Ras Kass is overtly re-channeling his landmark debut Soul On Ice on his latest song. “SOI3 (Soul On Ice 3)” is produced by Ras’ celebrated Blasphemy collaborator, Apollo Brown. The track deliberately reworks Ras’ 1996 remix that presented one of the coldest lyricists in the game. Producer Apollo’s dark and ghoulish instrumental is the perfect complement to Ras Kass’ cutting bars and sinister wit.

“The waterproof MC, still ain’t wettin’ me / Y’all need to stop snitchin’, see what the f*ck happened to Cool C?” he raps on the song. The lyric is a flip of his ’96 “Soul On Ice (Remix)” line, “The waterproof MC, you ain’t wettin’ me / You need to stop rappin’, and start robbin’ banks, like Steady B.” Philadelphia’s Cool C and Steady B, each part of the Hilltop Hustlers crew, were convicted for robbing a bank and killing policewoman Lauretha Vaird. The fatal incident took place just months before Ras’ Diamond D-produced remix single dropped.

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In the new version, Razzy continues his reworking, “‘Cause B, no matter how much green you make you never taste the wheatgrass / You sweet cheeks, I’m sweet sweetback badass the skeet-skeet, I’m Ras Kass,” he says, referencing Melvin Van Peebles’ famed film title. The hook also features background vocals from Infamous Mobb’s Big Twins and GOD Father (fka Godfather Pt. III).

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“‘SOI3’ was Apollo inspired by the Diamond D remix to ‘Soul On Ice’ and taking it in his own direction,” Ras told Complex, who premiered the song, about the collaboration. “Getting a verse from Houston’s most woke rapper and the hook from some of the grimiest cats from Queens really made it extra special.” Apollo Brown, who is currently preparing his Mona Lisa album with Joell Ortiz (October 26), appears to go back to the same sample source that Diamond did. The Detroit, Michigan product freaks his take a bit differently than his D.I.T.C. homie. Both producers worked on Diamond District’s March On Washington Redux four years ago.

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This fall, Ras is slated to drop SOI2–The Leaks available for pre-order(), a 7″ featuring two songs intended to be a teaser for his full-length Soul On Ice 2, which Ras promises is nearly finished. Two and a half years ago, the Carson, California representative revealed his plans to fans. A limited amount of 500 copies of SOI2—The Leaks will be available worldwide. They’ll include a watercolor portrait of Ras Kass painted by Alex WuKang, which folds out into a mini-poster and features a gold-embossed seal of authenticity.

At the top of this year, Ras Kass teamed with J57 and El Gant to release The Jamo Gang’s eponymous EP. Big Twins also got down on that project.

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Press image provided by Ras Kass.

#BonusBeat: Ras Kass’ 1996 Diamond D remix to “Soul On Ice”: