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June 23, 2007
Ras Kassa making waves for reggae through music videos
By: Olimatta Taal
Photo by: Carlington Wilmot
Videos play a major role in marketing and promoting artist's music. The industry has grown astronomically in the past few years with a number of directors making breakthrough commercial success. One director in particular that is making waves is Ras Kassa who recently completed Da'Ville and Sean Paul's remix video for the single, Always On My Mind.
As the most demanded director in the business, YardFlex took the time to find out what it is about this individual that has artists like Damien Marley, Sean Paul and others always requesting his work. We had to find out more about what motivates Ras Kassa, The Guru. From the desk of his editing suite, he glares up and smiles and begins to explain, "Livication within work, sleepless nights, and no limits make it happen. You have to believe in what you do and if you believe and love it, it will manifest in a way like people calling you The Guru."
Kassa didn't always direct videos, he started out as a deejay and did other things as well. "I was in a reggae band called Above Rocks with friends from Stony Hill. I used to paint and do stills with William Richards. However, it was Trevor Bailey who started making videos with some of the artist who gave me my first start," expresses The Guru.
However, it was T.O.K. that came to him one day to do a video for them when Kevin Lee was out of town. "T.O.K. were the first to put real money in a local video with a local director. I got forced into it, they checked for me and encourage me when I wasn't even ready for it myself, they actually told me that I could do it. I took their advice and we did it," says Kassa going down memory lane.
Since the first T.O.K. video, Ras Kassa has shot over 6 videos for them. He has worked with Beenie Man and shot Dude featuring Shawna from Disturbing the Peace and Ms. Ting. This was the first time that a Jamaican Director had a video featured on MTV's TRL. The whole crew was Jamaican, which was history.
The Guru has worked with Assassin on Idiot Thing and Girls Gone Wild. Gentleman has done over six videos with him, which includes Intoxicated and Superior. Welcome To Jamrock by Damien Marley was shot by Kassa, as well as six other videos for the Marley Family. He also did Sean Paul's Never Gonna Be the Same dedicated to Dodigan. He recently completed Gyptian's Beautiful video and Alborossie's Kingston Town.
Ras Kassa believes that, "Music videos are a skateboard to another level where we can discuss our opinions and our art, by using it as a vehicle to promote these ideas." Coming from the garrisons of Kingston, Kassa has focused much of his work on bringing light to the lives of the poor that struggle daily for pennies. He also highlights the beauty and happiness in the garrison regardless of the poverty.
As a devout Rastafarian, representing the Nyahbinghi battle-ax, Mau Mau warrior, he is not your ordinary director. "Rastafari, save me and if Haile Selassie never save I, I would be another man caught up in things cuz we grow inna di ghetto with guns and ting. Through the powers, we see Rastaman come together, live, and love in harmony. It puzzled me how they live so beautiful and live in unity," Kassa said. It was through this inspiration that he became motivated to develop the discipline to do something with his life, which is contributing to the world of music and videos.