The news of the Brownsville rapper KA passes by, aka Kaseem Ryan, continues to shock his fans and collaborators. In the days since the news went viral, many in Hip-Hop have been trying to come to terms with the loss and find time to celebrate KA's sonic artistry as he intended.
I'm not religious nor do I invest much time in the inner possibilities of fate, but something continues to bother me about Kaseem Ryan's death. I was listening to the Brooklyn rapper's latest album, The thief next to Jesus on the morning of the day the news of his death was posted on social media.
I was listening to the album to find a song to add to the ongoing CRT FRSH playlist series at Hip-Hop Wired, but also just enjoying hearing the FDNY firefighter present ideas about how Christianity is a hallmark of the black community while continuing to he fights hard against religion being used as a tool to keep slaves in fear of the masters.
Beyond dissecting Christianity as a whole, KA also deftly examines how the music and art consumed by the masses can have deeper implications that we are unwilling to face. Yes, music and its enjoyment is a subjective experience, but being overwhelmed by certain messages permeates the senses much more than one would admit.
I was no stranger to Ryan's work as a self-confessed Hip-Hop nerd. These days, the volume at which music is released today does not allow me to know every corner of the so-called “mainstream” or “underground” scenes, but in the 1990s, it was much easier to keep up.
Also back then, I was an active rapper, mostly of the kind that would be into freestyle “cryptos” and battles, while also making my meager attempts at recorded material. At my core, I was a fan first and drew on rhyming as a means to get closer to the music.
Natural Elements, currently consisting of L Swift (now Swigga Da Don), A-Butta and Mr. Voodoo, included more members and one of them was KA, who later left the group as he felt he didn't measure up as a rapper compared to his countrymen. The group's debut in 1994 The EC he was very much a product of his time and wore his street-born rugged style with pride.
The style of Hip-Hop back then, especially on the indie side, was filled with heavy bass, horn samples, massive choruses, and an emphasis on lyrical superiority over direction or substance. The goal for many toiling outside the label structure was to be the best in their respective lanes.
Reinvention is not a new concept in the history of Hip-Hop music. One of the most famous examples is the late, great MF DOOM, who began his career as Zev Love X as a member of KMD (Kausing Much Damage). Like DOOM before him, KA hit a wave of creativity in the late 1990s that culminated in the formation of Nightbreed with the late Kev, and from the unreleased music one can find online, it's clear that he's his game is terrible.
It would be a while before we heard Ryan's brooding vocals again, and admittedly, I reconnected with the lyricist via GZA's track “Firehouse” from Wu-Tang Clan Swordsman Pro Tools album. As I later learned, GZA, a fellow Brooklynite, discovered Ryan's debut album, Blacksmithingand invited him to a recording session.
It feels trite to say that the rest is history, but, it was truly a historic run of critically acclaimed albums that would begin. I treated every drop of KA like a spiritual experience, and any skill as a writer I thought I had was easily diminished by the mighty pen of the Iron Works honcho. There were times when I listened to an album like 2016 Honor killed the Samurai where I would stop the track or else fall into a heap of emotions.
Everything about KA felt authentic, tangible, personal, vulnerable and ultimately human. It would be a while before I discovered that his day job was saving lives as a firefighter. I daresay Kaseem Ryan saved my life and countless others through his selfless outpouring of self-expression, creativity and must-read commentary from anyone who claims to love this culture.
As I write this, tears are forming in the corners of my eyes, but my heart is pounding knowing that the music that KA gave the world was done in a way that matched all the outpouring of love we saw on social media last week and not only.
Talented acts such as Chuck Strangers, billy woods, Open Mike Eagle, Roc Marci, Pink Siifu and too many acts to name, all had similar stories of their interactions with Ryan or their connection to his music. And it wasn't just the lyrics. Just like Roc collaborator Marciano, KA didn't have to hand over production as a seasoned producer himself, but his collaborative work with producers Preservation, Aminoss and Roc Marci perfectly matched his sonic ethos.
I've taken on the impossible task of compiling a song from KA's work over the years along with a long verse, starting with the aforementioned “Firehouse” as a primer for the uninitiated. I hope that by listening to the music you will do what I urge everyone else to do if they ever talk to me. Just dive in, let yourself feel every bar and try to walk upright like KA did despite the meanness of the world at large.
Mighty rest in peace Kaseem Ryan.
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Photo: Images taken from www.brownsvilleka.com