalypse. He reads from his survival manual, which includes tips on how to acquire arms, survive shoot outs and sniff out snitches. He finalizes his lecture with a slamming decree, a man pushed to his limits: [LISTEN]
If Killah Priest is Batman, Tragedy Khadafi is Robin, which is no slight. He compliments Killah Priest with a style that is more silent assassin than wild-eyed gun slinger. When leading the troops he takes a more tactical approach, creating a balanced attack made up of brain and brawn. With a veteran of this caliber on board the younger, lesser experienced lyricists had someone to look up to, an adviser who had seen and done it all.
On “The Struggle” The Militia detail their driving force. Each has a story to tell, and Tragedy Khadafi shows how his hopes lie with the children: [LISTEN]
The Black Market Militia were one of the few groups who decided to take a stand politically, which was a big risk. To openly commit to such an undertaking is to place yourself into a niche category. But for them it didn’t matter, it was an assault that needed to happen.
With so much talent on the roster, each was able to offer up their grievances and still walk away unscathed. And with the government spiraling out of control like it has been, it’s refreshing to be able to revisit their words and see how they had a read on the game from the very beginning.
The source of Black Market Militia’s longevity can be found in their ideology. In addition to speaking out politically their main focus was to liberate perspectives so that soldiers of free thought could be dispersed everywhere. On “Think Market” William Cooper lays out the closing statements, encouraging fans to liberate themselves and fight back: [LISTEN]
