Ka drops surprise albums Languish Arts and Woeful Studies

Ka, the 50-year-old underground rap giant and fire captain, has dropped two surprise new albums. Languish Arts and Woeful Studies follow 2021’s A Martyr’s Reward, a towering LP full of the type of reflection that can only be earned through years of living hard.

The two 10-track albums were recorded at California’s Studio City Sound by Christopher Pummill. Eight songs on each record are self-produced. On Languish Arts, “Unindulged,” which features Chuck Strangers, was produced by Animoss. And “Still Holding,” featuring Joi and GoneToHeaven, is produced by Preservation, a frequent collaborator of Ka’s and the beatmaker behind billy woods’ recent album Aethiopes.) On Woeful Studies, Animoss produces “We Hurting” and “Counted Out,” the latter of which features Chuck Strangers. Joi features on another Woeful Studies track titled “Buildings.”

Both albums are exclusively available for purchase on Ka’s website, save for Languish Arts’ second track, “Ascension.”

On the new song, Ka spits pure venom while remaining in complete control of his emotions, never letting his voice rise above a controlled speaking tone. “I said, parents ain’t had no bread, I was born in ketosis,” he raps calmly as his beat — a simple, drumless string sample — hurries behind him. He sticks to the “osis” bars for a while, switching up his internal rhyme scheme along the way. “Bottom line, not the time for bikinis, blinis, mimosas,” he continues before hitting the chorus: “Every mention is for hood ascension / May not be a good man, but got good intention.”

The song arrives alongside a self-directed music video that finds Ka looking extra-pensive as he roams the bridges, streets, and subway stations of his native New York City. Watch it above, view Languish Arts’ and Woeful Studies covers and tracklists below, and check out Muna Mire’s 2016 interview with Ka for The FADER.