Masta Ace
Encyclopedia
Duval Clear known better by his stage name Masta Ace, is a rapper from Brownsville, Brooklyn
. He appeared on the classic 1988 Juice Crew
posse cut
"The Symphony". He is noted for his high level of rapping skill and for influencing other MCs, including Eminem
.
in 1988, after meeting Marley Marl
in 1987 during his summer break. Ace made his recording debut as Master Ace on the hip hop posse-cut "The Symphony", along with fellow Juice Crew
members Craig G
, Kool G Rap
and Big Daddy Kane
, released on Marley Marl
's In Control album. The album also featured two additional Ace tracks, "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" and "Simon Says". In 1989, he released his first solo single, "Together" b/w "Letter to the Better". His debut album, Take a Look Around, was released through Marl's Cold Chillin'
label in 1990, featuring production from Marl and DJ Mister Cee. The album featured two minor hit singles in "Music Man" and "Me & The Biz", the latter being a track with Ace's impersonation of Biz Markie, rather than a duet as previously thought the song would be.
In the early stages of his career, Masta Ace was very energetic (cf. "Jeep Ass Niguh", where, tongue-in-cheek, he taunts police officers for their knee-jerk predisposition to harass black youth on city streets.) He also recorded material with a six-member supporting entourage, Masta Ace Incorporated
. In light of his newly claimed status as a veteran, he has gravitated toward an earnest, matter-of-fact plainspokenness in the new millennium. Many of the songs that have lent newfound heft to his reputation are simple, no-nonsense rumination on feelings and facts of urban American life, including "Soda and Soap" and "Beautiful".
During the years between his debut and his second album, Ace began having bitter feelings toward the commercial state of hip hop music, as well as the prominence of Gangsta rap
, feelings which ruled the content on his second release, 1993's SlaughtaHouse
, with the loose concept of the album seeing Ace taking the fake "gangsta emcees" to his "SlaughtaHouse". The album featured Ace's new crew, Masta Ace Incorporated
, which included Eyceurokk, Lord Digga, Paula Perry and R&B vocalist Leschea. The singles "SlaughtaHouse", "Saturday Nite Live", "Style Wars" and "Jeep Ass Niguh" were taken from the album. The latter featured an unlisted remix titled "Born to Roll", which became a crossover single in 1994, peaking at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart. In the same year, Ace became a member of a temporary crew Crooklyn Dodgers
, formed for the release of Spike Lee
's movie, Crooklyn
, along with MC's Special Ed
and Buckshot
of Black Moon
, and recorded the title track of the album soundtrack. The song became Ace's second Hot 100
hit in 1994, peaking at #60 on the chart.
album. This effort was also released with the Masta Ace Incorporated crew, now also known as The I.N.C. The album was Ace's most commercially successful release, breaking into the Top 20 on Billboard
's Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Sittin' On Chrome included "Born to Roll", as well as two other Hot 100 hit singles, "The I.N.C. Ride" and "Sittin' on Chrome
". Following the album's success, Ace had a falling out with I.N.C. members Lord Digga and Paula Perry, leading to the breakup of the crew. After the split, Ace was largely missing from the hip hop scene over the next five years, save for a number of random vinyl singles. During his vinyl days, he bounced from a number of labels, releasing his "Cars" single on Tape Kingz Records, his "Yeah Yeah Yeah" and "NFL" singles on the Union Label, his "NY Confidential" single on Replay Records, his "Express Delivery" single on Three Sixty Records, his "Spread It Out/Hellbound" single on Yosumi Records, his "Conflict" single on Mona Records, his "Ghetto Like" single on Fat Beats, his "So Now U A MC" single on Bad Magic Records, and his "Brooklyn Blocks" single on Buckshot
's Duck Down Records
.
event. "Acknowledge" was also included on "Disposable Arts." Masta Ace can also be found performing numerous "Dubtitled" voice overs on the television series titled "Kung Faux
" seen in 150+ countries worldwide.
