Ras Kass | |
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 Ras Kass in 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as |
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| Born | (1973-09-26)September 26, 1973 (age 52)[1] Los Angeles,California, U.S. |
| Origin | Carson, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations |
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| Works | Ras Kass discography |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels |
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| Member of | The Hrsmn |
| Website | www |
John R. Austin II (born September 26, 1973),[1] better known by his stage nameRas Kass, is an American rapper. He is a member of thehip hopsupergroupThe Hrsmn, along withCanibus,Killah Priest, andKurupt in 2014.[2] He is also a member of the group Golden State Warriors withXzibit andSaafir.About.com ranked him No. 30 on their list of theTop 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007),[3] whilePitchfork Media called him "one of the best rappers of all time".[4]
John R. Austin was born on September 26, 1973[5] and grew up inCarson, California. In 1996, he andR&B andsoul singer-songwriterTeedra Moses had twin sons, Ras and Taj, both of whom are founding members of the rap groupCoast Contra.[6][7]BMF Entertainment artist Barima "Bleu DaVinci" McKnight is Austin's cousin.[8]
Ras Kass took his stage name from the legendaryEthiopian EmperorYohannes IV whose name was Ras Kassa Mircha before he was crowned as an emperor. In 1991, he made his debut appearance on the single "Trick or Treat" by Wild West Corral alongside B.O.X., Ganjah K, Torche and produced byDJ Battlecat.[9] Ras Kass sent waves through the hip-hop world with his debut independent single release "Remain Anonymous," earning him a Hip-Hop Quotable inThe Source Magazine. Before his signing with Priority/EMI Records, Ras Kass began making guest appearances on several records and freestyles on numerous radio shows, further solidified the emerging lyricist's notoriety. Recorded guest appearances include Sway & King Tech's "Come Widdit" (feat. Ras Kass, Ahamad and Saafir) (Priority Records) and their "Wake Up Show Anthem '94" (feat. Ras Kass,Nas,Lauryn Hill,Chino XL,Organized Konfusion andSaafir), as well as Chino XL's "Riiiot" (American Recordings), andKeyKool andRhettmatic's "E=MC5" (feat. Ras Kass, LMNO, and Meen Green) Up Above Records.
From a young age, Austin was influenced by hip hop music and inspired by a variety of emcees includingIce Cube,Rakim,Scarface, andKRS-One. His first album,Soul on Ice, was released in 1996. Taking its name from a book byEldridge Cleaver, Ras addressed racial relations in the same manner, most notably with "Ordo Abchao" and "Nature of the Threat." The album was released onPriority Records, as was the follow-up,Rasassination, which featured beats fromEasy Mo Bee and guest appearances byRZA,Twista,Xzibit,Mack 10 andDr. Dre. Lead single "Ghetto Fabulous" featured Dre and Mack 10 and was pushed by a lavish video shoot. The album received generally positive reviews,[10] and shortly afterward the MC announced his third album,Van Gogh.
During the recording of Ras's intended third album,Van Gogh, Priority Records merged withCapitol Records, which acquired the emcee's contract and his material.[11] Initially near completion, the album was heavily bootlegged before any single or promotion could be prepared. In fact, the would-be single "Van Gogh" was even played on an episode ofThe Sopranos. Ras went back to work overhauling the project, procuring tracks fromDJ Premier,Hi-Tek, and Dr. Dre and retaining songs fromRockwilder andBattlecat. Tensions arose during the re-recording, from budget restrictions to lack of promotion: Despite the fact that "Van Gogh" remained shelved the album's singles "Back It Up" and "Goldyn Chyld" received a decent number of spins on Los Angeles urban contemporary radio stations KKBT (The Beat) and KPWR (Power 106) during the course of 2001–02.
I would always tell Priority executives, "You give me a road kill cow and pair of scissors but you expect a pair of Air Jordans. It's not fair." Ironically, I would still somehow manage to make a couple pairs.
— Ras Kass
Since 1999 Ras Kass has also been involved in MC supergroupThe HRSMN, alternately called The 4 Horsemen, consisting of himself,Kurupt (of Tha Dogg Pound),Killah Priest, andCanibus.The Horsemen Project, a white-label CD of rough tracks of which a majority was intended for the official debut, was released - or rather leaked - in 2003. A decade of inactivity followed before the independent and self-distributedHistoric EP dropped in 2014. A newly recorded track - Historic feat.Tragedy Khadafi - opening the compilation in question provided some proof the supergroup never parted ways permanently, but it took until 2021 before the official full-length debut LPThe Last Ride became reality on Cre8yte Records, distributed by Fat Beats with M-Eighty and Ras Kass as executive producers. It contains 12 new tracks featuring guests such as Hus Kingpin, Tragedy Khadafi,Planet Asia,Phil Da Agony andChino XL, as well as producers Twiz the Beat Pro, Omid G,Bronze Nazareth, Nikkle Plated and Anno Domini among others.
