Take a Look Around 1990 Album

Masta Ace

Released when he was still calling himself "Master Ace" and known for his lead verse in the Cold Chillin' posse cut "The Symphony", Ace's debut aims to present him as a smart young star on the rise. He's rapid-fire riffing on many different things, from old Grand Funk bass lines ("Music Man") to Gil Scott-Heron (the title track), because he's a man of many talents, and the breadth of it all is mildly impressive. Yeah but…was nearly 70 minutes of it necessary? At this point, there was potential yet to be fulfilled…

The beats on this sound like something from a few years prior in some instances and leave a lot to be desired. Paris, PE, K-Solo, Ice Cube, ATCQ are a few examples of hip hop artists who had much more original and interesting production from 1990. I love Ace on future albums such as 'A Long Hot Summer', but on this, there are occasions where he doesn't impress me a lot, with a number of lines being quite simplistic and corny. It isn't bad, but it isn't something that I'll play again. Best Tracks: Music Man, The Other Side of Town, Can't Stop the Bumrush, Maybe Next Time, Together