Up next in 10
🎤✨ Subscribe for more exclusives from Sway's Universe! In this groundbreaking episode, hip-hop legend Masta Ace joins Sway in a Symphony of Survival like no other. Masta Ace, a true MC and renaissance man, sits down with Sway to dive deep into his illustrious journey in the hip-hop industry, from his debut on the classic track "The Symphony" to his mid-career masterpiece "Take a Look Around," and beyond. 🎶👑
Witness Masta Ace's candid reflections on the culture's endurance, its misdiagnoses, and how he's navigated the industry with integrity and talent, proving time and time again that he's only at halftime in his career. Plus, don't miss Marco Polo's return, bringing his extraordinary production skills and personal stories to the mix, adding layers to this already rich narrative.
Discover the stories behind their music, the battles fought, and the victories won in this exclusive interview. From addiction and recovery to accolades and affirmations, Masta Ace and Marco Polo share insights that are both inspiring and enlightening. 🌟
🔥 #MastaAce #MarcoPolo #HipHopSurvival #SwaysUniverse - Dive into the soul of hip-hop with stories that go beyond the music. Watch now for an authentic glimpse into the lives of legends who've shaped the genre.
👉 Follow @SwaysUniverse for more hip-hop legends, exclusive interviews, and raw conversations about the music and culture that shape our world. Visit SwaysUniverse.com for the latest in music news, and don't forget to hit that subscribe button for daily content that keeps you in the loop! 🌍🎧
#SymphonyOfSurvival #MastaAceInterview #MastaAceFreestyle #HipHopInterviews #HipHopJourney
CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Intro
1:36 - Marco Polo Producer
6:01 - Maestro Fresh Wes Hip Hop
9:35 - Marley Marl Production Legacy
14:08 - Life in Music Journey
20:36 - Freestyle Rap Skills
22:14 - Mad King Tech Influences
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
yeah Round of Applause we got a we got a
0:03
living legend in the building Round of
0:06
Applause we got a true MC in the
0:08
building Round of Applause we got a
0:10
renaissance man in the building Round of
0:12
Applause we got a beautiful brother in
0:14
the building Round of Applause in 1989 I
0:18
think it was wow Round of Applause no
0:22
1990 when take a look around came out
0:25
probably did some recording and right
0:27
now in 89 old big old Symphony yeah what
0:31
was that
0:32
87o 88 88 I'm there if you're only one
0:36
year off that's pretty good at my age
0:38
bro I'm only one year off I mean that's
0:40
pretty good and I was
0:43
there we just saw Killer Mike win a
0:46
Grammy at 48 Round of Applause for
0:50
that I was there how many different
0:52
people of age are getting those
0:55
accolades they miss they misdiagnosed
0:58
the culture they miss read it they said
1:00
it wouldn't last he's a living
1:03
testimonial of endurance of longevity of
1:06
talent of Integrity this man has never
1:09
been he has always been who he is today
1:13
I want to welcome him back to the show
1:15
and he's only at halftime in his career
1:18
give it up for the one and only the
1:20
legendary Master Ace yeah that need to
1:24
be the intro for the show like for the
1:26
live show y'all want to take that I I
1:28
was actually auditioning
1:30
come on Marco po I know how you do that
1:31
you steal [ __ ] from the show and then
1:33
you put it in I got it yeah right that's
1:35
perfect bring you to Europe with us yep
1:37
yeah I always watch I always look at
1:40
your uh Instagram feed and I see you in
1:42
all sorts of countries hold up Marco
1:45
Polo is back too producer extraordinaire
1:48
thank
1:50
you got a nice narration voice on this
1:54
project oh man talks about his daddy yep
1:57
talk about that lots of things things
2:00
yeah yep okay Marco Polo thank
2:04
you like where do I start S I do Beats I
2:07
do Beats um Master Ace yes who had the
2:11
most impactful verse on the symphony
2:14
impactful yeah that's how you started uh
2:19
I would say GP GP the main reason I say
2:22
GP is because it impacted me because
2:26
after I did my verse Craig did his verse
2:28
GP goes into Bo and does that I'm like
2:32
yo I should have said something
2:33
different wow CH it I start thinking
2:36
about other Rhymes I could have said it
2:38
was it was it impacted me like that but
2:41
back then you could it was it frowned on
2:44
if you would have went back and changed
2:45
your verse I was first of all I wasn't
2:46
supposed to be on the song so I was just
2:48
happy to be in the room like it wasn't I
2:50
remember that story great story it
2:51
wasn't planned for me to even be on that
2:52
record but I was just wishing I said
2:54
something different but for those that
2:55
don't know the story what
2:57
happened I mean we get new citizens
3:01
every day Play No Symphony in the
3:02
background so F remember who first or
3:04
who last I know just rock this at the of
3:08
a dime
3:10
baby I don't
3:13
know l f if you're going to be on it I
3:17
don't care who start I don't care what
