…Debuting his forth album Disposable Arts, thirteen year veteran, Master Ace, in his own words, “I went back to get my degree.” “The Juice Crew thing…equating it to high school, that was my freshman year. Everyone was older, they all had albums out. I was the new kid on the block, learning what I can learn. Watching Kane, Biz, they were already established. Got to watch and learn from them how to do a show, you know… about behind the scenes, the business, dealing with people in the business.” Continuing on, Ace eluded to when people assumed he left the New York home base, for the west coast, was false!!
Ace: And then I signed to Delicious Vinyl, a chance to spread my wings, producing my own stuff…bringing in producers, pretty much executive producing my music…and you know, my own show, utilizing the things I learned from my freshman year. I’m using those things now!! my Sophormore, Junior year. But I never left New York!! I still lived in Brooklyn.
As Ace fans remembers, the hiatus when many didn’t hear or saw much of Ace, he tells why. “So then… I dropped out of school for a couple of years. Decided that…I did not want to do music anymore, there was a lot of discouraging things that went on. An album of mine got shelved, produced Paula Perry, that got shelved, Leschea, who I felt was not well promoted. Honestly there was good music there…After two years, thinking about it, I felt I had left something incomplete, something undone. Approximately the end of 1999, starting dropping singles here and there with other labels. Starting feeling it again, loving to record, you know writing rhymes, I went back to get that degree, that’s where this album comes in!! I am finishing up.”
Rhythm: Comparing the earlier days of Master Ace, Kane or LL Cool.J, what’s the difference between those times and now, performances wise?
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Ace: I think…Kats have so much success right now, with the record sales and stuff that they don’t value stage performances. They really don’t believe stage performances are that important. Performances, I see nowadays, it doesn’t seem like these Kats…are into it. They do their hits, if the crowd doesn’t react a certain way, the artist doesn’t care. They just walk off the stage not giving the crowd something more, something extra!!! You have to give them something extra, if you want the audience to wild out…
Rhythm: Where, what kind of audience do you perform to and what’s the difference between them and here in the states?
Ace: Well, I do shows in Europe and the audiences wild out to my records, I do not have big, big records like some of these artist! but if I did!! I would take full advantage of it, get on stage and destroy things if I could…they would be taking people out on stretchers. Overseas.. which is why I really do love performing there, the audience are very, very! energetic they give it up! If they like what’s going on, they make alot of noise, scream, yell, jump, push, shove..but it’s all in fun!! It’s never fighting, it’s just..Oh this is just so dope let’s just wild out and jump around, throw water, fall down and get up. I recently did a twenty-three city tour of Europe, everytime I got off stage, I was soaked, shirt!, pants!, socks!, just soaked!! From sweat, jumping around and…I pretty much, I feed off the crowd and they feed off me. In the states they are spoiled, more laid back, they stand there, they don’t really get excited. Might say HOOOO!!, might put they hands in the air!! might have some fun!! but it’s rare. You have to damn near have to stand on your head for people to make some noise. It’s too much of it here, fans are use to seeing their favorite artist at the average hang out spot, restaurant, driving through, but overseas they don’t, so when they do!! they just, give it up!
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October 30th’s, release of Disposable Arts, Master Ace graduated, valedictorian of lyrics, saluditorian of music, an honor society of appearances, road dogg Greg- Nice, King-T, J-Ro, Punch & Words, Rah-Digga, Leschea, Jane-Doe, Jean-Grae, Strick, Young-Zee, Apocalypse and Mr.Lee Gee. Mimicking his sophomore album he sought his own producers, if you need to know who, purchase the CD (I bought vinyl Fat-Beats sold-out CDs that day) the jump off single “Don’t Understand” with “Acknowledge“, he crushes some inflated egos. Other thumbs up material “Enuff” (I hope a video), “Dear Yvette“, “Hold-U“, “Alphabet Soup“. In closing I ask Ace about his expectation of the album.
Ace: I don’t have any real expectations of the albums, I am happy that I have another album in the can, getting really positive reviews, overall people seem to like it and that’s a good thing!! I know what its like…what the body language is, the general reaction when people don’t like your records. I know, I am not on the type of label where it’s going to be a huge, massive thing that just sweeps the country, I don’t expect that! With JCOR, we are working together and they’re supportive of what I am doing. I just want people that really, truly love hip hop, true Master Ace, true whatever, Juice Crew fans…even new kids that, that like good music, good hip hop an album that’s about something, get it, enjoy it. This is a thinking person’s album, put it in your walk-man, while you’re washing dishes, because everything can’t be the club joint.
Believe me an album not to pass over…I thank Ace for taking the time out and Drew and Ralph for the hook up, U.W.A.G and Rhythm delivered!!!
