(RAS) Riders Against the Storm

Austin, Texas-based duo Riders Against the Storm, often referred to simply as RAS, was conceived after rappers Tiger Lily and Jbro met while doing theatre in Rhode Island in 2003. Drawn together by a mutual desire to create music that reflects the plight of the African diaspora, the two began writing poetry that discussed past atrocities and future reconciliations, then set the poetry to a fusion of hip-hop, reggae and soul. With a manifesto to be "riders against the storm" of commercial media, and as proponents of peace and equality, RAS plays at more philanthropic events than it does at regular music venues, marking it as a group that genuinely cares about its message.