3:19
y'all do but you got to be finished
3:22
before the music is
3:24
through listen closely so your
3:27
attentions undivided many in the past
3:29
tried to do what I did just the way I
3:31
came off then I'm going to come off
3:33
stronger and longer even with the Dr off
3:36
I keep on going and flowing just like a
3:38
river I got a whole lot to give so I'm a
3:40
giver little at a time new trails are
3:43
blazing action is in effect and alling
3:46
yeah just like a shot from a cannon I am
3:49
the man and charge and I be planning a
3:51
jam strong enough that it can lift your
3:53
soul I'm the originator and my rhs are
3:55
made a go once you hear the capital A
3:58
rapal stay with you for a wow it won't
4:00
go away unless you force it because it
4:02
stays with you my friend and if you
4:04
force it away I'mma hit you again I
4:06
project my voice so it's right in the
4:08
there's sign no if didn't it I suest you
4:14
you
4:16
like ahead
4:21
shut micone left it alone just for the
4:25
record let it be known that my ego's
4:27
only partially grown and never what I
4:30
ever condone in form i'mm
4:34
that here's the storm wow Brown hey
4:38
pretty good verse yeah goodness can you
4:41
look listening back are you proud of
4:43
yourself I'm proud of myself that I was
4:46
able magically to be on what people
4:49
consider a hip-hop Classic record uhhuh
4:52
you know um that was my literal debut in
4:55
the music industry nobody had ever heard
4:58
my voice on any Rec record until that
5:00
record and so I'm just proud that that I
5:03
was there so AKA glasses was on that
5:07
joint that's me that's you man give it
5:09
up for master Ace now when this was made
5:12
in 88 Marco Polo uh I was 8 years old 8
5:17
years old so you were still going to
5:18
daycare or probably probably in Canada
5:21
somewhere in Canada somewhere what was
5:23
your introduction to hip-hop who was it
5:25
who was that person that made you go I
5:26
got to do this [ __ ] Maestro Fresh West
5:29
fresh West Canadian icon Legend he used
5:32
to come down to the wake up show back in
5:34
the day and and smash it he's the first
5:37
rapper I heard on the radio and then
5:39
shouts to my pops rest in peace he
5:40
bought trib's first album oh wow cuz he
5:43
liked Bonita Apple bum that was his
5:45
joint look at that shirt you wearing yes
5:47
what is the shirt he's
5:49
wearing Quest yo did you oh Q-tip like
5:52
$1,000 can you talk to him no that's
5:55
incredible that's that was
5:57
a I want him on the next album he
6:01
probably listening right now no tip's
6:03
genius you you want to get tip on the
6:04
next album on this album um Richman Hill
6:07
was out right now citizens out on all
6:10
platforms this is a great project I
6:13
listened to it from front to back back
6:14
to front and in it you you you narrate
6:18
this right it's about my life story
6:21
which which Ace thinks is is very
6:22
interesting because I started as a young
6:24
hooligan with some addiction problems
6:26
that I never really shared you know I've
6:28
shared it a couple times public
6:30
but he wanted people to hear the full
6:31
story and that's why I'm narrating so
6:34
tell tell us about when did you we just
6:36
had em Smith on this show bro I kid you
6:39
not I wish I could show him the notes
6:41
and he was speaking about opioid yeah
6:44
accidental deaths opid overo opioid
6:47
overdoses are the largest reason for
6:50
accidental deaths in the United States
6:52
we just had this conversation yeah no
6:54
it's crazy so for um reference I'm 44
6:57
now Richmond Hill is not Richmond Hill
6:59
Queens that's Richmond Hill Ontario
7:00
Canada outside of Toronto that's where I
7:02
grew up so between 14 and 16 I took the
7:05
elevator very quickly from smoking weed
7:07
to literally smoking crack doing heroin
7:10
and going to rehab in the middle of high
7:12
school my parents had to remortgage the
7:15
house to pay for treatment cost him like
7:17
$200,000 left stayed sober since 16 I'm
7:20
44 now and that's when I started you
7:23
know making beats and music literally
7:25
replaced the drug addiction and went
7:27
into oh my gosh man God bless you
7:30
brother so here I am and a lot of good
7:31
things happened since then wow wow uh if
7:36
you were closer I would hug
7:37
you so how what was it like for you
7:40
citizens when you go on an album you do
7:42
hear Marco Polo telling his story tell
7:45
talking about his dad when he was born
7:47
wasn't sure if his dad was even ready to
7:48
be a dad right right when when you were
7:51
born um what else can you tell us about
7:53
that story like what because it's a
7:55
cautionary Tale in it obviously for
7:57
people who be tuned in well I think it
7:59
shows that addiction could hit any kid
8:01
in any cuz I grew up in the BBS I was
8:03
I'm not from the hood I'm from Richmond
8:05
Hill it's a very mixed neighborhood and
8:07
you wouldn't think that that could
8:08
happen you know with the people I was
8:10
around but it did and yeah just I don't
8:14
