A Hip-Hop Legend Retires At The Top: Masta Ace's A Long Hot Summer

Masta Ace is no doubt one of the most unfairly-criminally-completely-ridiculously overlooked emcees of all time. This man is a legend, releasing brilliant albums as Masta Ace Incorporated such as Slaughtahouse and Sittin' On Chrome. Always varying his subject matter, Masta Ace can switch up his songs from street poetics to love to hip-hop to personal reflection with the push of a "Next" button. Of course, you wouldn't want to skip his tracks. In 2001, Ace dropped Disposable Arts, which, no matter what other people tell you, was the best album of that year, hands down (Jigga's Blueprint? Psssssh). Conceptually interesting and full of Ace's trademark illness, the album was destined to be a success and a favorite among circles who actually pay attention to this stuff. In 2004, Ace has sadly decided to hang up the mic, giving us one last appreciative album, A Long Hot Summer..

For those of you fortunate enough to hear the 2001 Disposable Arts, you will most likely remember the concept of the album, taking us on Masta Ace's journey through the school for Disposable Arts, dropping killer rhymes along the way. This final album also has a story to tell, being the prequel to that extremely strong album from 3 years ago. It tells the story of the Masta Ace before his voyage on that album, a tale of a young Ace's life in a summer, detailing love, violence, and everything in between. Also serving as a very personal reflection on the length career of this hip-hop legend, the album is undoubtedly one that ends Ace's career in the most desirable way possible..

At first glance it may seem like Kanye West's influence on the use of the soul samples in production has spread to this album, such as on Good 'Ol Love. By no means is this a bad thing, as the sample makes a great part of the chorus, and the crooning is a nice addition to Masta Ace's reflections on how the game has treated him over the last decade and a half. He enlists the talents of soon-to-blow-up producer 9th Wonder, who's gained a reputation with his work on albums from Little Brother and Murs. Beautiful, also released as a single, also uses producer Koolade's masterful use of sampling, placing alternating vocal notes underneath Masta Ace's excellent lyrics and rhymes. Rapping off a list of many, many pleasant images in his mind, this track is truly a highlight, and one that Ace fans will not forget. Whether he's talking about the Yankees beating the hell out of the Sox, a mother braiding her daughter's hair, or sun beaming down on the sand, you'll feel the vibe even if you disagree with his definition of Beautiful..

Of course, this would not be related to Disposable Arts if Ace had not included some street poetics and vivid descriptions of the borough he lives in. H.O.O.D demonstrates this perfectly, with Ace kicking his signature rhymes about what he sees around him, even debating with himself about whether he would sacrifice his life in the hood even after making it as a legend in the hip-hop industry. The beat here also uses Kanye-esque sampling throughout the track. On the contrary, a loud beat filled with sirens and horns punctuates the backdrop on Big City, another track depicting the Big Apple and the vibrant personalities of the people living in it.

Never known to be the most complex of lyricists, Masta Ace replaces the multisyllable rhymes with passion and knowledge of the subject's he's talking about in his rhymes. Instead of putting 40 syllables in each rhyme, he chooses to make the most out of each word, placing emotion and feeling into all the lyrics he spits. Brooklyn Masala is a heartfelt tale of a foreign girl he met in Brooklyn and fell in love with, a familiar topic Ace has dealt with throughout his career. Revelations is the perfect ending to this album and his time in the rap biz, highlighting the struggles and journey he has been on in the industry. Adding to this effect is the fact that the track is completely the work of Ace himself- the rhymes (of course), the beat, and the chorus. No guests or other producers, just Ace. Utilizing a somber guitar loop, Ace is able to rap in a quieter voice to create the atmosphere. Not only a very personal track, it may just be the saddest on the album, knowing that you may never hear Ace pick up the mic on a track ever again..

Say What?!

Ace has retired.. and as underappreciated as he is, this is more monumental than the retirement of ultra-popular rap icon/legend Jay-Z last year. Perhaps it is because Ace has stayed dedicated and true to hip-hop throughout his long time in the hip-hop industry. He was there in hip-hop’s infancy. There in it’s evolution. And there when hip-hop blew up all over the world and on top 40 charts everywhere. Rappers by the hundreds have come and gone, but Ace has seen through it all, overlooked by some, yet a legend in the eyes of many. A Long Hot Summer has Ace placing the finishing touches on a career that has spawned such albums like Slaughtahouse and Take A Look Around. With the exception of one or two beatsmiths, Masta Ace enlists the use of relatively unknown producers, each of whom brings out the best of Ace’s smooth delivery and thoughtful rhymes, effectively closing out a lengthy career. Ace will be missed.

Go get A Long Hot Summer, and listen to one of hip-hop’s underrated legends pour his soul out onto the mic for the last time.

5.0 Stars