Ka, the storied Brooklyn rapper and proudly independent musician born Kaseem Ryan, has died, according to a statement posted to his official social media channels. A hero of drumless beats, hushed vocals and an effortlessly wordy flow, he “died unexpectedly” this past Saturday (October 12) in New York. “We kindly ask that the privacy of Ka’s family and loved ones be respected as they grieve this incalculable loss,” the post reads. He was 52.
“Born and raised in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Ka lived a life of service—to his city, to his community, and to his music,” the statement continues. “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 FDNY captain and was a first responder on September 11, 2001 during the attacks on the World Trade Center. He leaves an extraordinary legacy as a recording artist, including eleven remarkable self-released solo albums.”
From his debut record with Natural Elements, in 1994, on through to his final solo album, August’s The Thief Next to Jesus, Ka carefully considered each word in his raps and the impact it could have on his local community. Seeing that through, he often hosted DIY events for his album releases where he would talk to fans one-on-one and celebrate bringing people together in person. Arguably most famously of all, Ka took great strides to remain independent wherever possible, from self-producing his work to shipping orders himself, never taking for granted that he landed a second life in music.
For Ka, hip-hop was love on first listen. As a six-year-old, he heard a rap song drift out of the radio and was immediately transfixed. “I knew as a child this was for me—I was chosen for it. It was my music,” he later told Impose. Though he witnessed hip-hop’s rise firsthand in his Brownsville neighborhood in Brooklyn, Ka didn’t rush through the songwriting process or learning how to hone his own unique flow. Instead, he took a pen to paper and, after a friend taught him to zoom out when writing, started focusing on crafting verses instead of just lines.
His first big break came with Natural Elements, the underground New York group led by Mr. VooDoo, L-Swift, and G-Blass. Ka was a natural fit as they carved out their place in the city’s independent rap scene, and they were quickly offered a development deal with Def Jam Recordings with some help from A&R talent scout Dante Ross. Four songs and one studio trip later, it fizzled out. Ka felt like the odd man out. In his own head and down on his verses, he left the group. Apart from a brief turn linking up with rapper Kev to form Nightbreed and dropping the 1998 indie rap 12″ “2 Roads Out the Ghetto,” Ka started to retreat into the shadows for good.
A decade later, Ka found the motivation to give it another go, this time in the name of sharing his musical skills with friends and family. “I wanted to give my mother a CD to put in her hand. I just wanted to prove that I didn’t waste 20 years of mastering a craft without anything to show for it,” he told Complex. Ka dropped his solo debut, Iron Works, in 2008, and the project eventually found its way to GZA. Impressed with his steadfast lyrical flow, the Wu-Tang Clan member invited Ka to contribute to his then-upcoming album Pro Tools on the track “Firehouse.” Ka threw everything he had into his part, aware of the opportunity’s make-or-break potential. Next thing he knew, he was introduced to Roc Marciano, and the two became close friends and collaborators.
Over the next few years, Ka slowly became a local fixture–turned–nationally revered rapper with 2012’s Grief Pedigree and 2013’s The Night’s Gambit, both released on his own label, Iron Works. By the time Honor Killed the Samurai dropped in 2016, Ka was now lionized as a cult favorite by younger rappers like Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE, both of whom considered his later-in-life ascent, especially his focus on craft over output, aspirational. Ka continued with a steady roll of albums that kept his tongue sharp and his peers on their toes: 2020’s Descendants of Cain, 2021’s A Martyr’s Reward, and 2022’s Languish Arts and Woeful Studies.
Ka also found time to collaborate with other artists. He did 2015’s Days With Dr. Yen Lo with Preservation, and 2018’s Orpheus vs. the Sirens with Animoss. He also collaborated with Navy Blue, Chuck Strangers, and, of course, Roc Marciano.
Though his comeback was heralded with accolades and high praise, Ka was most grateful for the renewed perspective on life it gave him. “I’ve been around way too much death and I know that living is better,” Ka once told Impose. “I appreciate being able to just go and take a walk in the park—the things I never did as a kid, like I never learned to fish, I never flew a kite as a kid. I bought a kite last year and went out with it to Prospect Park. I felt like a nerd, but it didn’t matter. I was hoping nobody knew me, but I was happy, man. I was in the park with a kite like a big kid. That’s living to me.”
Countless artists have paid tribute to Ka after learning of his death, including Westside Gunn, Chester Watson, Nicholas Craven, Curly Castro, L’Orange, Rome Streetz, Ankhlejohn, and Brainorchestra. “I always called him a living PROPHET because thats what he was to us,” the Alchemist wrote on X. “Me and Roc always said when KA rapped it was like he was delivering his words from the top of a mountain off a stone tablet. The truest man and artist I have ever been lucky enough to cross paths with. There is so much I want to say. It was an honor to call you a friend and comrade. Thanks Roc for connecting us. KA, you made all of us better. My condolences to the family. Rest easy Kaseem Ryan aka BROWNSVILLE KA. Till we meet again 🕊️.”
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