Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia. Due to this perceived Eurocentrism, international organizations such as the United Nations, have replaced Middle East and Near East with Western Asia. This region and Europe are collectively referred to as Western Eurasia.

The world's earliest civilizations developed in Western Asia. For most of the last three millennia, the region has been united under one or two powerful states; each one succeeding the last, and at times, eastern and western based polities. The main states in this regard were the Assyrian Empire, the Babylonian Empire, the Achaemenid Empire, the Seleucid Empire, the Parthian Empire, the Roman Empire, the Sassanid Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate, the Abbasid Caliphate, the Safavid Empire, and the Ottoman Empire.

Planet Asia aka King Medallions (real name Jason Green, born October 24, 1976) is an underground hip hop MC from Fresno, California who is a member of hiphop groups the Cali Agents, and Skhool Yard. He is also well known for his vast discography of mixtapes.

During the 1990s, Planet Asia moved from Fresno, California to San Francisco, California and started rapping religiously. From 1997-2001, Planet Asia had been releasing various popular 12 inch singles. These singles such as "Definition of ILL" and "Place of Birth" were released by various labels such as Stones Throw and ABB Records. He reached full acclaim in 2001 when The Source gave him the First Round Draft Pick and Independent Album of the Year awards for How the West Was One. How The West Was One was recorded with fellow rapper Rasco under the group name Cali Agents and landed him a deal with Interscope Records.

While signed to Interscope Records, Planet Asia was not promoted like more popular Interscope acts Eminem and 50 Cent. The Fresno rapper stayed with Interscope until 2003 without releasing an album. He was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2002 for the song "W" by Mystic. Planet Asia has collaborated with famous artists such as Linkin Park, Bun B, Talib Kweli, Tupac Shakur and Ghostface Killah.

John Austin IV, (born September 25, 1976) better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is a former member of the hip hop supergroup The HRSMN along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt. also a member of Golden State Warriors with Xzibit and Saafir.

Austin was born in Watts, California on September 26, 1976.

Ras Kass sent waves through the hip-hop world with his debut independent single release "Remain Anonymous," earning him a Hip-Hop Quotable in The Source Magazine. Before his signing with Priority/EMI Records, Ras Kass began making guest appearances on several records and freestyles on numerous radio shows, further solidified the emerging lyricist's notoriety. Recorded guest appearances include Sway & King Tech's "Come Widdit" (feat. Ras Kass, Ahamad & Saafir) (Priority Records) and their "Wake Up Show Anthem ’94" (feat. Ras Kass, Nas, Lauryn Hill, Chino XL, Organized Konfusion & Saafir), as well as Chino XL's "Riiot" American Records, and KeyKool & Rhettmatic's "E=MC5" (feat. Ras Kass, LMNO, Meen Green &  !) Up Above Records.