think anyone in my family expected that
8:16
to happen and it did and it slapped
8:18
everybody in the face and I was lucky to
8:20
have a support system that's that's the
8:22
the star of the story I had two parents
8:24
that were down to do whatever it took to
8:26
help me God bless them mhm so that's why
8:29
I've stayed sober cuz I'm like man if I
8:30
smoke a joint that's like a $200,000
8:33
joint Ain that something per and the
8:37
odds of kids at 16 staying sober after
8:40
treatment are like a million to one like
8:42
I was in treatment with celebrity
8:44
children I can't name their names I was
8:45
in the fanciest place you could look it
8:47
up it's called Hazelton in Minnesota and
8:50
16 going right back to high school
8:52
staying sober is the odds were against
8:55
me and for whatever reason I stayed
8:57
sober you had purpose no alcohol not a
9:00
drop nothing yeah wow congratulations
9:03
Marco Polo absolutely did did your
9:06
father um get a chance to to see you
9:09
start to win accolades like the Juno
9:11
Awards he got a chance to see that yes
9:14
he did he did rest in peace he did cuz
9:16
he didn't understand when I told him at
9:18
21 hey I'm going to go move to New York
9:20
and be a a rap producer he's like what
9:22
like that's and then I started getting
9:24
you know Juno nominations for my albums
9:26
and he's like oh this is a real thing
9:27
you proved me wrong and he was so proud
9:29
he used to you know carry the CD in the
9:31
car and show people so he got a chance
9:33
to see a little bit of My Success which
9:35
is amazing wow man Marco polos here uh
9:38
you know we've been celebrating the 50th
9:40
anniversary of Hip Hop um and I just
9:42
told you you know he just mentioned you
9:44
know Master Ace mentioned a song that
9:45
came out in 1988 so that's 12 car to
9:49
three 36 years of the 50 right did your
9:53
family is your family proud what was
9:56
that like so I went I graduated from
10:00
college right the same year um
10:04
88 and that
10:07
year I was already in the studio working
10:10
with Marley and I explained to my mom
10:12
like you know something something going
10:14
on here something kind of cool looks
10:16
like might be happening she didn't want
10:17
to hear none of that she's like you got
10:19
a degree where's your resume you should
10:22
be out there looking for jobs like what
10:24
are you doing and here I am going to
10:27
Marley's house coming back the next day
10:29
spending the night coming back the next
10:30
day and she was like definitely not
10:33
feeling what was going on because I had
10:35
just gone through four years of school
10:37
had this degree and I wasn't wasn't
10:39
putting it to use and um I think it was
10:43
somewhere in the in the middle of that
10:44
summer of 88 where uh she had left me a
10:48
list of things that she wanted me to do
10:49
around the house or whatever go to the
10:51
cleaners pick up this from here
10:53
whatever but that that day that morning
10:56
when I woke up I went straight I got
10:58
dressed and I went straight outside I
10:59
didn't even go to the refrigerator to
11:01
see the list came home she was pissed
11:06
she left me another note the next
11:07
morning I want you out by your
11:15
birthday and
11:19
uh I needed that I needed that it uh it
11:23
woke me up it made me
11:25
understand that I needed to figure some
11:28
stuff out I needed to be a
11:31
man and I respect that move that she
11:35
made um I got my record
11:39
deal my advance I should say towards the
11:43
end of that year and uh moved out got my
11:46
own place a year
11:48
later and uh haven't looked back since
11:51
and since that time my mom became you
11:53
know my biggest cheerleader that's
11:56
beautiful and it be truthful she always
11:58
was
11:59
we just don't realize that at the time
12:01
cuz we young and we we get put in this
12:03
chaos right you don't understand it so
12:06
you were and so at the time we met you
12:09
was in a that was some transformative
12:11
years right right absolutely absolutely
12:14
I wouldn't have never known because man
12:15
you used to come up on that show man I
12:17
was going through old school wakeup show
12:19
freestyles that I was going to surprise
12:21
you love I just couldn't know I didn't
12:23
know how to pull
12:25
them had technological issues I was out
12:29
from an analog era from an analog era
12:31
like I I couldn't cut the two the half
12:33
inch reel I didn't know what to do damn
12:35
maybe you could find some look at um
12:37
wake up show I want to say U volume one
12:40
wake up show freestyles and I believe
12:42
volume
12:43
three one one of them I I I didn't want
12:46
to play because of something you said in
12:48
the end I'll tell you off
12:51
mik this might be a doozy so we'll we'll
12:55
play one um I'm I'm really when you
12:58
listen Len to this album Richmond Hill
13:00
you know we haven't even talked about
13:02
the music we talked about the people
13:03
behind it and I thought it was necessary
13:06
because of the way this album sits and
