Ras Kass
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| Ras Kass | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | John Austin IV |
| Born | September 26, 1979 |
| Origin | Carson, California, United States |
| Genre(s) | Hip-hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Label(s) | Priority/Capitol/EMI Records |
| Associated acts | Chino XL, the HRSMN, Canibus, Killah Priest, Kurupt, Xzibit, Saafir, Rakim, Wu-Tang Clan, Jedi Mind Tricks, Dr. Dre, Bishop Lamont, Crooked I, 40 Glocc, NameBrand |
| Website | Official Web Site |
John Austin IV (born September 26, 1979[1] in Carson, California), better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is also a part of supergroup The HRSMN along with: Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Soul on Ice & Rasassination
From a young age, Austin was influenced by hip-hop, inspired by a variety of old-school rappers including Ice Cube, Rakim, Scarface and KRS-One. His first album, Soul on Ice, was released in 1996. Taking its name from a book by Eldridge Cleaver, Ras addressed racial relations in the same manner, most notably with "Ordo Abchao" and "Nature of the Threat," songs dealing in militant Afrocentricity. The album was released on Priority Records, as was his followup, Rasassination, with beats from Easy Mo Bee and appearances by RZA, Twista, Xzibit, Mack 10 and Dr. Dre. Its lead single, "Ghetto Fabulous," featured Dre and Mack 10 and was pushed by a lavish video shoot; the album received generally positive reviews[2], and shortly the MC announced his third album, Van Gogh.
[edit] Priority Issues, Van Gogh & Goldyn Child
During the recording of Ras's intended third album, Van Gogh, Priority Records merged with Capitol Records, which acquired the rapper and his material[3]. Initially near completion, the album was heavily bootlegged before any single or promotion could be prepared. Ras went back to work overhauling the project, procuring tracks from DJ Premier, Hi-Tek, Dr. Dre and retaining songs from Rockwilder and Battlecat. Tensions arose during the re-recording, from budget restrictions to lack of promotion:
| “ | 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. | ” |
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—Ras Kass |
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Ras Kass was also involved in The HRSMN, sometimes called The 4 Hrsmn, consisting of himself, Kurupt, Killah Priest and Canibus. The Horsemen Project, a white-label of rough tracks by the four, was released in 2003, but no release has since been planned. Finally nearing the completion of his album, the MC and Priority disagreed over the lead single. Originally pushing "Goldyn Child," produced by DJ Premier, Priority executives decided to try to release the Dr. Dre-produced "The Whoop" instead, against the wishes of both Ras Kass and Dr. Dre. As he was finishing up Goldyn Child, Kass was pulled over in California and arrested for a D.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 out Goldyn Child after all. Becoming a fugitive, Ras attained the masters to his project, recorded some music, and finally turned himself in to police[4]. During this time, he also had minor problems with producer The Alchemist, who sold Ras a beat that he later re-sold to rapper Jadakiss, which became the song "We Gon' Make It."[5].
[edit] Incarceration, Institutionalized, Priority Release
After serving nineteen months' time for his D.U.I. charge, Ras Kass recorded the album Institutionalized and began seeking release from his contract with Priority/Capitol Records. Though intended to be an album, it was released as a mixtape[6], generating a moderate buzz[7][8] despite Capitol's alleged reluctance[9]. He would go on to release two more mixtapes in 2006, Revenge of the Spit and Eat or Die, and saw issues with ex-G-Unit rapper The Game[10] over an alleged reference to the rapper's son in a freestyle. In October 2007, Kass was finally released from his contract[11]; after rumors of a deal with Def Jam or G-Unit Records[12], he was again incarcerated, this time for violating his parole by flying to the 2007 BET Awards. During this time, he put out the album Institutionalized Vol. 2 on Babygrande Records, and has yet to make any more announcements. After nearly 2 years of incarceration, Ras Kass was released from jail at the end of May 2009.[13].
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
- Soul on Ice
- Released: October 1, 1996
- Label: Priority
- Chart positions: 169 U.S.[14]
- Singles: "Anything Goes"/"On Earth As It Is...", "Soul on Ice"/"Marinatin'"
- Rasassination
- Released: September 22, 1998
- Label: Priority
- Chart positions: 63 U.S.[15]
- Singles: "Ghetto Fabulous", "H20Proof"
- Institutionalized Vol. 1
- Released: September 30, 2005
- Institutionalized Vol. 2
- Released: August 5, 2008
- Label: Babygrande Records
[edit] Other albums
- Van Gogh
- Released: Unreleased (planned for 2001)
- Chart positions: -
- Singles: "Back it Up"
- Revenge of the Spit (Mixtape)
- Released: February 21, 2006
- Chart positions: -
- Singles: "Bars Up"
- Eat or Die (Mixtape)
- Released: September 19, 2006
- Billboard 200 chart position: -
- R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
- Singles: "King Of The West", "Capital "P" (remix)"
- Chinese Graffiti (Mixtape with Jay 211 and NameBrand)
- Released: August 14, 2007
- Chart positions: -
[edit] Singles and EPs
- 1995 "High IQ"
- 1995 "Won't Catch Me Runnin"
- 1995 "Jack Frost"
- 1996 "Anything Goes"
- 1996 "Miami Life"
- 1997 "Soul On Ice (Remix)"
- 1998 "Ghetto Fabulous"
- 1998 "Understandable Smooth"
- 1999 "Oral Sex"
- 2001 "Back It Up"
- 2002 "Goldyn Child (DJ Premier Remix)"
- 2005 "Bars up"
[edit] Filmography
- 1997 Rhyme & Reason (as himself)
- 1998 I Got the Hook Up
- 2002 The Brotherhood
![[7]](http://cloutonline.com/files/ras_kass_clout_mag_2.jpg){kind=link}