Disposable Arts became one of the most acclaimed underground hip hop releases of 2001, beloved for its pure hip hop style and clever album concept, which served as a fictional story, chronicling Ace's time spent at a satirical rap school named the "Institute of Disposable Arts". JCOR Records folded soon after the release, leaving it out-of-print, until being re-released in 2005 on Ace's self-established M3 label. The album closer, "No Regrets", led many fans to believe that it would be Ace's final album, because of the line "I don't know if it's the end, but yo, it might be". Ace killed the rumors by returning in 2004 with his fifth album A Long Hot Summer
, another highly acclaimed effort. The story concept, similar to that on his last release, served as a prelude to the story told on Disposable Arts, chronicling the "Long Hot Summer" that led to his character's incarceration at the beginning of the Disposable Arts album. Rumors once again spread about a retirement, which were again squashed, when Ace announced the formation of his new rap crew named eMC
, including himself, Punchline, Wordsworth
and his protege Strick. Ace remarked in a December 2006 interview that he would no longer record as a solo artist, only with eMC. eMC's first group album, The Show
, was scheduled for early 2007 but was released in February 2008 digitally and April 2008 physically.
In 2007, Masta Ace had a track included on the Official Joints mixtape, a compilation of previously unreleased tracks by various NYC rappers.
In 2009, Masta Ace joined forces with Boston rapper Edo G to release Arts & Entertainment
which was released on November 3, 2009. Arts & Entertainment got shortened to A&E which resulted in the cable TV channel A&E
asking Masta and Edo to remove the symbol from their original album artwork. The albums already printed have been sold at live shows following the release of the record.
(antidote) by Bosnian
rapper Frenkie
, the song is called Živili (live on) featuring Masta Ace & Phat Philly and is produced by Edo Maajka
.
He appeared on Czech hiphop group Prago Union
's album "HDP", where he performed on the track "Beat a i já und ich" along with German rapper Dendemann
.
He also appeared on Polish rap group Familia H.P. album "42" on the track "Born In New York".
In 2003 he appeared on the Swedish rapper Chords'
track "Get u awn" with Punchline. The track is on the album "The garden around the mansion".
Masta Ace travelled to Australia in 2008 to record for the Funkoars
track "This is How" which came off the album The Hangover. The track sampled parts of the Masta Ace's 2004 track "Good Ol' Love". The Funkoars have made several references to Masta Ace in their lyrics as well as using samples in other works.
He is also featured on the track "Sminke" by the critically acclaimed Norwegian Hip Hop band Karpe Diem. The title of the album is Aldri Solgt En Løgn (Never Sold a Lie). In English the word "Sminke" means makeup, and the song is about artists trading their image for what their record companies wants it to be.
In 2007, he appeared on Admit It, a song by Swiss hip hop group Nefew
from their album Off the Cuff.
In 2010, he appeared on "Set You Free" along with Wordsworth, a track by UK hip hop DJ/Producer "Skitz
" from his album "The Sticksman".
describes him as “one of the great pure New York MCs”, and Allmusic describes him as “truly an underappreciated rap veteran and underground luminary”. Commenting on how Masta Ace is sometimes overlooked despite his skill, Rolling Stone
says, “even the most avid fan of raw hip-hop lyricism can sometimes neglect to mention Masta Ace alongside hard-bitten champs such as Rakim
, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane
, Slick Rick
and Kool G. Rap”. Eminem
mentions Masta Ace as one of his influences in his book ‘The Way I Am’, saying, “Masta Ace had amazing storytelling skills – his thoughts were so vivid”.
Brownsville, Brooklyn
Brownsville is a residential neighborhood located in eastern Brooklyn, New York City.The total land area is one square mile, and the ZIP code for the neighborhood is 11212....
. He appeared on the classic 1988 Juice Crew
Juice Crew
The Juice Crew was a hip hop collective of largely Queensbridge-based artists in the mid- to late-1980s. Founded by producer Marley Marl and radio DJ Mr. Magic and housed by Tyrone William's Cold Chillin' Records, the Juice Crew would introduce New School artists Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie,...
posse cut
Posse cut
A posse cut is a popular form of song in hip hop music that involves successive verses by four or more rappers.Tracks described as posse cuts by Rolling Stone include A Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario", "Tha Shit" by The D.O.C., "Doin' Our Own Dang" by Jungle Brothers, and "Set It Off" by Snoop Dogg...