13:08
feels for me I feel like I'm getting to
13:10
know these two I'm asking them questions
13:12
but I'm I'm feel like I'm getting to
13:13
know them new in a new way for the first
13:16
time so I appreciate your transparency
13:18
so you took his life story and wrote
13:20
songs around it is that well I didn't
13:22
really write the songs around it but I I
13:24
fashioned the theme of the album around
13:26
his life story because I thought it was
13:28
a remarkable story and people needed to
13:30
hear it you know so I just I said you
13:33
know our first album our debut album
13:35
came out in 28 2018 and uh that was the
13:39
story of him moving from Toronto to
13:41
Brooklyn and when we started working on
13:43
a new album I was like you know there's
13:45
more to your story that people don't
13:46
know and his journey through addiction
13:49
and how we overcame it was such a
13:51
remarkable story to me I'm like we're
13:53
talking about this you know privately
13:55
but the world needs to hear this you
13:56
could really Inspire some people
13:59
and he he gave me his permission to put
14:02
that part of his life on full display on
14:04
on the record I'm glad he did Life music
14:08
wow 888 742
14:11
3345 we got Marco
14:14
Polo we got Master Ace here Life music
14:18
888 742
14:20
3345 this is called Life music off the
14:23
Richmond Hill project you can go on any
14:25
DSP right now and just listen to this
14:28
album for your Master Ace the legendary
14:30
and Marco Polo are here
14:36
hey Marco hey was it hey happy to have
14:41
you here my dear thanks yeah and really
14:43
grateful for all of your generosity with
14:45
sharing your life experience because
14:47
like Master a said it is helping a lot
14:49
of people and even if they're not going
14:51
through it I think it helps people with
14:53
their empathy you know and realizing
14:56
that there's a story behind every person
14:59
you don't know was it easy for you to
15:02
say yes to sharing so much of your
15:05
private life in this project yes it was
15:08
it was easy for me I'm always reluctant
15:11
to share my path of getting sober
15:13
because it's different than anybody else
15:15
if you're familiar with how people do it
15:16
in treatment centers and 12-step
15:18
programs you leave a treatment center
15:20
and then you go to 12-step Alcoholics
15:22
Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous and you're
15:23
in those rooms for life I'm not active
15:25
in those rooms so I was scared to set
15:28
that example was someone that was trying
15:29
to be sober because I think it's
15:30
important that you work on recovery
15:32
where I kind of didn't do that and I
15:34
stayed sober so I have a fear of giving
15:36
the wrong example but there's still
15:38
value in my story because I keep those
15:40
principles in my life I surround myself
15:43
with people who are like minded who do
15:44
not you know do drugs drink like crazy I
15:46
can't it's just not like that's why me
15:48
and Ace get along he's not on that wave
15:50
so we're into a healthier living I just
15:54
quit smoking cigarettes I was doing that
15:55
for a long time so it's been a year that
15:58
was the last thing that I had yeah and
16:00
it's gone now too so now I'm like
16:01
completely so nless weights now I go to
16:05
the gym a bit um trying to be healthier
16:07
but yeah even if it helps one person
16:09
like it's worth it even I share my
16:11
journey with quitting smoking if it
16:13
helps one person cuz I smoked when I
16:15
tell you two packs a day for 30 years
16:19
insane and I didn't take no drugs I
16:21
stopped cult I don't know how I did it
16:23
to this day but it's possible so you
16:25
kept smoking that's how you did it but I
16:26
mean how I quit without any help without
16:28
like no drugs you can get to patch like
16:31
nothing like I took some nicotine gums
16:33
but so if you're thinking I can't do it
16:34
you could do it cuz I thought I was that
16:36
guy was like there's no way I'm ever
16:38
knocking this and I did what was the
16:39
Catalyst I don't want to die like I just
16:43
it was it's a long time to do that yeah
16:46
I want to keep being here and honestly
16:48
losing my pops losing my Pops to to
16:51
cancer I was like he didn't have a
16:53
choice and I have a choice to make a
16:55
change so I felt selfish killing myself
16:58
when this person got handed a bad deal
17:00
and had no control and was gone in two
17:02
years because it's some crazy [ __ ] so I
17:04
was like I can actually stop what I'm
17:06
doing so that was a big Catalyst that's
17:09
real Marco Polo is here Master Ace is
17:11
here I'mma keep saying this album's name
17:13
Richmond Hill you tune in to this show
17:15
you should be checking out and tuning
17:17
into this album Master ace and I go way
17:19
back he he knows this and every time he
17:21
comes up I say it I even told Tech you
17:23
were coming today oh oh Tech told me to
17:26
ask you a question King Tech part of the
17:28
keing tech uh how's his son doing with
