MASTA ACE Schallplatten & CDs

Review: A classic New York hip-hop sound with refined lyricism and sleek production. Side-1 features 'Below The Clouds (feat. Talib Kweli - remix)', a standout reimagining from Masta Ace's newest album out this year. The track blends introspective verses with a soulful beat and Kweli's contribution elevates it further, creating a thought-provoking yet head-nodding experience. On Side-2, 'Get Shot (remix)', originally from Masta Ace's 2018 album, gets a polished rework. The remix offers a smooth, groove-filled reinterpretation that complements Ace's storytelling strength while keeping the vibe laid-back yet engaging.

Review: Richmond Hill, the highly anticipated follow up to Masta Ace and Marco Polo's Breukelen Story, is inspired by Marco's childhood in the titular neighborhood, a small town in Ontario, just outside of Toronto. Between interstitials about Marco's passion for hip-hop and cartoons, his struggle with addiction, and the support of his parents, Marco Polo and Masta Ace tackle the issues of the day head-on with clarity, the rapper using his decades-worth of rapping experience to slice through the producer's warm soul samples and crisp percussion. A cinematic journey that explores how the past echoes through the present, the album welcomes guest appearances from notable names from all eras of rap history, including Inspectah Deck, Coast Contra, Blu, Che Noir, Speech of Arrested Development, Masta Ace's longtime collaborators Stricklin and Wordsworth and many more.

Review: Masta Ace and Marco Polo team up once more for their highly anticipated follow-up to the esteemed Breukelen Story. Just like the last album, Richmond Hill grips the listener by the hand and ear, whisking them away, through the semiotic-auditory memory lane, and doubling up as Ace's hometown and childhood experience. Providing a fresh retrospective take on the cream-of-the-crop hip-hop mastermind's earliest days, it's a far cry from the rapper's early 90s style, but still nonetheless channels the same penchant for instantly nostalgic sample-heavy production motifs and includes many guest appearances from contemporaneous greats such as Inspectah Deck, Coast Contra, Blu and Che Noir.