Priesthood is a trio that was formed in 1994 by Bro. J. Raw (a.k.a. Junior Moaalil, formerly from gospel rap group Prophets of Peace) and PaPa Semm (a.k.a. Semi Tafao, formerly of gospel rap group Next of Kin). Shortly after starting their ministry in the local churches of Los Angeles, the duo added Mr. Swift (a.k.a. Kirk Douglas) no, not Spartacus). Interestingly enough, the trio performed without a band name for some time, eventually taking the name Priesthood from Hebrews 7:24 to reflect their commitment to ministry.
The most striking thing about Priesthood's sound is their musicality. They merge rap with groovy bass lines, funky guitars, and smooth drum programming ‚and not to mention some occasional singing. This makes their sound a little like 2Pac or Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, both hip-hop/rap artists with a wide appeal that stretches beyond their genre's fanbase. I'm not saying Priesthood is as good as those artists, but they do their music well. They're a little bit old school in their sound, and they're not as gritty and inner-city as most of their contemporaries, but their positive/retro sound is refreshing. Most surprising, then, is the album's closer, "All About You," which is a beautifully sung praise song with acoustic guitar. Amazingly, it's the same group‚ showing off their musical diversity.
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