17:30
the football so Isaiah thank you for
17:32
asking is now at
17:35
um uh Davidson which is Stephen Curry's
17:38
Alama okay and he's on the football team
17:40
okay so my nephew is playing on the
17:42
football team at Davidson wow uh Talia
17:45
my niece's daughter is at no no Notre
17:48
Dame in the valley and she's running
17:50
track she's a half mile Champion okay
17:53
A's family you know me kch and a couple
17:56
of us is it's just we see each Go
17:58
amazing yeah right should be a round of
18:00
applause for that yeah yeah hip-hop Dad
18:04
yeah rap Dad how's your
18:06
family I see L what's up my beautiful
18:09
wife always by my side always holding me
18:12
down huh what you drinking that's
18:15
beautiful goat blood in the basement oh
18:18
man jeez got beat blood got to be goat
18:23
blood what kind of blood is it
18:27
water vegan blood vegan blood that's
18:30
water water will do plant-based blood
18:32
right plantbased blood low fat a you
18:36
guys got a song called plant-based on
18:38
this record yeah yeah we do sure do are
18:41
hell no okay sorry I'm just being real
18:45
never never never and that's not
18:48
knocking it just it doesn't work for me
18:49
it works for how long you been
18:51
plant-based oh man uh I guess six years
18:56
six years I I haven't had dairy in
18:58
probably eight mhm eggs and anything
19:01
like that eight to 10 years what's the
19:02
difference like people want to go but
19:04
it's a it's a struggle to be plant-based
19:06
and they want to know what's the what's
19:07
the reward you well I just feel great I
19:11
I feel energetic I got a lot of energy I
19:15
feel young you know um what about your
19:18
liido is that that kicks in too yeah you
19:22
know 50 is 50 you know what I mean that
19:24
you going to have that's part of the the
19:26
journey um but we
19:29
that's a struggle over 50 that's real
19:32
it's just real you know yeah but let me
19:33
sorry let me cut you off we do a lot of
19:36
touring I'm 44 how old are you ways got
19:41
I got to say
19:42
it7 yes you do because important for
19:44
what I'm about to say yeah damn bro this
19:47
look at this dude man get this man a
19:48
round of applause my
19:51
God I'm I'm holding down the music
19:54
pressing the NPC minimal work and
19:57
yelling alibs and I'm tired at the end
19:58
of the show and this guy's rapping an
20:00
hour and a half running around like I'm
20:01
like where do you get this energy bro
20:03
like where is it coming from like I'm 10
20:05
years plus younger than you and he is
20:07
running circles around me on stage it's
20:10
crazy and meat plantbased blood
20:13
plant-based plant-based blood there we
20:15
go you carnivores y'all get tires easy
20:17
y'all what I'm too Italian to be vegan I
20:20
can't do it all right hey Ace I want to
20:23
go you ain't by yourself I'm going go
20:26
I'm about to go back in time y'all I'mma
20:27
dig in crate I'mma pull one from the
20:29
mid90s show you how far me and master
20:32
Ace go back shout out to King Tech turn
20:34
this up from the
20:38
AR two one
20:40
two Master Ace King Tech check it out
20:43
y'all I'mma say it now I don't like none
20:46
of you dudes when I watch bet I make fun
20:48
of you dudes cuz I'm just not convinced
20:50
y'all not intense your first single was
20:53
cool you ain't been hot since and y'all
20:55
a all need training bras want to sit
20:57
around talk talking about J and NS you
20:59
another Punk at the bar getting stuff in
21:01
the trunk of the car and like shack
21:03
trying to dunk on your bar you won't
21:04
ever see it what I am you'll never be it
21:07
you won't ever achieve it and you better
21:08
believe it if you got beef for me it's
21:11
better to leave it see it's not worth
21:12
pursuing cuz I hurt and ruin and I don't
21:15
understand what you jerks are doing see
21:17
I got some big balls and the extra hairy
21:19
and you going down like you standing
21:21
next to Mary see I only cast and checks
21:23
are scary and you ain't no CEO you a
21:26
secretary a [ __ ] hold my call while I
21:28
hold my balls and try to get some more
21:30
plaques up on my walls see I love rap
21:32
music but I hate the cats in it in a
21:34
minute I'm about to be running for rap
21:36
inate and y'all [ __ ] better elect me
21:38
you rappers ain't got to like me kid but
21:40
y'all better respect me me respect me
21:43
respect me that hard you remember that I
21:46
do not remember I was remembering it as
21:48
I was hearing it what year yeah what
21:51
year that was in the N I think I I
21:54
didn't look at the year era long time
21:56
ago long time ago man
21:59
wow right before disposable no that was
22:01
before it was way before
22:03
that I was going to say 96 I was going
22:06
to guess well that's 96 is when we
22:07
released that freestyle volume so it
22:10
could have been before that but it might
22:10
have been before that it might have been
22:11
95 that was great damn um so with that
22:15
mad king king tech asked to master King
22:18
tech for those who don't know is my