"The Symphony". He is noted for his high level of rapping skill and for influencing other MCs, including Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
.
1988-1994
Clear graduated from the University of Rhode IslandUniversity of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
in 1988, after meeting Marley Marl
Marley Marl
Marlon Williams , better known as Marley Marl, is an American DJ and record producer, who is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop producers in the history of hip hop.-Biography:...
in 1987 during his summer break. Ace made his recording debut as Master Ace on the hip hop posse-cut "The Symphony", along with fellow Juice Crew
Juice Crew
The Juice Crew was a hip hop collective of largely Queensbridge-based artists in the mid- to late-1980s. Founded by producer Marley Marl and radio DJ Mr. Magic and housed by Tyrone William's Cold Chillin' Records, the Juice Crew would introduce New School artists Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie,...
members Craig G
Craig G
Craig G is an American rapper. He is known as one of the members of hip hop producer Marley Marl's Cold Chillin' Records group the Juice Crew....
, Kool G Rap
Kool G Rap
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson , better known by his stage names Kool G Rap , Kool G. Rap, and Giancana , is an American rapper, from the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew...
and Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...
, released on Marley Marl
Marley Marl
Marlon Williams , better known as Marley Marl, is an American DJ and record producer, who is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop producers in the history of hip hop.-Biography:...
's In Control album. The album also featured two additional Ace tracks, "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" and "Simon Says". In 1989, he released his first solo single, "Together" b/w "Letter to the Better". His debut album, Take a Look Around, was released through Marl's Cold Chillin'
Cold Chillin' Records
Cold Chillin' Records was a record label that released some important music in the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. A producer-and-crew label founded by manager Tyrone Williams and run by Len Fichtelberg Cold Chillin' Records was a record label that released some...
label in 1990, featuring production from Marl and DJ Mister Cee. The album featured two minor hit singles in "Music Man" and "Me & The Biz", the latter being a track with Ace's impersonation of Biz Markie, rather than a duet as previously thought the song would be.
In the early stages of his career, Masta Ace was very energetic (cf. "Jeep Ass Niguh", where, tongue-in-cheek, he taunts police officers for their knee-jerk predisposition to harass black youth on city streets.) He also recorded material with a six-member supporting entourage, Masta Ace Incorporated
Masta Ace Incorporated
Masta Ace Incorporated was a Hip Hop crew formed by rapper Masta Ace. The group, also known as The I.N.C., included Eyceurokk , Lord Digga, Paula Perry and R&B vocalist Leschea...
. In light of his newly claimed status as a veteran, he has gravitated toward an earnest, matter-of-fact plainspokenness in the new millennium. Many of the songs that have lent newfound heft to his reputation are simple, no-nonsense rumination on feelings and facts of urban American life, including "Soda and Soap" and "Beautiful".
During the years between his debut and his second album, Ace began having bitter feelings toward the commercial state of hip hop music, as well as the prominence of Gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
, feelings which ruled the content on his second release, 1993's SlaughtaHouse
SlaughtaHouse
SlaughtaHouse is the first album from hip hop group Masta Ace Incorporated, consisting of Masta Ace, Lord Digga, Paula Perry, Eyceurokk and Leschea. Released three years after Ace's acclaimed debut Take a Look Around, the loose concept of the album is addressing the growing trend of violence in...
, with the loose concept of the album seeing Ace taking the fake "gangsta emcees" to his "SlaughtaHouse". The album featured Ace's new crew, Masta Ace Incorporated
Masta Ace Incorporated
Masta Ace Incorporated was a Hip Hop crew formed by rapper Masta Ace. The group, also known as The I.N.C., included Eyceurokk , Lord Digga, Paula Perry and R&B vocalist Leschea...
