Killarmy
{{Short description|American hip hop group}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Killarmy
| caption =
| image =
| image_size =
| origin = Steubenville, Ohio
Staten Island, New York
| genre = Hip hop
| years_active = 1995–present
| label = {{hlist|Wu-Tang|Priority|EMI|Loud|Relativity}}
| associated_acts = Wu-Tang Clan
Sunz of Man
| current_members = 9th Prince
Killa Sin (incarcerated)
Dom Pachino
Islord
Kinetic 9
Shogun Assason
4th Disciple
| past_members =
}}
Killarmy ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|k|ɪ|l|ə|ˈ|ɑr|m|i}}) is an American hip hop group that is affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan.{{cite web | url=http://wu-international.com/misc_albums/Interviews/9thPrince%20Interview2.htm | title=WU-International.com – 9th Prince Interview | publisher=wu-international.com | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720021150/http://wu-international.com/misc_albums/Interviews/9thPrince%20Interview2.htm | archive-date=July 20, 2012 | df=mdy-all }} It is one of the earliest and most successful of the many Wu-Tang affiliates along with Sunz of Man.
Killarmy's music consists of lyrics and songs focused on the themes of military combat, war, terrorism, conspiracy theories, and the teachings of the Five-Percent Nation. The group's instrumentals are usually somber with ominous dark undertones and a raw, gritty production style provided by 4th Disciple.{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Virgin Books|date=2000|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0427-8|page=218}}
Career
Originally consisting of New York rappers 9th Prince (RZA's younger brother), Islord, Dom Pachino, Killa Sin (Power's younger brother), and Ohio-based producer 4th Disciple; it added Beretta 9 (a.k.a. Kinetic 9) and Shogun Assason to its membership in 1996, also from Ohio.
Killarmy released numerous singles from 1995 to 1997, including "Swinging Swords" and "Camouflage Ninjas" and appeared on the Sunz Of Man collaborations "Wake Up" and "Soldiers of Darkness". The group's debut album, Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars, was released in 1997, just after the release of Wu-Tang Clan's second album and a 12-inch single containing two tracks from the album, which were "Wu-Renegades" and "Clash of the Titans."
In 1997, the group's manager General Wise was shot dead in Steubenville, Ohio, (where several members and Wu-Tang Clan members such as the RZA had spent time in their youth), but the group pressed on undeterred, appearing on the Wu-Tang Killa Bees: The Swarm compilation and each making numerous appearances on other Wu-Tang Clan projects, Wu-Tang affiliates' projects, non-Wu-Tang Clan-related albums such as ONYX – Shut 'Em Down; Vordul Mega – Verbal Relaxation; and movie soundtracks such as Soul in the Hole.
The group's second album, Dirty Weaponry, was released in 1998, and its third album, Fear, Love & War was released on September 11, 2001. In 2010, 9th Prince confirmed that a new album was in the works between the five remaining members (besides Killa Sin) with the first single to be called "The Sound of Gunz" produced by Bronze Nazareth dropping that June. However, production problems and inner dealings have not allowed for the album to be completed. In April 2011, Killarmy released a new single called "One Shot" produced by 4th Disciple. A greatest-hits album was released weeks later by the Wu Music Group label.
In March 2019, Killarmy member, Kinetic 9, was featured in the song "Death 13" on Cryptik Soul's album Killer's Blood.
In January 2020, Kinetic 9 and ShoGun Assason released a seven track EP called “The Truth is Even Darker” with San Francisco-based producer Sticky Ricardo.
In 2020, Killarmy released its long-awaited fourth album, "Full Metal Jackets", which was produced by 9th Prince and featured Prodigal Sunn, Killah Priest, and 60-Second Assassin (Sunz Of Man); Timbo King (Royal Fam); Cappadonna (Wu-Tang Clan); La The Darkman; Reverend William Burk; Ill Bill (Non Phixion); William Cooper (Black Market Militia); Stic Man (Dead Prez); Masta Ace; Planet Asia; Ras Kass; Willie the Kid; and El Camino.
In February 2024, Killarmy released a new single, "Winter Wars 2", which was produced by 9th Prince and features Cappadonna (Wu-Tang Clan), La The Darkman, Killah Priest, Shyheim, and Young Dirty Bastard.
