New York artist Kaseem Ryan, who was better known by his stage name KA, died suddenly at the age of 52.
KA, a well-known figure in underground hip-hop and a respected FDNY captain, died in New York City on October 12, 2024. On October 14, 2024, he posted on Instagram that he had died.
The rapper’s death has had a huge effect on both the music and firefighting communities. He was known for making people think through his music. His work as a first responder during the September 11 attacks and the 11 albums he self-released that fans loved are among his many legacies.
A post on KA’s Instagram confirmed his death and talked about his years of service and work in music. “KA is survived by his wife, mother, and sister,” it said at the end. Please give KA’s family and loved ones space to grieve in private while they move on with their lives.
As soon as the news got out, tributes came in from friends, family, fellow artists, and fans. She wrote on Instagram, “My king, my hero, my best friend,” to show how sad she was about KA’s death. As long as we have love, you will always be my everything.
Hip-hop producer Alchemist Type Beat also showed his respect for KA by calling him a “living prophet” whose words would always be important. He also talked about how KA made everyone around him better and recognized what KA had done for the hip-hop community.
Other hip-hop artists spoke out to honor KA’s memory. Many famous people have said nice things about him. Nicholas Craven called him “one of the greatest rappers and writers that ever lived,” and Otto Von Biz Markie called him “rap’s greatest minimalist” who dedicated his life to his city and craft.
Regarding KA’s album “Honor Killed The Samurai,” Jah Talks Music suggested that fans listen to it again and talked about how important the rapper’s contributions were to the underground scene.
A lot of fans were thinking about how important KA was, and one said, “There’s never been a better rap writer than Ka and there never will be.” Someone else said that his work was a mix of great writing and self-production that helped shape the genre.
“The Last Underground Rapper” (KA) was called by The New Yorker in 2021. He had a unique career path. In the early 1990s, he started out in New York’s hip-hop scene. For a short time, he took a break to focus on his other passion: fighting fires.
He started working as a firefighter for the FDNY in 1999, and he stopped rapping for good in 2003. But music was always around, and KA eventually started rapping again while still working for the city and becoming captain. It’s interesting that the New York Post once wrote about his two jobs and criticized them.
Underground hip-hop has lost a great artist, but KA’s music and the people he touched will live on, just like the music of another rapper who died not long ago, Lucas Coly. We’re sorry for his family and friends’ loss.
