Three Questions with Raashan Ahmad
By Kyle Eustice
Although Raashan Ahmad was born in Trenton, New Jersey, grew up in Los Angeles and honed his craft in Oakland, these days he's repping a 505 area code. Now based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the former Crown City Rockers emcee has found the idyllic place to create the kind of music he wants to make. In most of Raashan's recent solo work, there seems to be an undeniable spiritual component, which lifts the listener up like magic. As he continues globetrotting from country-to-country and state-to-state, Raashan carries a message of gratitude for simply being able to share his love of music. 2010's For What You've Lost truly told Raashan's story; from "Pain On Black" to "Sunshine," the album addresses many of Raashan's most personal experiences. His newest track, "That Feeling," features Slimkid3 and appears on their upcoming project, Above the Clouds, which should drop in March 2015. Raashan took a few moments to answer three important questions. Check back for more details. Please visit https://soundcloud.com/raashan-ahmad/phoniksraashan-ahmad-that-feeling-ft-slim-kid-3 to check out the new single now.
RAPstation (Kyle Eustice): Where in the world are you these days and what are you working on musically?
Raashan Ahmad: I'm in Oregon now doing a west coast tour. I just got back from Australia and headed to Europe next then Colombia! As far as music my next release is a project I'm doing with a great producer named Phoniks. We just released our first single featuring Slimkid3.
What are three of your top three hip-hop albums and/or songs ever?
This is impossible! They change all the time, but I'll say
A Tribe Called Quest's Peoples Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm, Eric B & Rakim's Paid in Full and Nas' Illmatic.
What does the music you make mean to you on a personal level? What has hip-hop given you? What has it taken?
It means so much! I can honestly say it saved my life. Growing up and only seeing myself and people that looked like me as slaves in history books at school was crazy, but normal. After KRS' "You Must Learn," Public Enemy's "Fight The Power," and N.W.A's "Fuck The Police," I was awakened to my history, shared struggle and sense of community. I can't really say what it's taken besides sacrifice, which I think all artists in different mediums can relate to.
Three Questions with Raashan Ahmad
Three Questions with Raashan Ahmad
By Kyle Eustice
Although Raashan Ahmad was born in Trenton, New Jersey, grew up in Los Angeles and honed his craft in Oakland, these days he's repping a 505 area code. Now based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the former Crown City Rockers emcee has found the idyllic place to create the kind of music he wants to make. In most of Raashan's recent solo work, there seems to be an undeniable spiritual component, which lifts the listener up like magic. As he continues globetrotting from country-to-country and state-to-state, Raashan carries a message of gratitude for simply being able to share his love of music. 2010's For What You've Lost truly told Raashan's story; from "Pain On Black" to "Sunshine," the album addresses many of Raashan's most personal experiences. His newest track, "That Feeling," features Slimkid3 and appears on their upcoming project, Above the Clouds, which should drop in March 2015. Raashan took a few moments to answer three important questions. Check back for more details. Please visit https://soundcloud.com/raashan-ahmad/phoniksraashan-ahmad-that-feeling-ft-slim-kid-3 to check out the new single now.
RAPstation (Kyle Eustice): Where in the world are you these days and what are you working on musically?
Raashan Ahmad: I'm in Oregon now doing a west coast tour. I just got back from Australia and headed to Europe next then Colombia! As far as music my next release is a project I'm doing with a great producer named Phoniks. We just released our first single featuring Slimkid3.
What are three of your top three hip-hop albums and/or songs ever?
This is impossible! They change all the time, but I'll say
A Tribe Called Quest's Peoples Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm, Eric B & Rakim's Paid in Full and Nas' Illmatic.
What does the music you make mean to you on a personal level? What has hip-hop given you? What has it taken?
It means so much! I can honestly say it saved my life. Growing up and only seeing myself and people that looked like me as slaves in history books at school was crazy, but normal. After KRS' "You Must Learn," Public Enemy's "Fight The Power," and N.W.A's "Fuck The Police," I was awakened to my history, shared struggle and sense of community. I can't really say what it's taken besides sacrifice, which I think all artists in different mediums can relate to.
