Published
Mon, Jul 29, 2019, 18:47
- The well-loved artist brought Afrofuturism to the LA beat scene.
Los Angeles producer Ras G has died.
Flying Lotus's label, Brainfeeder, confirmed the news on Instagram, referring to the artist born Gregory Shorter Jr. as "one of the founding members of Brainfeeder and one of the most important figures in the Los Angeles beat scene." In December, Shorter was diagnosed with pneumonia, diabetes, hypothyroid and heart failure but stated he was "breathing and feeling better than ever."
Raised in South Central, Ras G began DJing in the Leimert Park neighborhood. A cousin introduced him to the E-Mu Systems SP-1200, which launched his forays into production. Ras G started releasing records through the label arm of his longtime employer, Poo-Bah Records in Pasadena, California, and went on to work with LA institutions such as Brainfeeder, Leaving Records, dublab and Stones Throw, to name a few. Shorter referred to his studio as the Spacebase, indicating his adherence to a "ghetto sci-fi" philosophy influenced by Sun Ra's Afrofuturist approach to music.
Check out Spacebase studios via FACT.