The Hip Hop world and the Brownsville, Brooklyn community are saddened over the news of the passing of Kaseem Ryan, aka Brownsville Ka, who died this week (Oct. 12) unexpectedly in NYC.

His cause of death has not been confirmed. Ka was 52.

The Brownsvillian has been on the NYC underground Hip-Hop scene for three decades, originally as part of the group Natural Elements. However, Ka didn’t release a solo project until 2008 with Iron Works. He released several projects in the following years, including the infectious 2013 release of The Night’s Gambit, which boasted the viral single “Cold Facts.”

What very few knew is that when Ka took his hiatus from the rap game from ’99 to ’08, he embarked on a career in the New York Fire Department and was a first responder during the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks in 2001. Ka rose in the “New York’s Bravest” ranks and was promoted to fire captain at Engine Co. 235 in Bedford-Stuyvesant in 2009. Some critics didn’t think the two professions mixed very well, so in 2016, the New York Post wrote an incendiary story that painted Ka as an anti-cop rapper leading a double life as a firefighter.

An announcement was made on his @brownsvilleka Instagram page about his sudden passing:

“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Kaseem Ryan (1972-2024), the rapper and producer known as Ka, who died unexpectedly in New York City on October 12, at the age of 52,” reads the post. “Born and raised in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Ka lived a life of service — to his city, to his community, and to his music. As a 20-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department, he put his life on the line to protect his fellow citizens. Ka rose to the rank of FDNY captain and was a first responder on September 11, 2001, during the attacks on the World Trade Center. He leaves an extraordinary legacy as a recording artist, including eleven remarkable self-released solo albums. Ka is survived by his wife, mother and sister We kindly ask that the privacy of Ka’s family and loved ones be respected as they grieve this incalculable loss.”

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