KEXP
This week’s installment of the KEXP 10-part series “Hip-Hop: The New Seattle Sound” features Ra Scion, the rapper/frontman/lyricist for Seattle hip-hop bands Common Market and Victor Shade. His raps are conscious, collegiate even, and are sometimes written in a kind of code, so the listener has to listen several times and pay close attention to get his meaning. Originally from Kentucky, Ra got his first radio airplay in 2003 when he submitted his self-released solo debut, The Apostrophe, to KEXP. Since then, he’s worked with Sabzi (the producer from Blue Scholars) on the project Common Market. He’s recently dropped a new release with producer MTK under the name Victor Shade. Taking the new band name from the alter-ego of a comic book hero called Vision. Victor Shade’s sound is based on funky soul samples. And Ra Scion sounds better than ever. Check out the show after the link.