In 2003, nearing the completion of his follow-up to Van Gogh, John Austin II and Priority disagreed over which was to be the lead single. Originally pushing "Goldyn Chyld," produced by DJ Premier, Priority executives decided to release the Dr. Dre-produced "The Whoop" instead, against the wishes of both Ras Kass and Dr. Dre. As he was finishing upGoldyn Chyld, Austin was pulled over in California and arrested for aD.U.I., marking his third; though sentenced to jail time, he was given an extension. Two weeks before the start of his sentence, Priority informed him of their decision not to put outGoldyn Chyld after all. Becoming a fugitive, Austin attained the master tapes to his project, recorded some music, and finally turned himself in to the police.[12] During this time, he also had minor problems with producerthe Alchemist, who sold Ras a beat that he later re-sold to rapperJadakiss, which ultimately formed the basis for the track "We Gonna Make It".[13]
After serving only 19 months for his D.U.I. charge, Ras Kass recorded the albumInstitutionalized and began seeking release from his contract with Priority/Capitol Records. Though intended to be an album, it was released as amixtape,[14] generating a moderate buzz[15][16] despite Capitol's alleged reluctance.[16] He would go on to release two more mixtapes in 2006,Revenge of the Spit andEat or Die, and got into a fight with formerG-Unit rapperThe Game over an alleged reference to the rapper's son in a freestyle.[17] In October 2007, Kass finally succeeded in being released from his record contract.[11] However, after rumors of a deal withDef Jam orG-Unit Records,[18] he was again incarcerated, this time for violating his parole by flying to the 2007BET Awards. During this time, he put out the albumInstitutionalized Volume 2 onBabygrande Records. After nearly two years of incarceration, Ras Kass was released from jail at the end of May 2009.[19]
Ras Kass talks about his arrest and incarceration in the 2011 filmRhyme and Punishment, which documents rap artists who have spent time behind bars.
Featured inHipHopDX's Underground Report, Ras Kass revealed that his next release would be a project calledThe Quarterly. Originally intended to be completed within the fourth quarter of 2009, it comprises a song a week released in the fashion of fellow west coast emceeCrooked I'sHip-Hop Weekly andFreeway'sMonth of Madness.[20] "The Quarterly" was released on November 23, 2009, via www.raskass-central.com and includes nineteen tracks featuring collaborations by Killah Priest,Mistah F.A.B. andKrondon ofStrong Arm Steady, with production fromPete Rock, Veterano, and others.[21]
In early 2010, Ras Kass launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the manufacture of 1,000 CDs and 500 records for hisA.D.I.D.A.S. (All Day I Dream About Spittin) project and a viral marketing campaign called "Save The Ras Kass", which included a series of satirical web episodes about the plight of the endangered emcee.[22] In an interview with MTV UK writerHan O'Connor he explained his decision to use Kickstarter, stating "we started trying different angles at solving old problems. Kickstarter was the natural evolution of trying creative new business models. When we put outThe Quarterly there were people that said, ‘well how come you didn’t create a CD for this?’ and I'm like ‘well if I have to spend that $5000 and you want one, I appreciate it but there’s the small problem that I spent $5000.’"[23] His webisodes document the downfall of an emcee, as he explained, "You just see this downward spiral; it’s just that fall from grace and I’m kind of making fun of that and using me as the vehicle for it."[23] Finally, Ras Kass exceeded the $3,800 needed for the record in less than five days,[24] with the project being released as alimited edition double CD and LP on July 20, 2011.[25]
In November 2012 Ras Kass stated that he had changed the name of his upcoming LP fromP.U.M.A. (Pushin Underground Music Always) toBarmageddon. It was released on February 12, 2013.[26]Barmageddon includes features fromKendrick Lamar,M. K. Asante,Bishop Lamont,Ice-T,Too Short, andTalib Kweli.
During an interview with Sway Calloway, Ras Kass announced that he is working on a sequel to his debut albumSoul on Ice, calledSoul on Ice 2. The album was released in September 2019.[27]
On July 28 2020, Ras Kass released the single "Freedom", advocating for the liberation of the American political prisonerLeonard Peltier.[28] Produced by DJ Free Leonard, the track premiered on theDJ Kay Slay "Straight Stuntin" Show on XM Sirius Shade 45 Radio.
Kass was raised Catholic, and has studied other religions.[29][30] Ras shares twin sons Taj and Ras with singer/song writer New Orleans native Teedra Moses. His sons are part of the Rap/hip hop group Coast Contra.
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