After several years of litigation, West Coast MC John Austin aka Ras Kass and recording label Capitol Records / EMI have entered into a settlement agreement, the exact terms of which have not been disclosed. While details of the agreement are not known, Ras Kass is now legally able to seek out new recording agreements and can seek out new deals with new labels.
Ras Kass originally signed with Priority Records through a deal with Patchwerk Records where he released 1996’s critically acclaimed “Soul on Ice” and 1998’s “Rassassination“.
Ras Kass then re-signed directly with Priority and was set to drop “Van Gogh” in 2001 but that label’s merger with Capitol, which was taking place at that time, affected the promotion of that project and after being pushed back twice, the project was permanently shelved by the label. The album had however been leaked on the internet and had been very well received by Ras’ fan base.
A replacement album was planned entitled “Goldyn Chyld” featuring new material and tracks from the shelved “Van Gogh“, with an intended 2002 release date. That project too was shelved following bitter disputes between Ras Kass and Capitol. Ras’ subsequent incarceration that year, and the growing animosity between he and the label made future projects unlikely.
May 2004 saw the filing of a lawsuit by Austin in California which contained causes of action for Declatory Relief re: Labor Code Sec. 2855(b); Breach of Contract; Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing; Interference with Prospective Economic Advantages and Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress. Shortly thereafter, a lawsuit was filed in New York federal court by Capitol / EMI in August 2004 alleging Federal Copyright Infringement due to Ras’ release of a mixtape entitled “Re-Up” for which Capitol / EMI obtained a default judgement against the MC. In the California lawsuit, Capitol / EMI filed a Motion for Summary Judgement, which was granted, and obtained a judgement against Ras Kass in the Fall of 2006; that judgement was appealed. “Re-Up” received a XXL rating in XXL magazine and was highly acclaimed on MTV’s Mixtape Monday’s and nationwide.
October 2007 sees a final and legal end to all of these disputes. Ras’ managment team Asti Management (Styles P, DJ Kid Capri) is anxious to begin shopping the MC for a new deal and Ras himself is very satisfied with the final resolution. “I am just relieved and thankful to my management team, my attorney Nyanza Shaw, OGPR and all of the music press that showed me love and support these past few years. Now I am anxious to finally be able to pursue my passion, spread my wings and remind the world why Ras Kass is one of the greatest MC’s of all time; dead or alive!” he says.
Fans can see Ras Kass on the Cypher Segment of this year’s BET Hip Hop Awards this Saturday, October 13, 2007.
