Masta Killa

Considered the ninth member of The Wu-tang Clan, Masta Killa (b. Elgin Turner; aliases: High Chief, Noodles) recorded his first rhymes at the end of "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'" from The Clan's 1993 seminal debut, Enter The Wu-tang (36 Chambers). He had never seriously written rhymes, let alone rap before then. However, under the tutelage of The Gza, he developed a steadily paced flow that accentuated his intellectual lyrics -- although equally distinctive were his smooth voice and understated demeanor. Because Killa was incarcerated at the time, his closing verse on "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'" was his sole contribution to the album, but he always remained in the fold on the set of Wu-tang solo records that ensued in the mid-'90s, including Gza's Liquid Swords, Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, and Ghostface Killah's Ironman. There was no questioning his status in The Clan after the release of their 1997 album, Wu-tang Forever, where Killa contributed to numerous tracks, particularly his standout lines on the lead single, "Triumph."

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