22:19
partner who's from high school him and I
22:22
been Partners we're more like Brothers
22:23
now if I make a dollar he just made 50
22:26
Cent if he makes $10 I just made five we
22:29
have not um changed anything about our
22:32
relationship it's only evolved and grown
22:34
and we get to enjoy the fruits of our
22:36
labor anden and benefit from this
22:38
culture as long as we have we laugh when
22:40
we see each other what up man hey what
22:43
up dude you still here huh yeah so hey
22:46
he says man I um I've been sitting here
22:49
thinking all my questions are old school
22:52
of course that's Tech uh just tell him
22:54
he has legendary status from me and does
22:57
he remember
22:58
the the onbeat offbeat Rhymes he
23:03
introduced at the cane party I think in
23:07
1991 at that party Jazz and Jay-Z and
23:10
Big Daddy Kan also got on the mic and we
23:13
played the cassette on the Wake Up Show
23:15
yeah years ago W I definitely remember
23:17
that night that was a it was a it was a
23:19
release party I believe for Kane his uh
23:22
long fourth album oh the fourth album
23:24
the fourth album yeah Jay was there Biz
23:27
was there I mean it's a bunch of people
23:29
rap it was like a crazy had to be over
23:32
hour freestyle session I can't even
23:34
remember all the people that got up that
23:36
that that just ice I mean it was so many
23:38
people that rhymed and yeah I did the
23:40
offbeat onbeat uh but it was a that was
23:42
an incredible night what I got pictures
23:44
from that you got pictures yes we we
23:46
were playing that on the wake up show
23:48
this is part of our what made us great
23:50
um it says Veterans Day maybe was that
23:53
the name of the album the K album the
23:55
fourth one um can you can you explain
23:57
playing with the onbeat offbeat style
24:00
was then and what it is to people now
24:02
with hear it I mean for for me when I
24:06
was doing it it was just me trying to
24:08
play around with style play around with
24:12
cadence uh purposely be kind of behind
24:16
the beat a little bit and then catch up
24:18
on the next line it was just fun stuff
24:20
that's all it was just as an MC just
24:22
trying to do something different um
24:24
because sometimes I would hear cats rap
24:26
and they were rapping off beat and it it
24:28
wasn't they weren't purposely doing it
24:30
they just couldn't stay with the beat
24:32
but there was a
24:34
certain whack there was a certain
24:37
coolness to to some of that like
24:40
sometime when you're out of the pocket
24:41
it kind of sounds kind of cool if you
24:43
know how to catch up and so it was just
24:45
me playing around trying to do something
24:46
different that was it that was it hey
24:49
man why we got you here right Heather I
24:51
knew this was coming man you know and
24:53
put me in it go ahead I just like to see
24:55
if maybe we can get a demonstration live
24:58
Master Ace spitting bars little tutorial
25:01
remember that well you ain't got to
25:03
remember that rhyme but any rhyme Ace
25:04
that was the setup a you in the Valley
25:08
of the
25:09
hyena you want to demonstrate the
25:11
pattern
25:13
yeah okay uh we're going to take it back
25:16
huh yeah all right we going to take it
25:18
back then hopefully I remember check it
25:21
out it's the it off it on boy you get
25:25
lit up so sit up and taste some [ __ ] you
25:27
can't spit up I hit up 11 MC's just for
25:31
buzzing they your cousin let's not make
25:33
that a dozen it's the rap slasher I bash
25:36
you and crash you I hter show my ass
25:39
like a flasher the mash you just like
25:41
potatoes on the plate I got mad Rhymes
25:44
and they're great but your [ __ ] a corny
25:47
like flaked from the tiger or
25:49
lion keep on crying and then wipe your
25:52
tears I got skills for years I make them
25:54
my way in the world today like cheers
25:57
I'm and mad Ruckus like dick Buck is so
25:59
chill more magic than Houdini more J
26:02
than the LI the freaks come out at night
26:04
hold up pause I'm mad large like um
26:07
heavy these drawers leave all them shoot
26:09
them up ganger lyrics in the rear and
26:12
check this here I put the jingle in your
26:15
Bells I cold deck your balls oh
26:17
Christmas tree I kick frosty in the
26:19
Snowballs mad rabbits be trying to do
26:22
their thing they can rap uh-huh and Al
26:24
be sure can sing Who man yo yo yo yo all
26:28
right all right that was years ago that
26:30
was Yoo that was years ago my B that was
26:34
years ago I don't even remember that
26:36
round okay okay switch up the beat for
26:39
me he tapped right back in So this had
26:41
to go down what he talking about
26:42
somewhere between 94 and like 98 cuz I'm
26:45
looking at the list of Kane albums it
26:47
was Veterans Day Daddy's home looks like
26:49
another job and then Prince of Darkness
26:51
Prince of Darkness was 91 so it's after
26:54
that he said Jay and Biz and all of them
26:57
in 91 that event that we're talking
26:59
about' 91 for the um for the Prince of
27:01
Darkness
27:02
