Heres an interesting bio i found on him, this is probably old but ohh well.
Biography
If ya dont know by now, Ras Kass is one of the underground's finest. He makes his home in Sunny southern california, but he is far from a gangsta rapper. He is regarded as one of the top lyricists in the game. His quotables are far too many to list.
Ras was born John Austin, and is a member of the Soleside's Crew. He is in an elite group of emcees period.
His debut was a classic, period. Lyrically, he is in a class by himself, his off-beat flow characterizes his whole style: Off-beat, or different from the norm. He, along with Xzibit and Saafir, form a group called the Golden State Warriors.
The Hip-Hop Underground is in a constant state of evolution. The man who is willing to go out on a limb, to take a risk with an ill metaphor or an offbeat type flow, is the one the jeep denizens proclaim king. You may not know the true identities of these unnamed emcees you see in ciphers on darkened rooftops, street corners or dance floors, sweat pouring down their faces as they spit metaphors and similes towards the ears of nodding heads, but their aftershocks can be felt for miles.
It's the Anonymous, not those plastic wannabe fools throwing up fake gang signs and gun boasts while big booty bitches wiggle ass for the camera, who are the guardians of Hip-Hop's soul. In the spirit of creation, the true underground niggaz are keeping the jaded critics continually checking for rap, despite that many herald the impending 'death' of the art form. As Rap Music makes it's mad dash towards the mainstream, a few lone individuals stayed behind to keep the integrity and raw fervor alive, so that the culture will survive long after the corporate machine whets it's appetite the next popular phenomenon.
RAS KASS is one of the chosen few, the prodigal son of the underground. Like the Ethiopian King he named himself after, Ras is the offspring of lyrical kings, that man who has made it his sole mission in life to bring the flavor and creativity back to Hip-Hop without the consistent glock boasts. If Rakim is God rocking a microphone, then RAS KASS, along with fellow disciples KRS One, Nas, Chino XL, Method Man, Buckshot and the other members of his crew is spreading the R's gospel to a Hip-Hop constituency in desperate need of a leader.
Though his rhyme skills are interplanetary, Ras himself came up in Watts and Carson 21 years ago as John Ausin. Rap has been a part of his life as long as he can remember. "I think I was rappin' before I even realized I was rapping", he reflects. "When I look back, I realize that I've been rhymin' since I was about 8. I didn't really know what I was saying, so I didn't really try to get serious at it until 1987." He came upon the name RAS KASS (the name of a rival king of the African Kingdom of Shoa, the 4th son of John) while reading about his African heritage. Ras himself is also the 4th son of John. The name symbolizes his quest for knowledge and self-improvement. "I feel like I'm striving to be God like, to really deserve the attribute RAS KASS", he explains. "The name itself is a metaphor. I just see it as the transition from slave mentality to having knowledge of self, and that's what I'm striving for. I want perfection."
Since he's "never been fond of too much Gangsta shit", RAS KASS and crew have always come at unorthodox angles to bring some much needed excitement back to Los Angeles based rap. "My clique has always stepped to the plate with a different aura. Free thinkers are the ones who make contributions towards society's evolution. Everybody else in the rat race is just going by the rules. Those muthafuckas who always be saying 'why do I have to do this and how would it benefit me?' Maybe, even if it's on a small scale, my music can change things."
People talk about "coming next" all day, but RAS KASS, who considers himself a rapper's rapper, is one of those few people who can truly lay claim to that adjective. His similes, quite frankly, are explosive and cut right to the quick of any matter with an intensity that's lethal. His allusions are impressive enough, but it's his agile, buttery flow, the manner in which he grabs the mic that's even more staggering.
"I don't feel there's nothing wrong with grabbing your bozack and just skilling!" he explains. "Get niggaz open off some fly shit, I just figure with my music, in order to understand it, you have to have some Hip-Hop history, know a little bit about the West Coast, and just enough scholarly education to get you by. I try to use as wide a vocabulary as possible, because muthafucka be caught up in the same vernacular too much and after a while, it all begins to sound the same: "I get busy, I be doing this or I be doing that." If you want to elevate this art form, you got to come next. There's a lot of niggaz who can't grasp what I rap about, but in the long term niggaz is going to have to accept. They can't do nothing else."
Being accepted has perhaps been RAS KASS' hardest obstacle. The masses weren't ready when he first tried to come out. Before PatchWerk had the insight to sign an artist of Ras' caliber, no other record labels really checked for him. Because of his geographical location and the kind of flow he was coming with, a lot of people considered it too "weird", especially in an arena where Gangsta Funk reigns supreme. "My philosophy is just about being real", he explains about his steelo. "I couldn't do twelve songs about being in love with some female, just like I couldn't do a whole album about shootin' some niggaz up." Ras comes with a variety of things to talk about because life holds variety. "Sometimes I'm happy, somedays I'm sad, but no matter how I'm feeling whin I write, I strive to reflect that balance."
In the summer of 1994 RAS KASS made his wax debut with the single "Remain Anonymous b/w Won't Catch Me Runnin'" for PatchWerk Recordings. Released only in the Los Angeles area, the single eventually leaked out to find national acclaim and was soon proclaimed an "underground classic" (Urb magazine). Ras rose from obscurity to become by all means an "underground legend" (Source Magazine). He garnered further national attention when he was featured on the video and single "Come Widdit" off the STREET FIGHTER soundtrack. This earned him 'dopest rhyme of the month' accolades in The Source Magazine. He also received two 'dopes rhyme of the month' recognition in RapPages for "Remain Anonymous" and "Nature of the Threat".
In addition, Ras accumulated an unprecedented stack of exceptionally fat reviews and feature articles in virtually every major urban magazine from Canada to the United Kingdom, including two cover stories. this success led to several major labels vying for the opportunity to distribute the highly anticipated album. A victor emerged and the long-awaited debut SOUL ON ICE will be released this summer on PatchWerk/Priority. Several leading critics have already forecast Ras to be "the West Coast's next huge star".
SOUL ON ICE, next beats, rhymes, and all that good stuff, is a long look inside the heart of a Hip-Hop fanatic. While, of course, bills have to be paid, Ras didn't step on stage as a means to line his pockets. The music gives him peace of mind, a means to express himself that gives his life position and meaning. That's the only thing people rap, "I'm signifying for the West Coast in particular, Hip-Hop in general." Ras concludes, "Maybe one day KRS-One will say "that nigga Ras is dope." And that would be it. If my shit was over after that, I wouldn't really even care. I just want people to know I got skills." There's no stopping one who's time has come to pass. RAS KASS, the past, the present, and the future of Real Hip-Hop. Strictly Representing...
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Originally Posted by The Realist