, which included Eyceurokk, Lord Digga, Paula Perry and R&B vocalist Leschea. The singles "SlaughtaHouse", "Saturday Nite Live", "Style Wars" and "Jeep Ass Niguh" were taken from the album. The latter featured an unlisted remix titled "Born to Roll", which became a crossover single in 1994, peaking at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. In the same year, Ace became a member of a temporary crew Crooklyn Dodgers
Crooklyn Dodgers
The Crooklyn Dodgers are a hip-hop supergroup based in Brooklyn, New York City, consisting of rotating members.They appeared in three separate incarnations since 1994. The first two incarnations recorded for the soundtracks for Spike Lee films, Crooklyn and Clockers, respectively...
, formed for the release of Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
's movie, Crooklyn
Crooklyn
Crooklyn is a 1994 semi-autobiographical film co-written and directed by Spike Lee. The film takes place in Brooklyn, New York and the neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant during the summer of 1973. Its primary focus is a young girl, Troy , and her family...
, along with MC's Special Ed
Special Ed
Special Ed is the performing name of Edward Archer , an American hip hop musician of Jamaican descent. Hailing from Brooklyn in New York City, he was raised in Flatbush before moving to Canarsie, and is identified with East Coast hip hop...
and Buckshot
Buckshot (rapper)
Buckshot is an underground rapper, famous as the leader of Hip Hop supergroup Boot Camp Clik, and the group Black Moon. He has released one solo album, two with producer 9th Wonder, four albums with Black Moon and four albums with the Boot Camp Clik.- Biography :Born and raised in Brooklyn...
of Black Moon
Black Moon (band)
Black Moon is an American hip hop group, consisting of members Buckshot, 5 ft and DJ Evil Dee . The group were most notable for their debut album Enta da Stage, and their affiliation with the Boot Camp Clik.-Biography:...
, and recorded the title track of the album soundtrack. The song became Ace's second Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
hit in 1994, peaking at #60 on the chart.
1995-2000
Ace furthered his mainstream appeal in 1995, with his radio-friendly Sittin' on ChromeSittin' on Chrome
Sittin' on Chrome is the second album from Hip Hop group Masta Ace Incorporated, which includes Ace, Lord Digga, Paula Perry and Leschea. Ace followed the success of his 1994 hits "Jeep Ass Niguh" and "Crooklyn" with his most commercially successful album, which concentrated more on the West...
album. This effort was also released with the Masta Ace Incorporated crew, now also known as The I.N.C. The album was Ace's most commercially successful release, breaking into the Top 20 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Sittin' On Chrome included "Born to Roll", as well as two other Hot 100 hit singles, "The I.N.C. Ride" and "Sittin' on Chrome
Sittin' on Chrome EP
Sittin' on Chrome EP is a 1995 release from Hip Hop crew Masta Ace Incorporated. The EP served as the single for the title track from Ace's 1995 album Sittin' on Chrome, and features two alternate mixes, the "Pitkin Ave Mix" and the "Rockaway Ave Mix"...
". Following the album's success, Ace had a falling out with I.N.C. members Lord Digga and Paula Perry, leading to the breakup of the crew. After the split, Ace was largely missing from the hip hop scene over the next five years, save for a number of random vinyl singles. During his vinyl days, he bounced from a number of labels, releasing his "Cars" single on Tape Kingz Records, his "Yeah Yeah Yeah" and "NFL" singles on the Union Label, his "NY Confidential" single on Replay Records, his "Express Delivery" single on Three Sixty Records, his "Spread It Out/Hellbound" single on Yosumi Records, his "Conflict" single on Mona Records, his "Ghetto Like" single on Fat Beats, his "So Now U A MC" single on Bad Magic Records, and his "Brooklyn Blocks" single on Buckshot
Buckshot (rapper)
Buckshot is an underground rapper, famous as the leader of Hip Hop supergroup Boot Camp Clik, and the group Black Moon. He has released one solo album, two with producer 9th Wonder, four albums with Black Moon and four albums with the Boot Camp Clik.- Biography :Born and raised in Brooklyn...
