Ras Kass A

12 followers

Ras Kass is an artist of enduring legacy, a true archetype for hip-hop purists, and a rapper's worst nightmare. Dr. Dre himself has bestowed upon him the title of "Superstar," while Ice Cube consistently ranks him among the top 5 lyricists in the game. His stage name, "Your favorite rapper's Favorite Rapper," says it all. Despite his immense talent, Ras Kass has often been unjustly overlooked. This can be attributed to a lack of proper team support and adequate exposure. Beyond his prowess as a lyricist, Ras Kass wears many hats he's a published author, executive producer, SAG actor, ghostwriter, voice-over artist, music consultant, public speaker, and an urban philosopher. Notably, he earned a B+ GPA in the viral "Hip Hop Report Card" by the legendary Kool Moe Dee. His collaborators read like a who's who of hip-hop royalty, spanning from DJ Quik to DJ Premier, The RZA to Kanye West, Apollo Brown to multiple Grammy-winning funk producer Jack Splash. He's also joined forces with elite rappers such as Lauryn Hill, Kendrick Lamar, Mobb Deep, Nipsey Hussle, Jay Z, 2Chainz, The Lox, Talib Kweli, Too Short, and many more. Born as John R. Austin IV in Watts, California, in 1996, he welcomed twin sons, Ras and Taj, with R&B and soul singer-songwriter Teedra Moses. These twins are now part of the up-and-coming group called Coast Contra. Ras Kass' sister, Tiffany Austin, is a highly acclaimed jazz singer, and his cousin is the BMF Entertainment artist Barima "Bleu DaVinci" McKnight. Ras Kass made waves in the hip-hop world with his independent single "Remain Anonymous," earning him a coveted Hip-Hop Quotable feature in The Source Magazine. Before signing with Priority/EMI Records, he released his debut album, "Soul on Ice," in 1996. This album, inspired by Eldridge Cleaver's book of the same name, delved into racial relations, notably on tracks like the Diamond D produced "Soul On Ice" remix and "Nature of the Threat." The follow-up, "Rasassination," also found its home on Priority Records. One of his groundbreaking tracks, "Nature Of The Threat," from his debut album, is widely used in university history classes for its thought-provoking critique of traditional Western history. It presents a counter-narrative backed by historical facts and context, offering a fresh perspective through the lens of a modern revolutionary. In 2021, Ras Kass took the reins as executive producer for the long-anticipated HRSMN album, featuring Kurupt (Dogg Pound), Killah Priest (WuTang), and Canibus. Looking ahead to 2024, Ras Kass has multiple projects in the pipeline, including "GUTTR," a collaboration with Havoc of Mobb Deep.

  • Projects
  • Updates