album wow that's crazy hey you got new
27:06
Rhymes
27:07
too that's right sort of kind of not
27:10
really like I you know I just uh I be I
27:14
I ain't gonna lie sway when I these days
27:17
I'm writing is for the purpose of albums
27:19
oh okay I don't have that same I don't
27:22
know Heather I know to just write to
27:25
just to write just to like to prove I'm
27:27
nice like you ain't going to prove that
27:30
I don't I don't have that same desire no
27:32
more I know I know the exact feeling
27:34
that you're talking about because Sway
27:36
and I argue about this at least twice a
27:38
week here on the show um I I don't know
27:41
what to what to call that it doesn't
27:43
even mean that you don't love mcing the
27:46
art of it all it it doesn't even mean
27:47
that you don't love writing but the
27:49
mindset is just different it's a
27:51
different mindset and you I just I agree
27:54
with you well for me I approach writing
27:56
so different now it's just it's
27:58
different I don't even know if it's in a
28:00
song form as much as it's a release and
28:02
it's it doesn't even have to be a song
28:04
it might just be an insert in my journal
28:06
and then I'm done for the day it's
28:07
intentional it's yeah sounds peaceful to
28:10
me it it's a form of Peace it doesn't
28:12
sound like you have to chase anyone's
28:14
validation yeah it's just more about the
28:16
experience in they used to feel
28:18
pressured it's the song certified the
28:22
that space you're in now like you don't
28:23
need validation you're already
28:25
certified yeah I mean I would hope you
28:28
know we're talking about 30 plus years
28:30
of ramen freestyling on a million
28:34
stations you know jumping on songs with
28:36
a bunch of different people like
28:38
hopefully we've established that I could
28:41
rap right a little bit if nothing else
28:45
right A little bit um but yeah like Mark
28:49
will tell you like when we working on
28:51
the album we working on the album and
28:52
then somebody will reach out to me they
28:54
want a feature verse so I'll be like
28:57
cool so I'll go in on their feature
28:59
verse and send that and Marco like yo
29:01
you giving these guys like do one of
29:04
those for the album I'm like I'm doing
29:07
songs bro like I don't know I get it
29:10
okay I got an idea I got an idea I got
29:12
an idea that's therec you remember your
29:15
certified lyrics yeah
29:21
definitely Shade 45 Master Ace on the
29:26
mic
29:28
yeah that work can that work
29:32
yeah one two
29:34
yeah Marco Polo on the beat Marco Polo
29:38
on the beat yeah Marco Polo on the beat
29:43
bonfi certified 35 mil Netflix chill
29:46
little bad Li still big body black truck
29:49
with the wide Grill so black low jacket
29:51
they try Ste get money money make money
29:53
money money see [ __ ] grinning but
29:56
ain't nothing funny this is what I earn
29:58
can't take nothing from me to whom
29:59
making sir girl break from the dummy he
30:01
ain't bringing nothing to the table but
30:03
his hunger remind me of when I was 30
30:05
years younger well seasoned veteran long
30:07
hot summer chick on my arm she a strong
30:10
block stunner top Gunner aiming for the
30:12
Stars if you choose violence save it for
30:15
the bars grapes in the fruit fight save
30:17
it for the Jaws Jam that I made made me
30:19
Fame for the cars let's go come ceri
30:22
certified stunner we got Master a in
30:24
that's still I'm good I just needed to
30:25
do that man hold up I need a f I thought
30:28
you had the inro I thought you had the
30:30
inro swy won his own
30:35
concert Ace know what it is man we been
30:37
man me and Tech been having Ace do dance
30:39
flips all kind of stuff for years oh my
30:42
gosh because we love him and we it just
30:46
ace will always have a place wherever we
30:48
are because he has a voice that needs to
30:50
be heard all of his music resonates to
30:53
the heart you make spirit music if you
30:55
listen to what he's saying you know and
30:57
so that that is something he's been
30:59
consistent with for decades so the fact
31:01
that I'm here for decades has a lot to
31:03
do with who he is and so I'mma always
31:06
want to hear him rap and he ain't always
31:08
got to rap and don't feel a way about it
31:10
but I'mma always ask him
31:11
to thank you I don't feel no way about
31:14
it we got James on the line from the ATL
31:16
Jay what's your question J Jam Jam James
31:19
yo listen everybody talk about top five
31:22
legit Master Ace you are in my top three
31:24
if I could have anybody's career in Hip
31:26
Hop it would be yours going to that
31:28
offbeat onbeat back to the the ma the
31:31
Brand New Heavies joint is a good
31:33
example of that but you were on my one
31:34
of my favorite neo soul album uh that
31:37
rolled to Freedom young disciple he did
31:40
slaughterhouse and then I remember in
31:42
2001 I'm in Atlanta and ear wax records
31:46
Jazz was the owner every time I go in
31:48
there and say Jazz what's hot every time
31:50
for a year he' be like that that dispos
