Ka has passed away at the age of 52.
Ka’s Family Announces His Death
On Monday (Oct. 14), the hip-hop community was shocked to hear the news of the Brooklyn rapper’s passing. The tragic news was revealed via a mesage on the MC’s Instagram page.
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Kaseem Ryan (1972-2004) the rapper and producer known as Ka, who died unexpectedly in New York City on Oct. 12, at the age of 52,” the statement reads below. “Born and raised in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Ka lived a life of service—to his city, to his community and to his music. As a 20-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department, he put his life on the line to protect his fellow citizens…He leaves an extraordinary legacy as a recording artist, including 11 remarkable self-released solo albums. Ka is survived by his wife, mother and sister.”
No more details have been released.
Ka’s Legacy
Ka first rose to prominence as a member of the underground hip-hop group Natural Elements along with L Swift, Howie Smalls, Mr. Voodoo, the InTIMidator and G-Blass in the mid-1990s. His career as a solo artist began in 2008 with the release of the album Iron Works and would continue until his untimely passing with a total of 13 projects, including two collab albums. He held a respectable rap career, often being lauded as a top-notch lyricist, while also working full-time as a firefighter for the NYFD. He released his most recent album The Thief Next to Jesus in August. The LP features the single “Borrowed Time.”
Check out Ka’s family’s full statement below.
