Ka Lands Front Page of NY Post After Paper Tries to Out Him as a Firefighter

Ka, a Brownsville, Brooklyn rap vet, has found himself smack dab on the cover of the New York Post as the publication tried to "out" him as a firefighter. Only thing is, people have known that the 44-year-old, born Kaseem Ryan, has worked as a firefighter for years now.

Ka was a member of the groups Natural Element and Nightbreed in the '90s before being introduced to the masses on GZA's Pro Tools album on the track "Firehouse."

While moonlighting as a rapper, Ka has had a stable occupation in the public sector commanding Engine Co. 235 in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The Post points out lyrics to some of his songs are anti-police as their reasoning for attempting to put him on blast.

“The biases he portrays through his music are indicative of what he believes or feels,” said Ed Mullins, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association upon hearing of Ryan's rap career.

“I had no idea he was doing that on the side,” one firefighter told the post. “He’s really not a bad guy. But he shouldn’t be bad-mouthing cops.”

Despite the attempted smear campaign, this should make for great publicity for Ka's new album Honor Killed the Samurai which came out earlier this week.

He breaks down his mission in rap in a statement on his website. “I’ve been rhyming for over 20 years and appreciate any hip-hop fan who respects lyrics," he has posted. "I already know my songs are not for everyone. They’re not for the radio, the club or the masses. My music is for those who miss early ’90s hip hop when pain and struggle were the dominant themes.”

This is the rapper's fourth solo LP. He has previously put out The Night’s Gambit in 2013, Grief’s Pedigree in 2012 and Iron Works in 2008. He also released Days With Dr. Yen Lo, produced entirely by Preservation, last year.

See Ka's response to the stupidity below, as well as El-P and others in hip-hop voicing their disdain for the Post piece.

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