31:52
bar that that disposed bars is the [ __ ]
31:54
that that I mean he put when that album
31:57
and everything you did after that long
31:59
hot summer son of yvon my Doom bro you
32:03
have you have not only made new music
32:06
but made it in a progressive cinematic
32:09
you kept moving it forward like you you
32:12
were in the 36 years of hip-hop but you
32:14
were in the 36 productive years from the
32:16
88 from the Golden Era the first voice
32:19
on the most classic po posy album to
32:22
being now being relevant like you are
32:25
the M the only MC who is who is relevant
32:28
doing relevant music pushing it forward
32:31
there's no other MC there's MC's who
32:34
making music but you were hot in the 80s
32:37
the 90s the the the 2000s the 2010s and
32:40
the 2020s bro I love you I absolutely
32:43
love you can we hire this man yeah there
32:45
we go that's another intro right there
32:47
that's the intro right there two intros
32:49
need to hire this guy thank you Jay bro
32:52
listen that disposable Arts anybody all
32:54
y'all citizens I know y'all think y'all
32:55
know Ace but listen to dis discography
32:58
the the the him rapping over MF Doom be
33:01
you know that that in fact that John you
33:04
MF Doom and Kane come on man that's
33:07
that's bars on top of bars on top of
33:09
bars y'all y'all are doing yourself a
33:10
disservice if y'all don't love Master
33:12
Ace like I love Master thank you thank
33:16
you damn James I think we're gonna end
33:18
the interview with that one all right
33:19
thank you Jay all right man you're a
33:21
citizen I'm a citizen I've been a
33:22
citizen oh man this even better all
33:25
right thank you James we appreciate
33:27
and Ace he tells no lies he he's man
33:31
tells no lies Brother come on man Master
33:34
Ace is here look at this guy
33:36
man this is hip hop no for real and and
33:39
and the other thing I think that should
33:40
be pointed out about Ace is that he's
33:42
always carried himself a certain way you
33:45
know when you think about being in any
33:47
doing anything for a certain amount of
33:49
period for decades at this point your
33:52
reputation you know goes around whether
33:55
good or bad and he's always always
33:57
carried himself in such a way I've never
33:59
heard anyone say anything negative about
34:01
you in fact maybe one of the first
34:03
things that I heard about you was that
34:05
you had a college degree where so many
34:07
of us during that era were dropping out
34:09
of college you know to pursue this thing
34:11
that we love you were one of the very
34:13
few that actually finished and it was a
34:15
running joke cuz Kenny Park and I would
34:17
laugh about it like yo you and master
34:19
Ace the only two people that got degrees
34:21
you know in in in in college your
34:23
brother's the philosopher but Chris
34:25
never went to college but Kenny had the
34:27
college degree you know and so ks1 yeah
34:30
KS one yeah uh Kenny Parker's brother
34:32
but you've always carried yourself a
34:34
certain way and I think that should be
34:37
noticed and celebrated as well no drama
34:39
no stuff no don't mess with that dude
34:42
don't he slick never that about you and
34:45
um it's a lot to say about that you know
34:47
you can't say that about everybody being
34:48
in any industry for that long yeah man
34:51
uh Master Ace man uh let's give him a
34:53
standing ovation citizens all right if
34:54
you in your Tru here's the
34:58
larco Polo come on Richmond Hill here's
35:01
the Richmond Hill shout out to Lea
35:04
absolutely shout out to Le facts always
35:07
great energy always great energy um
35:10
gentlemen I want to thank you for coming
35:11
by the show today this was fun for me I
35:13
know it went it seemed like it went by
35:15
quick but it's it's almost 50 minutes
35:17
that was good crazy yeah we just had
35:19
such a great time it's all and that's
35:21
and you guys put together a great album
35:23
you want to rooll with it yes we're
35:25
going uh may end of May through the
35:27
entire month of June so about 30 30
35:29
something days we be in Europe okay hey
35:31
so are you going to implement my my
35:33
intro in the show or you want me to come
35:35
do it live where can I get the audio huh
35:37
yo uh DB and Tor torture send it to you
35:39
directly all right cool man send them
35:41
that call send them that caller too
35:43
that's two intros and if y'all need me
35:45
to do it live I I'm still sway they
35:47
heard you the first time for
35:51
free all right man um Marco Polo Master
35:54
Ace uh Richmond Hill anything else I
35:56
want
35:58
say good thanks for having us man don't
36:01
no problem muscles man a few words over
36:02
here I got you buff that's new muscles
36:05
new muscles those are new muscles new
36:07
just B those you need some protein you
36:10
good I'm good all right on that note
36:11
citizens have a great day stay on the
36:13
right side of positivity this is
36:14
plant-based and we have nothing left to
36:19
[Music]
36:22
say
#Arts & Entertainment