's Duck Down Records
Duck Down Records
Duck Down Music Inc is a New York City based record label, talent management, music-marketing, and consulting company founded by Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman and Kenyatta "Buckshot" Blake in 1995. In Duck Down's 16 year existence, the Company has released over 40 Albums and sold more than 3 million...
.
2001-present
Ace's "Ghetto Like" single led to a misunderstanding with an underground emcee named Boogieman, who released a somewhat similar single titled "Ghetto Love" which was released on 420recordings not long before. He thought that Ace was "biting" his track and released a diss song toward Ace titled "Just You Wait". Ace responded to Boogieman on the diss track "Acknowledge", which also dissed The High & Mighty over a misunderstanding. The trading of records led to a rap battle between the two at a Lyricist LoungeLyricist Lounge
The Lyricist Lounge is a hip hop showcase of rappers, emcees, DJ's, and Graffiti artists.It has spawned the album Lyricist Lounge, Volume One, Lyricist Lounge 2 and Lyricist Lounge: West Coast, as well as a television show, The Lyricist Lounge Show.The Lyricist Lounge was founded in 1991 by hip hop...
event. "Acknowledge" was also included on "Disposable Arts." Masta Ace can also be found performing numerous "Dubtitled" voice overs on the television series titled "Kung Faux
Kung Faux
Kung Faux is a critically acclaimed comedy television and DVD series created by Mic Neumann that remixes classic kung fu movies with popular music, comic book style editing and video game style special effects, and new voice-over dubbing from primarily hip hop personalities and pop culture...
" seen in 150+ countries worldwide.
Disposable Arts became one of the most acclaimed underground hip hop releases of 2001, beloved for its pure hip hop style and clever album concept, which served as a fictional story, chronicling Ace's time spent at a satirical rap school named the "Institute of Disposable Arts". JCOR Records folded soon after the release, leaving it out-of-print, until being re-released in 2005 on Ace's self-established M3 label. The album closer, "No Regrets", led many fans to believe that it would be Ace's final album, because of the line "I don't know if it's the end, but yo, it might be". Ace killed the rumors by returning in 2004 with his fifth album A Long Hot Summer
A Long Hot Summer
A Long Hot Summer is the fifth solo album from Hip Hop artist Masta Ace. The release is a highly acclaimed concept album, a follow-up to his 2001 concept album Disposable Arts. The story follows Ace, an underground rapper through his "Long Hot Summer" in Brooklyn, accompanied by buddy Fats Belvedere...
, another highly acclaimed effort. The story concept, similar to that on his last release, served as a prelude to the story told on Disposable Arts, chronicling the "Long Hot Summer" that led to his character's incarceration at the beginning of the Disposable Arts album. Rumors once again spread about a retirement, which were again squashed, when Ace announced the formation of his new rap crew named eMC
EMC (hip hop group)
eMC is a hip hop crew composed of rappers Masta Ace, Wordsworth, Punchline and Stricklin.- Biography :Though not officially formed as a group until 2005, the crew came together in 2001 while touring together on Masta Ace's Disposable Arts tour...
, including himself, Punchline, Wordsworth
Wordsworth (rapper)
Wordsworth is an underground hip hop MC from Brooklyn, best known for his freestyle rap.Wordsworth grew up in Brooklyn. A graduate of the State University of New York College at Old Westbury, Wordsworth recorded with his partner Punchline on A Tribe Called Quest's The Love Movement and on Mos Def...
and his protege Strick. Ace remarked in a December 2006 interview that he would no longer record as a solo artist, only with eMC. eMC's first group album, The Show
The Show (album)
The Show is the debut album by Hip Hop supergroup eMC, which consists of rappers Masta Ace, Punchline, Wordsworth and Strick.-Background:...
, was scheduled for early 2007 but was released in February 2008 digitally and April 2008 physically.
In 2007, Masta Ace had a track included on the Official Joints mixtape, a compilation of previously unreleased tracks by various NYC rappers.
