Kaseem “KA” Ryan began his Hip-Hop career in relative obscurity in the 1990s, but later emerged as one of the genre's most important writers. As news of KA's passing broke over the weekend, Hip-Hop fans and artists are mourning the loss of the talented Brooklyn lyricist.
— Ka (@BrownsvilleKa) October 14, 2024
Born Kaseem Ryan on August 11, 1972, KA was a proud son of the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.
After the passing of the Natural Elements, Ryan joined forces with his friend Kev to form the Nightbreed crew but, as he did with his former team, Ryan felt that his skills were lacking compared to his fellow rhyme.
Ryan talks about his background during an amazing 2016 interview with Red Bull Music Academy, which you can find here.
KA will begin his long transformation as an artist through his debut album, Blacksmithingwhich was also the name of his imprint and further a call to his signature sound. The project caught the ears of fellow Brooklynite GZA, who invited Ryan to join the Wu-Tang Clan swordsman on the chilling track “Firehouse,” produced by Roc Marciano, another artist who transcended his previous sound and led the his art in stripping. but still strong level.
KA would be released in 2012 Grief's Pedigreeleaning more towards his minimalist, sparse yet lyrically dense style. Already blessed with a distinct, robust voice, Ryan used his tone as well as his shockingly vulnerable lyrics to great effect. It wasn't music designed for the daytime party. Instead, it was meant to be absorbed, analyzed, studied and generally respected.
The Night's Gambit. Honor killed the Samurai. Descendants of Cain. Testimonial reward. Language Arts. Sad Studies. The thief next to Jesus. Each of these albums carries its own sonic identity and there is no recommended starting point. Each release is so dense that one will unravel the meanings over several dozen listens and still not understand everything.
One of Ryan's greatest gifts was his commitment to an idea. His willingness to use every bit of his ability and how he managed to perfect his writing in every outing became his calling card, but it didn't capture every measure of the man.
Outside of Hip-Hop, KA was a husband, homeowner and firefighter in New York City. Although he didn't talk much about his work in music, he did share some details from that part of his life in profiles and interviews. Another impressive aspect of Ryan is that he didn't define himself by measuring his success in music. He saw it as a natural extension of himself and perhaps a way to process the things he saw growing up and do his part to add to the legacy of the culture he wanted himself to grow up with.
With nine solo projects he's largely produced and two collaborations he's also overseen shooting videos for, managing merchandise, and holding fan meetings and events, KA has remained humble and grateful.
A quick scan of his social media accounts showed the humility that was always present and he engaged his fans when he found the time to do so. Every story that was sure to emerge in the coming days was how gracious he was and made himself tangible despite his legendary status in Hip-Hop.
If you've ever been interested in the quality of songwriting in Hip-Hop and want to discover a shining example of the heights the genre can reach, we suggest giving KA some time.
As Hip-Hop fans around the world mourn one of the mighty titans of culture, the jewels KA left us will live on forever.
May he rest strong in peace.
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Photo: @brownsvilleka/Instagram
