Ras Kass

Ras Kass, born John Austin IV in 1973, gained recognition for his exceptional lyricism after the release of his long-awaited debut LP, Soul on Ice, in 1996. Following the success of his sophomore effort, Rasassination, in 1998, Ras faced setbacks with the delayed release of subsequent albums due to label issues and bootlegging. He later turned his focus to the rap supergroup HRSMN with Kurupt, Killah Priest, and Canibus, releasing The Horsemen Project in 2003 and a series of mixtapes in the following years.

Despite label disputes, Ras continued to release music independently, such as the crowdfunded project A.D.I.D.A.S. in 2011 and collaborations like Barmageddon with various artists in 2013. His collaborative album Blasphemy with producer Apollo Brown in 2014 featured notable guests like Royce da 5'9" and Pharoahe Monch. In the years that followed, Ras maintained a prolific output, releasing mixtapes, collaborations, and projects like Intellectual Property: SO12 in 2016, showcasing his versatile skills as a rapper and writer.