In 2009, Masta Ace joined forces with Boston rapper Edo G to release Arts & Entertainment
Arts and Entertainment (Masta Ace and Edo G album)
Arts & Entertainment is the collaborative album from East Coast veteran emcees Masta Ace and Edo G released under the alias A&E. The album was released on October 6, 2009 under Ace's M3 Records.-Track list:# "Hands High"...
which was released on November 3, 2009. Arts & Entertainment got shortened to A&E which resulted in the cable TV channel A&E
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
asking Masta and Edo to remove the symbol from their original album artwork. The albums already printed have been sold at live shows following the release of the record.
International work
He is featured on a song off of album ProtuotrovProtuotrov
Protuotrov is the 5th studio album by Bosnian rapper Frenkie. The album was released on December 10, 2009.-Tracks listing:...
(antidote) by Bosnian
Bosnians
Bosnians are people who reside in, or come from, Bosnia and Herzegovina. By the modern state definition a Bosnian can be anyone who holds citizenship of the state. This includes, but is not limited to, members of the constituent ethnic groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosniaks, Bosnian Serbs and...
rapper Frenkie
Frenkie
Adnan Hamidović , better known by his stage name Frenkie, is a Bosnian rapper from Bijeljina, Bosnia. The themes present in his music are often concerned with the political situation in Bosnia, as well as traditional hip-hop subject matter such as battle rapping and pop culture...
, the song is called Živili (live on) featuring Masta Ace & Phat Philly and is produced by Edo Maajka
Edo Maajka
Edin Osmić , better known by his stage name Edo Maajka, is a Bosnian rapper. His stage name literally means "Edo the Mother".-Early life:...
.
He appeared on Czech hiphop group Prago Union
Prago Union
Prago Union is a Czech band.Members are MC Kato and DJ Maro. DJ Maro joined Prago Union in 2008 replacing DJ Skupla. Both Deph and Skupla are former members of group Chaozz. They represent original way of Czech hip hop with unusual lyrics and music.Their first record is HDP...
's album "HDP", where he performed on the track "Beat a i já und ich" along with German rapper Dendemann
Dendemann
Daniel Ebel, better known as Dendemann is a German rapper from Menden. He is known for his rough voice and his witty, wordplay-filled lyrics in which he mostly tells stories from everyday life.-Biography:...
.
He also appeared on Polish rap group Familia H.P. album "42" on the track "Born In New York".
In 2003 he appeared on the Swedish rapper Chords'
Chords (artist)
Chords, , born 12 August 1978, in Lund, is a Swedish musician. He is currently signed to Timbuktu's label JuJu Records, together with J-Ro of The Alkaholiks among others...
track "Get u awn" with Punchline. The track is on the album "The garden around the mansion".
Masta Ace travelled to Australia in 2008 to record for the Funkoars
Funkoars
The Funkoars are an Australian hip hop act from Adelaide. They are part of the Certified Wise crew, sixteen South Australian hip hop artists who often appear on each others tracks on various albums.-Members:...
track "This is How" which came off the album The Hangover. The track sampled parts of the Masta Ace's 2004 track "Good Ol' Love". The Funkoars have made several references to Masta Ace in their lyrics as well as using samples in other works.
He is also featured on the track "Sminke" by the critically acclaimed Norwegian Hip Hop band Karpe Diem. The title of the album is Aldri Solgt En Løgn (Never Sold a Lie). In English the word "Sminke" means makeup, and the song is about artists trading their image for what their record companies wants it to be.
In 2007, he appeared on Admit It, a song by Swiss hip hop group Nefew
Nefew
Nefew is a hip hop group from Windisch, Switzerland. It consists of Polemikk and PA-Double . Nefew is an acronym which stands for New Education From Every Word. Q Magazine describes Nefew as one of the most promising hop hop acts from Europe...
from their album Off the Cuff.
In 2010, he appeared on "Set You Free" along with Wordsworth, a track by UK hip hop DJ/Producer "Skitz
Skitz
Skitz is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. Her first appearance was in X-Treme X-Men #35.-Powers and abilities:...
" from his album "The Sticksman".
