AotD: Ras Kass

September 20, 2006 8:19 a.m. by Matthew Gasteier

Ras Kass - Soul on Ice
After my esteemed colleague trashed Ras Kass on this very site, it seems like an appropriate time to remind everyone how far he's fallen with his new, terrible record and pointless, boring beef. This is Soul On Ice, his first record, and in my opinion, his best, slighty beating out Rassassination. Though the beats aren't uniformly solid, Ras's lyrics are constantly inspiring, ranging in inspiration from Chuck D to Biggie, though never less than Ras. "I'm stuck in the middle of this bitch like yo mamma's gynocologist." Then there's the nearly eight minute "Nature of the Threat," which, aside from some expected and tired homophobia, is a stunning display of world history that rivals any hip hop track ever for revolutionary statement. Tragically out of print, Soul on Ice is available on iTunes and used generally for around 20 bucks. Check out Marinatin' below.
Marinatin' (mp3)

5 Responses

September 20, 2006 at 9:59 a.m.

Mike Krolak

great pick. great album.

September 20, 2006 at 1:39 p.m.

BTW

There was a time when Ras was considered one of the most gifted lyricists out there. He consistently repped Cali while staying close with like-minded MC's like OC and Organized Konfusion. The knock for so long with Ras Kass was that he wasn't given the beats to push him forward. Diamond's remix for "Soul on Ice" (the best song on the album that wasn't on the album) only further confirmed this. He's also been a victim of bad luck - "Van Gogh" - which according to him and fans that heard it was his best work, never saw the light of day. And his battle with his label over this record started what would be the beginning of a long downfall. It's easy to laugh at him now but he had alot of respect and talent for a period of time. It's a shame where he's ended up.

September 20, 2006 at 4:25 p.m.

Adrian Covert

yeah i dont think you can ignore what he was doing 10 years ago. but he was always bubbling under the surface and never made the impact he should have given his talent. for that reason, i consider his career to be a failure.

September 20, 2006 at 6:04 p.m.

Matthew Gasteier

Failure is a pretty strong word for someone who has three solid records, whether he has been successful commercially or not. Disappointment, definitely.

September 20, 2006 at 10:29 p.m.

Dave Park

Failure? What in the world? He's still one of the best rappers ever. I don't think you can blame him for people not buying his album.