Respecta.is - The Ultimate Hip Hop Portal

Wu-Tang Clan affiliate Timbo King has been making noise for years, with scene-stealing cameos on Wu classics like RZA's Bobby Digital In Stereo, GZA's Beneath The Surface, Wu-Tang Killa Bees' The Swarm, the Wu-Tang Meets The Indie Culture compilation, and more. He's also held it down as a member of several collectives, including the Wu-Tang offshoot Royal Fam and the Hip-Hop supergroup Black Market Militia (Timbo, Killah Priest, Tragedy Khadafi, Hell Razah, and William Cooper). Despite this success, Timbo has patiently waited, never dropping an album of his own. Nature Sounds is now proud to present Timbo King's solo debut, the long-awaited From Babylon To Timbuk2.

For an MC whose first major breakthrough was a 1993 spot on the Who's The Man soundtrack, it's been a long journey. Yet Timbo King had no problem biding his time. "I didn't want to rush it," he explains. "I took my time in crafting my debut to ensure that fans received the exact quality and body of work I knew they would come to expect from experiencing Timbo King as a featured artist over the years, and now taking the reigns as the ring leader."

The result is a cohesive, razor-sharp collection with plenty of lyrical jewels. Based on a book by Ralph Windsor, From Babylon To Timbuk2 is more than a typical album. "It's an audio novel," explains Timbo. "It's the story of my life, all the ups and downs, and trying to make a way for myself. At the same time, I'm doing the knowledge, teaching some things I've learned." Production duties are handled by Bronze Nazareth (who produced nearly half the album), as well as Lil' Fame of M.O.P., Vinny Idol, and more. A number of guests also stop by, including RZA, Killah Priest, R.A. The Rugged Man, Jr. Reid, Hell Razah, Akir, and William Cooper. While the road was long, the result may be a modern-day Wu classic. "Either you're a survivor or you're a statistic," says Timbo. From Babylon To Timbuk2 is for the survivors.

]