Oakland, California. May 1, 2013 — The music that emanates from Raashan Ahmad is a breath of fresh air. In a world that constantly glorifies darkness, Raashan is a shining beacon of light illuminating the beauty that is out there and so often overlooked. As a member of the Oakland-based hip-hop collective, The Crown City Rockers, Raashan began his ascent to musical notoriety as a powerful emcee for the group. He eventually embarked on a solo venture, a mission that has taken him all over the world.
With two albums under his belt, his latest is a culmination of his travels. Ceremony speaks volumes on where Raashan is in his life, spiritually and emotionally. Written and recorded in several different countries, he put the finishing touches on the album in the desert between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
"I went through a internal battle with myself making this record," Raashan says. "I wanted to be as completely me as possible. I wanted to approach the album with unabashed openness and personal truth. I wanted to bridge my influences: soul (that painful honesty), jazz (lots of live instruments and playfulness with arrangement), reggae (with songs fully giving praise to love and to the universe), and electronic (the bang) and bring it all into hip-hop, which is founded of the sampling of music from everywhere."
The 16-track effort includes production by Crown City Rockers on "Can We Fly" and Ta-Ku on "Guns" with cuts by New Mexico-based DJ Kenny "Saewhat" Simmons on "Who's God" and DJ Chris "Vajra" Karns on "Remedy." Lyrically, Homeboy Sandman (Stone Throws Records) contributes his voice to "No No No," which is produced by 20syl.
Please visit http://we.tl/8YXd3pa4St to sample & purchase the album.
Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_I6N6oXIek to view the "Ceremony" video.
By Kyle Eustice for RAPstation.com
Raashan Ahmad of Crown City Rockers releases new album
Oakland, California. May 1, 2013 — The music that emanates from Raashan Ahmad is a breath of fresh air. In a world that constantly glorifies darkness, Raashan is a shining beacon of light illuminating the beauty that is out there and so often overlooked. As a member of the Oakland-based hip-hop collective, The Crown City Rockers, Raashan began his ascent to musical notoriety as a powerful emcee for the group. He eventually embarked on a solo venture, a mission that has taken him all over the world.
With two albums under his belt, his latest is a culmination of his travels. Ceremony speaks volumes on where Raashan is in his life, spiritually and emotionally. Written and recorded in several different countries, he put the finishing touches on the album in the desert between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
"I went through a internal battle with myself making this record," Raashan says. "I wanted to be as completely me as possible. I wanted to approach the album with unabashed openness and personal truth. I wanted to bridge my influences: soul (that painful honesty), jazz (lots of live instruments and playfulness with arrangement), reggae (with songs fully giving praise to love and to the universe), and electronic (the bang) and bring it all into hip-hop, which is founded of the sampling of music from everywhere."
The 16-track effort includes production by Crown City Rockers on "Can We Fly" and Ta-Ku on "Guns" with cuts by New Mexico-based DJ Kenny "Saewhat" Simmons on "Who's God" and DJ Chris "Vajra" Karns on "Remedy." Lyrically, Homeboy Sandman (Stone Throws Records) contributes his voice to "No No No," which is produced by 20syl.
Please visit http://we.tl/8YXd3pa4St to sample & purchase the album.
Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_I6N6oXIek to view the "Ceremony" video.
By Kyle Eustice for RAPstation.com
