Kaseem Ryan (August 11, 1972 – October 12, 2024), better known by his stage name Ka, was an American rapper, producer, and firefighter from Brooklyn, New York City.

[4][5][6][7] His solo work achieved critical acclaim, and he was often noted for his focused concept albums, skilled lyricism, and hushed vocal delivery.

[10] He initially developed an interest in hip hop as a child in the late 1970s;[11] in an interview with Vice, he estimated that he began rapping around the age of eight.

[13] Ryan joined Natural Elements in 1994,[14] performing as K A,[1] though he felt that his skills were lacking compared to his groupmates and left soon afterward.

In an interview with Complex, he recounted that he was no longer seeking to pursue music as a career at the time, but simply wanted to create a project for his family members to listen to.

[11] Iron Works caught the attention of Wu-Tang Clan member GZA, who invited Ka to appear on his 2008 album Pro Tools.