Ras Kass

Ras Kass (born John Austin, 26 September, in Watts, California) is an American rapper.

Ras Kass released his debut album Soul On Ice in 1996 after building up considerable hype through the release of several

Ras Kass (born John Austin, 26 September, in Watts, California) is an American rapper.

Ras Kass released his debut album Soul On Ice in 1996 after building up considerable hype through the release of several independent singles, including "High IQ" and "Won't Catch Me Runnin". Soul On Ice saw little commercial success but was adored by the hip hop underground, who appreciated both his sharp battle raps and his militant Afrocentricity. The latter also caused controversy due to the songs "Ordo Abchao" and "Nature Of The Threat" which were radical tracts detailing the history of white-on-black racism. Many argued that their extremism in fact amounted to racism in the opposite direction, particularly due to their reliance in many cases on unsubstantiated conspiracy theories.