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| Masta Killa | |
|---|---|
| Name | Masta Killa |
| Background | solo_singer |
| Birth name | Elgin Evander Turner |
| Birth date | 18 August 1969 |
| Birth place | Brooklyn, New York City |
| Origin | Staten Island, New York City |
| Genres | Hip hop music, East Coast hip hop |
| Occupation | Rapper, songwriter |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Labels | Priority Records, Nature Sounds, Gold Dust Media |
| Associated acts | Wu-Tang Clan, RZA, GZA (musician), Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Cappadonna |
Masta Killa
Elgin Evander Turner (born August 18, 1969), known professionally as Masta Killa, is an American rapper and founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Renowned for his measured delivery and sparse but impactful verses, he emerged during the 1990s golden era of hip hop music and has since maintained a steady solo career and numerous collaborations with fellow Wu-Tang Clan members and artists across the United States and United Kingdom.
Born in Brooklyn, New York City and raised on Staten Island, Turner grew up amid the cultural landscapes of New York City in the 1970s and 1980s, a milieu that shaped contemporaries such as Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One and LL Cool J. He was introduced to martial arts cinema and the works of Bruce Lee, Shaw Brothers Studio films, and the philosophies of Bruce Lee and Sun Tzu through friends and family, influences shared by other members of the Wu-Tang Clan. Turner attended local schools in Staten Island and was involved in neighborhood networks that connected him to future collaborators like RZA and GZA (musician), whose early studio sessions at locations tied to Staten Island crews helped form the group's roster. Prior to recording, Turner developed his lyrical approach by listening to records from James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and the sampling culture perpetuated by producers like DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Q-Tip.
Turner joined the Wu-Tang Clan shortly before the recording of their landmark debut, influenced by conversations with RZA and praise from established members GZA (musician) and Method Man. He contributed to the group's seminal album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), on tracks that displayed his deliberate cadence alongside verses from Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Cappadonna. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s Turner participated in Wu-Tang Clan studio albums, live tours, and compilations such as Wu-Tang Forever and The W, sharing billing with artists signed to labels like Loud Records and producers affiliated with RZA. His role within the collective often emphasized quality over quantity: he was known for limited but memorable appearances on tracks produced by figures including True Master and Mathematics (producer), and for representing the group's martial arts and Five-Percent Nation iconography that paralleled imagery used by peers like Brand Nubian and A Tribe Called Quest.
Turner's solo debut, No Said Date, was released on Nature Sounds and featured collaborations with Ghostface Killah, GZA (musician), Method Man, and producers such as True Master and RZA. Subsequent albums, including Made in Brooklyn and Loyalty Is Royalty, continued his association with independent labels like Gold Dust Media and aligned him with guest appearances from Raekwon and Inspectah Deck. His discography showcases projects produced by members of the extended Wu-Tang production family, and guest spots from artists connected to the East Coast hip hop scene, including veterans like Kool G Rap and contemporaries such as Masta Ace. Turner also released instrumental and remix projects, toured internationally to markets in Europe, Japan, and Canada, and appeared on festival bills alongside acts like Public Enemy and De La Soul.
Turner's style is characterized by a restrained, precise flow and contemplative lyrical content, drawing comparisons to fellow lyricists GZA (musician), KRS-One, and Q-Tip. He often raps with an economy of words reminiscent of artists such as Rakim and Big L, favoring internal rhyme schemes and measured delivery rather than rapid-fire techniques used by contemporaries like Twista or Busta Rhymes. His production choices lean toward sparse, sample-driven beats associated with RZA, True Master, and Pete Rock, and he frequently references cinematic and historical touchstones similar to those used by Ghostface Killah and Raekwon. Turner cites influences from martial arts cinema, soul musicians like Marvin Gaye, and pioneering DJs including Grandmaster Flash.
Turner has appeared on tracks with numerous Wu-Tang Clan affiliates and external artists, contributing verses to albums by Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, GZA (musician), and Method Man. Outside the core collective he has worked with producers and rappers such as DJ Muggs, Large Professor, EPMD, and Mobb Deep, and participated in cross-genre projects with international acts in France and Japan. He has been featured on soundtracks, compilation albums, and benefit concerts shared with performers like Cypress Hill, Nas, Snoop Dogg, and Ice Cube, and has taken part in collaborative tours that included appearances by The Roots and De La Soul.
Turner maintains a relatively private personal life in Staten Island and New York City, often keeping a low public profile compared with other members of Wu-Tang Clan. He has been involved in community-oriented initiatives, supporting youth programs and music education efforts in New York City boroughs and collaborating with nonprofit organizations that focus on arts access, echoing efforts by artists such as Common and Killer Mike. Turner has participated in panels and workshops addressing cultural heritage alongside figures like Afrika Bambaataa and Chuck D, and has supported causes related to urban arts funding, hip hop preservation, and charitable events tied to organizations operating in cities like Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Category:Wu-Tang Clan members Category:American rappers Category:1969 births Category:Living people