Discography
| class="wikitable" |
| colspan=2 | Group Discography |
|---|
| Album Title
! Album Info |
| Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars
| |
| Dirty Weaponry
| |
| Fear, Love & War
|
|
| Full Metal Jackets{{cite web|url=https://www.hiphopdx.com/news/id.55183/title.killarmy-announces-comeback-album-full-metal-jackets|title=Killarmy Announces Comeback Album 'Full Metal Jackets'|last=Ivey|first=Justin|publisher=HipHopDX|date=March 29, 2020|access-date=March 30, 2020}}
|
|
Guest Appearances (Killa Sin)
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Artist !Title !Year ! |
| O.C., Raekwon, Notorious B.I.G., Ron G., KRS-One
|Stop the Breaks{{Cite web |title=tidal |date=January 4, 2019 |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/111363650}} |? |{{N/a}} |
| Real Live, Cappadonna, Ghostface KIllah, Lord Tariq
|Real Live Shit (Remix){{Cite web |title=tidal |date=October 1996 |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/86353405}} | rowspan="2" |1996 |The Turnaround |
| Shyheim, Rubbabandz, Madman
|Young Gods{{Cite web |title=tidal |date=May 28, 1996 |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/51829462}} |The Lost Generation |
| Timbo King, Dreddy Kruger, Shyheim, Tekitha
|Soul in the Hole |1997 |Soul in the Hole OST |
| Killah Priest, Antonio
|Moanin'{{Cite web |title=genius |url=https://genius.com/Killah-priest-moanin-lyrics}} | rowspan="6" |1998 |One Step 12" |
| Funkmaster Flex, Method Man, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck
|Wu-Tang Cream Team Line Up{{Cite web |title=tidal |date=August 11, 1998 |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/5012851}} |
| Onyx, Method Man, Raekwon
|The Worst{{Cite web |title=genius |url=https://genius.com/Onyx-and-wu-tang-clan-the-worst-lyrics}} |Shut Em Down |
| La the Darkman
|Heist of the Century{{Cite web |date= |title=tidal |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/328027700}} |Heist of the Century |
| Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Streetlife, Raekwon
|Spazzola{{Cite web |title=spotify |website=Spotify |url=https://open.spotify.com/track/17E5KPiB8zSIq49hSkhcGy}} |Tical 2000: Judgement Day |
| RZA, Black Knights
|Terrorist |Bobby Digital: In Stereo |
| Inspectah Deck, La the Darkman, Baretta 9, Streetlife
|9th Chamber{{Cite web |title=tidal |date=October 5, 1999 |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/34167932}} |1999 |Uncontrolled Substance |
| RZA, Kinetic 9, Method Man
|La Rhumba{{Cite web |title=genius |url=https://genius.com/Rza-la-rhumba-lyrics}} | rowspan="3" |2001 | rowspan="2" |Digital Bullet |
| RZA, Solomon Childs
|Fools{{Cite web |title=genius |url=https://genius.com/Rza-fools-lyrics}} |
| Ghostface KIllah
|Strawberry |Bulletproof Wallets |
| Inspectah Deck, Kool G Rap
|Framed{{Cite web |title=genius |url=https://genius.com/Inspectah-deck-framed-lyrics}} |2003 |The Movement |
| Streetlife
|Lay Down{{Cite web |title=tidal |date=June 21, 2005 |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/12852517}} |2005 |Street Education |
| Masta KIlla, Free Born, Victorious
|East MCs | rowspan="2" |2006 |Made in Brooklyn |
| Ghostface KIllah, Trife, Cappadonna
|Gunz n Razors{{Cite web |title=tidal |date=December 19, 2006 |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/336132}} |More Fish |
| Ghostface, Roc Marciano
|The Black Diamonds{{Cite web |title=tidal |date=July 26, 2011 |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/332824828}} |2011 |Legendary Weapons |
| {{N/a}}
|The Archer{{Cite web |title=tidal |date=October 22, 2012 |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/42733265}} |2012 |Man with the Iron Fists OST |
| Method Man, Hanz, Streetlife, Carlton Fiske
|Symphony |2015 |The Meth Lab |
| Ghostface Killah, Apollo Brown
|Revenge Is Sweet; Murder Spree |2018 |The Lost Tapes |
Videography
| class="wikitable"
! colspan=4 | Videography |
| Artist(s)
! Album Info ! Video Title(s) ! Release Date |
|---|
| Sunz of Man
| 12" Single | Soldiers of Darkness (featuring Killa Sin, 9th Prince, various Wu-Tang Clan cameos) | 1995 Wu-Tang Records |
| WU All Stars
| Soul in the Hole (Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Soul in the Hole (featuring Killa Sin, Dreddy Kruger, Shyheim, Timbo King, Tekitha) | 1997 Loud/RCA/BMG Records |
| Killarmy
| Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars | Swinging Swords Wu-Renegade | 1997 Wu-Tang/Priority/EMI Records |
| Killarmy
| The Shoot-Out (featuring Rza) | 1998 Wu-Tang/Priority/EMI Records |
| ONYX
| The Worst (featuring Killa Sin, Method Man, Raekwon, Shyheim, X-1) | 1998 Tommy Boy/Warner Bros. Records |
| Killarmy
| Feel It | 2001 Loud/Relativity Records |
| Bizz
| | Realist Spittin (featuring Kinetic 9) | 2009 Blakglobe |