Legacy
Masta Ace is considered to be a highly skilled and influential MC – music journalist Peter ShapiroPeter Shapiro
Peter Shapiro is a freelance music journalist, who has written for Spin, URB, Music Week, Uncut, Vibe, The Wire and The Times.-Literary works:*The Rough Guide to Hip-hop*The Rough Guide to Soul and R'n'B...
describes him as “one of the great pure New York MCs”, and Allmusic describes him as “truly an underappreciated rap veteran and underground luminary”. Commenting on how Masta Ace is sometimes overlooked despite his skill, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
says, “even the most avid fan of raw hip-hop lyricism can sometimes neglect to mention Masta Ace alongside hard-bitten champs such as Rakim
Rakim
William Michael Griffin Jr. , known by his stage names Rakim , Rakim Allah, R.A.K.I.M., and The Master, is an American rapper. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled emcees of all time. Eric B...
, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...
, Slick Rick
Slick Rick
Richard Walters , better known by his stage name Slick Rick is a Grammy-nominated English-American rapper...
and Kool G. Rap”. Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
mentions Masta Ace as one of his influences in his book ‘The Way I Am’, saying, “Masta Ace had amazing storytelling skills – his thoughts were so vivid”.
Discography
- Take a Look Around (1990)
- SlaughtaHouseSlaughtaHouseSlaughtaHouse is the first album from hip hop group Masta Ace Incorporated, consisting of Masta Ace, Lord Digga, Paula Perry, Eyceurokk and Leschea. Released three years after Ace's acclaimed debut Take a Look Around, the loose concept of the album is addressing the growing trend of violence in...
with Masta Ace IncorporatedMasta Ace IncorporatedMasta Ace Incorporated was a Hip Hop crew formed by rapper Masta Ace. The group, also known as The I.N.C., included Eyceurokk , Lord Digga, Paula Perry and R&B vocalist Leschea...
(1993) - Sittin' on ChromeSittin' on ChromeSittin' on Chrome is the second album from Hip Hop group Masta Ace Incorporated, which includes Ace, Lord Digga, Paula Perry and Leschea. Ace followed the success of his 1994 hits "Jeep Ass Niguh" and "Crooklyn" with his most commercially successful album, which concentrated more on the West...
with Masta Ace IncorporatedMasta Ace IncorporatedMasta Ace Incorporated was a Hip Hop crew formed by rapper Masta Ace. The group, also known as The I.N.C., included Eyceurokk , Lord Digga, Paula Perry and R&B vocalist Leschea...
(1995) - Disposable ArtsDisposable ArtsDisposable Arts is the fourth album and the second solo album by American emcee Masta Ace, his first album since 1995's Sittin' On Chrome. The concept follows a young Brooklyn man's release from prison, his return home, and his life at "The Institute of Disposable Arts", a school in which Ace...
(2001) - A Long Hot SummerA Long Hot SummerA Long Hot Summer is the fifth solo album from Hip Hop artist Masta Ace. The release is a highly acclaimed concept album, a follow-up to his 2001 concept album Disposable Arts. The story follows Ace, an underground rapper through his "Long Hot Summer" in Brooklyn, accompanied by buddy Fats Belvedere...
(2004) - The ShowThe Show (album)The Show is the debut album by Hip Hop supergroup eMC, which consists of rappers Masta Ace, Punchline, Wordsworth and Strick.-Background:...
with eMCEMC (hip hop group)eMC is a hip hop crew composed of rappers Masta Ace, Wordsworth, Punchline and Stricklin.- Biography :Though not officially formed as a group until 2005, the crew came together in 2001 while touring together on Masta Ace's Disposable Arts tour...
(2008) - Arts & Entertainment with Edo G (2009)
- MA Doom: Son of Yvonne with MF DoomMF DoomDaniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers...
(2012)
External links
- Official Masta Ace Site
- M3 Records Official Site
- Delicious Vinyl Records catalog
- Interview with Masta Ace recorded in 2005 on public radio program The Sound of Young AmericaThe Sound of Young AmericaThe Sound of Young America is a public radio program and podcast based in Los Angeles, California and distributed by Public Radio International...
- Masta Ace Interview. Source: ILLHILL.com
- Masta Ace Interview (ArtofRhyme.com)