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…

Criminally underrated record from an era where there were no shortage of them. Yes, it shows its age and has its' share of ridiculousness - which never gets above harmless fun ("Great Big Freak") - but "T.Y.S.O.N", "L.A. Posse", and "Watch The Hook" are head-crankin' tight! Don't sleep on this one!

X Clan's most emphatic and defiant statement. The Professor has a bit of a Vincent Price lit to his voice on this record, while Brother J's raps more than match up with the frenzied sonic backgrounds. The album got a lot of exposure, but I don't remember it being a big seller or anything. It has the same general feel of another rap album I like, Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet. The title track, "Fire & Earth", and "Holy Rum Swig" are major standouts, and even the supposed filler album cuts have lots to offer.

One of those records that creeped up in a bunch of unexpected places but at the time, was a cult item. Many of which - including Beck's "Where It's At" - were apparently uncredited. The duo's electro-tech approach to rap got quickly buried in the coming avalanche of sample-dependent story-telling, but pockets outside of the mainstream were paying attention…as in, outside New York, for sure.

Before rap records had that assembly-bling look, here was a gangsta rap record that certainly didn't glorify the lifestyle. The other change is a welcome variation in beats and some attempt to bring in mundane but humorous themes ("I Don't Dance"). But don't get it twisted, it's still an extremely grim, hardcore rap record ("Compton's Lynchin", "Def Wish"), and a fairly compelling one.