Photo: Ka | Story by Dennis Romero and Tavleen Tarrant , NBC News | Celebrated New York City rapper and former firefighter Ka, whose real name was Kaseem Ryan, has died, according to his social media accounts. He was 52.
He passed away “unexpectedly” on Saturday, a statement on his Instagram account, verified by NBC News, said on Monday. It praised his contributions to firefighting, to his beloved neighborhood of Brownsville and to hip-hop as part of a “life of service—to his city, to his community, and to his music.”
A cause of death was not available, and a spokesperson for the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner did not immediately respond to a request for information.
“Capt. Ryan served the FDNY and the people of the city of New York with distinction for 20 years, working assignments in both the Bronx and Brooklyn,” New York City Fire Department spokesperson Jim Long said by email. “The Ryan family remains in our thoughts during their time of loss.”
The rapper’s artistry gained notoriety among critics, songwriters and fellow emcees relatively late in his life, as he first wowed audiences in 2008 with messages and music that existed almost entirely beneath the surface, in an indie-rap scene where charts and Ferraris have little currency.
Ka became known for his published lyrics and collaborations with the likes of GZA of Wu-Tang Clan and producer Roc Marciano. He maintained space in the heads of critics and fellow hip-hop artists for his humble, subtle and stinging rhymes, with some calling him one of the hip-hop’s greatest writers.
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He told The Fader that a cousin gave him $1,000 in 1989 so he could purchase studio time. In 1994, Ka’s name first appeared on a record as he participated in a project by Natural Elements, a collective of emcees and hip-hop artists.
Ka is survived by his wife, his mother and his sister, according to the statement on his Instagram account.
This article was originally published on https://www.NBCNews.com
Go here to read more of Ka’s story:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/ka-a-new-york-rapper-celebrated-as-a-legendary-wordsmith-is-dead-at-52/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/obituaries/ka-new-york-rapper-celebrated-legendary-wordsmith-dead-age-52-rcna175416
Photo: Ka | Kaseem Ryan
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After a Week in Critical Condition, Cuban Singer El Taiger Confirmed Dead in Miami
By Maykel Gonzalez, Miami Herald | A relative of popular Cuban reggaeton singer José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar, better known in the music world as El Taiger, confirmed his death on Thursday at the age of 37 in Miami. Taiger was in critical condition after being shot in the head on Oct. 4 and the news shocked the Cuban community both on and off the island.
Friends and fans joined in prayers and sent wishes for a speedy recovery, while many gathered outside Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, awaiting news of the artist’s progress.
Confirmation of death
El Taiger’s death was confirmed on social media by his cousin Jorge “Junior” Hernández Carvajal, also a popular reggaeton singer.
El Taiger had suffered severe brain damage and though his chances of survival were minimal many had hoped that he would be able to pull through. But he spent the last week without significant improvements in the intensive care unit of Jackson Memorial Hospital.
The artist’s representatives issued a statement on social media asking that the musician be remembered for the “joy he brought to so many,” also thanking the massive displays of support and the efforts of the medical team.
“Turn up the volume of your music, dance and celebrate his life. Taiger was the voice of the people, and now we must keep that feeling alive through his music and his legacy,” says the post shared by Cuban journalist Wilfredo Cancio Isla, former reporter for el Nuevo Herald.
The incident that led to El Taiger’s death remains under police investigation in Miami.
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Go here to read more on this continuing story:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/week-critical-condition-cuban-singer-194814025.html