Popular Brooklyn rapper and proud independent musician Kasem Ryan, known as Kasem Ryan, has died, according to a statement posted on his official social media channels. A hero of drumless beats, hushed vocals and effortless diction, he “died unexpectedly” last Saturday (October 12) in New York City. “We ask that you respect the privacy of Kai’s family and loved ones as they grieve this incalculable loss,” the post read. He was 52 years old.
“Born and raised in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Ka has lived a life of service to his city, his community and his music,” the statement continued. “As a 20-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department, he put his life on the line to protect his fellow citizens. Ka rose to the rank of captain in the FDNY and was a first responder to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as a recording artist, including eleven remarkable self-released solo albums.”
From his debut record with Natural Elements in 1994 to his last solo album, August’s The thief next to JesusKan carefully considered every word of his rap and the impact it could have on his local community. Seeing this, he often organized DIY events for his album releases, where he talked to fans one-on-one and celebrated bringing people together in person. Perhaps most famously of all, Ka has taken great strides to remain independent wherever possible, from self-producing his own tracks to self-shipping orders, never considering that he’s acquired a second life in music.
For Ka, hip-hop was love at first listen. At the age of six, he heard a rap song on the radio and was instantly hooked. “I knew since I was a child that this was for me, I was chosen for this. It happened my music,” he later recounted Force. Although he witnessed firsthand the rise of hip-hop in his Brownsville neighborhood in Brooklyn, Ka didn’t rush through the songwriting process or learn how to perfect his unique flow. Instead, he took pen to paper and, after a friend taught him to reduce his writing, began to focus on creating poems instead of just lines.
His first big break came with the Natural Elements, an underground New York band fronted by Mr. VooDoo, L-Swift and G-Blass. Ka was a natural fit as they established themselves in the city’s independent rap scene and were quickly offered a development deal with Def Jam Recordings with the help of A&R talent scout Dante Ross. Four songs and one studio trip later, it broke. Than he felt like a strange person. On his own head and verses, he left the group. Aside from a brief detour with rapper Kev that linked him to the formation of Nightbreed and the release of the 1998 indie rap 12″ 2 Roads Out the Ghetto, Ka began to retreat into the shadows forever.