Mahershala Ali Wants to See a Documentary About Ka’s Life
Mahershala Ali is more than just an actor. The Bay Area native used to also have a rap career and still continues to champion the genre.
He was recently asked by TikTok user @rohnthugsnharmony about which hip-hop story he would like to see on the silver screen, and the actor gave an intriguing answer. “There’s an artist that I love and admire that not enough people know enough about, a brother by the name of Ka,” he said. “An extraordinary emcee. Him and Roc Marciano, I think, laid the groundwork for a really relevant underground sound that has had a wonderful life in the last like 12 years or so.”
Adding, “So, I would like to see a documentary on Ka and his life. I know he’s an extraordinary man, he was a friend, New York City firefighter, an extraordinary emcee, an amazing producer. I think the world needs to see that.”
Ka was a captain in the New York Fire Department who moonlighted as a rapper and a producer. He died suddenly last October at the age of 52, leaving behind a legacy that inspired a generation of rappers to make the music that they wanted to make. He often directed his own videos, shipped out his albums himself, and did meet and greets whenever he released something new so that he could interact with the fans supporting his dream of being an MC.
Ali is set to star in Jurassic World: Rebirth alongside Scarlett Johansson this upcoming summer, and is still trying to make a Blade reboot happen, as the movie has reportedly been stuck in development hell. In the meantime, you can check out his songs on YouTube, like this one featuring Planet Asia and Keith Murray.
Angel Diaz
Billboard
