KingsOfKings
❄️ 𝟐𝟐𝟕, 𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖊 𝕬𝖙 𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝕴𝖙! ❄️
Ras G never changed the original needle on his Spacebase home studio turntable. According to his brother Bryan, he referred to the dust it accumulated as “seasoning.” This was just one of many rules he broke during his remarkable 14-year career as a professional musician.
“Ohhh Rasss!”
From his early bedroom beats to eventual sound system-rattling live performances around the world, Ras was a force to be reckoned with. His trademark “Ohhh Rasss!” reggae vocal/air horn sample became a frequent refrain in his recorded music and live shows. It always ensured that he had people’s undivided attention.
He built an expansive musical universe that drew on Afrofuturism and his unique worldview. He crafted beats by mixing whatever sampled elements and sounds he felt like combining, no matter how unconventional. From his two-sided debut EP with Black Monk in 2005 to his 2019 Dance of the Cosmos album, he amassed an incredible body of work. It was one of remarkable consistency and quality.
When he passed away in late July of 2019 the sense of loss was profound. Today, with the second anniversary of his passing fast approaching, the absence of Ras G is still deeply felt by many
Pause Tape Mixes and Bedroom DJ Sets
Born Gregory Shorter Jr. in the early winter of 1978, Ras G grew up in a Leimert Park house where records were always playing. From a relatively young age, it was evident to his family that he was going to do something very special with music.
He transitioned from eager listener to active creator. A young Ras taped local radio shows like The Baka Boyz’ Friday Night Flavas and Da Joint with King Emz and Mike Nardone. Honing a DJ’s ear before he owned turntables, he turned the radio show highlights into epic pause tape mixes to bring to high school with him.
Ras eventually saved up for turntables and immediately wowed people with his skills. At first, he DJed in his bedroom for friends to dance, freestyle, or hang out and listen. Still, he tapped into his audience’s musical subconscious from the very start. “Before a vibe was somethin’, G created and curated the vibe at the house,” his brother Bryan says.
From DJ to Aspiring Producer
Ras also developed a producer’s ear as his DJ skills flourished. First, he saved up for an E-mu SP-12. Soon his skills started to take off when he obtained an AKAI MPC 2000XL—a time Bryan remembers in vivid detail. “The very, very first Spacebase was in my mom’s shed,” Bryan says. “I’d sit there with my brother at crazy times of the day and night, go to school, come back. He’s in there, just going at it. And he used to do it on little mono computer speakers before he had monitors.”
Over the years Ras added the BOSS SP-303 and Roland SP-404 to his arsenal. The 404 became a pivotal part of earthquaking live shows at Sketchbook Sessions, Low End Theory, and venues all over L.A. and the world.
Ras’ music often put the abilities of the concert engineers to the test and he once blew out a venue’s entire system. On another occasion, a concerned soundman sought out Bryan when he couldn’t keep Ras’ levels out of the red. Bryan’s response was simple. “I said, ‘Do you see this crowd? Do you see them moving? Leave it right where it is.”
More at the link
articles.roland.com
“Ohhh Rasss!”
From his early bedroom beats to eventual sound system-rattling live performances around the world, Ras was a force to be reckoned with. His trademark “Ohhh Rasss!” reggae vocal/air horn sample became a frequent refrain in his recorded music and live shows. It always ensured that he had people’s undivided attention.
He built an expansive musical universe that drew on Afrofuturism and his unique worldview. He crafted beats by mixing whatever sampled elements and sounds he felt like combining, no matter how unconventional. From his two-sided debut EP with Black Monk in 2005 to his 2019 Dance of the Cosmos album, he amassed an incredible body of work. It was one of remarkable consistency and quality.
When he passed away in late July of 2019 the sense of loss was profound. Today, with the second anniversary of his passing fast approaching, the absence of Ras G is still deeply felt by many
Pause Tape Mixes and Bedroom DJ Sets
Born Gregory Shorter Jr. in the early winter of 1978, Ras G grew up in a Leimert Park house where records were always playing. From a relatively young age, it was evident to his family that he was going to do something very special with music.
He transitioned from eager listener to active creator. A young Ras taped local radio shows like The Baka Boyz’ Friday Night Flavas and Da Joint with King Emz and Mike Nardone. Honing a DJ’s ear before he owned turntables, he turned the radio show highlights into epic pause tape mixes to bring to high school with him.
Ras eventually saved up for turntables and immediately wowed people with his skills. At first, he DJed in his bedroom for friends to dance, freestyle, or hang out and listen. Still, he tapped into his audience’s musical subconscious from the very start. “Before a vibe was somethin’, G created and curated the vibe at the house,” his brother Bryan says.
From DJ to Aspiring Producer
Ras also developed a producer’s ear as his DJ skills flourished. First, he saved up for an E-mu SP-12. Soon his skills started to take off when he obtained an AKAI MPC 2000XL—a time Bryan remembers in vivid detail. “The very, very first Spacebase was in my mom’s shed,” Bryan says. “I’d sit there with my brother at crazy times of the day and night, go to school, come back. He’s in there, just going at it. And he used to do it on little mono computer speakers before he had monitors.”
Over the years Ras added the BOSS SP-303 and Roland SP-404 to his arsenal. The 404 became a pivotal part of earthquaking live shows at Sketchbook Sessions, Low End Theory, and venues all over L.A. and the world.
Ras’ music often put the abilities of the concert engineers to the test and he once blew out a venue’s entire system. On another occasion, a concerned soundman sought out Bryan when he couldn’t keep Ras’ levels out of the red. Bryan’s response was simple. “I said, ‘Do you see this crowd? Do you see them moving? Leave it right where it is.”
More at the link
Remembering Ras G, Legendary L.A. Producer
We celebrate Ras G, the legendary producer, DJ, and label co-founder who released 24 albums and mixtapes in his too-brief career.
articles.roland.com
