His most recent (and reportedly final) solo album, A Long Hot Summer, gained considerable acclaim in 2004. He is currently in the hip hop group eMC, with Punchline, Wordsworth and Stricklin. They have a page at http://www.myspace.com/emcthegroup.
In the early stages of his career, Masta Ace was very energetic (cf. "Jeep Ass Niguh", where, tongue-in-cheek, he taunts police officers for their knee-jerk predisposition to harass black youth on city streets.) He also recorded material with a six-member supporting entourage, Masta Ace Incorporated. In light of his newly claimed status as a veteran, he has gravitated toward an earnest, matter-of-fact plainspokenness in the new millennium. Many of the songs that have lent newfound heft to his reputation are simple, no-nonsense rumination on feelings and facts of urban American life, including "Soda and Soap", "Brooklyn Masala" (which highlights a budding romance between Ace and a lovely but reserved Pakistani Hindu immigrant), and "Beautiful".
1988-1994
Ace made his recording debut as Master Ace on the classic hip-hop posse-cut "The Symphony", along with fellow Juice Crew members Craig G, Kool G Rap, and Big Daddy Kane, released on Marley Marl's In Control album. In Control also featured two lesser known Ace tracks "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" and "Simon Says". His first solo single, "Together" b/w "Letter to the Better", was released in 1989. He released his debut album, Take A Look Around, through Marl's Cold Chillin' label in 1990, featuring production from Marl and DJ Mister Cee. The album featured two minor hit singles in "Music Man" and "Me & The Biz", a track in which he impersonates fellow Juice Crew member Biz Markie. During the few years between his debut and his sophomore album, Ace began having bitter feelings toward the commercial state of hip hop music, feelings which ruled the content on his second release, 1993's Slaughtahouse, with the loose concept of the album seeing Ace taking the fake "gangsta emcees" to his "Slaughtahouse". The album featured Ace's new crew, Masta Ace Incorporated, which included Eyceurokk, Lord Digga, Paula Perry and R&B vocalist Leschea. The album sold moderately well, fueled by the singles "SlaughtaHouse", "Saturday Nite Live", "Style Wars" and "Jeep Ass Niguh". "Jeep" featured an unlisted remix titled "Born to Roll", which became a smash crossover single in 1994, peaking at #23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Also in '94, Ace became a member of a temporary crew called the Crooklyn Dodgers, along with rap vet Special Ed and Black Moon's Buckshot, and recorded the title track for the soundtrack to Spike Lee's film Crooklyn. The song became Ace's second Hot 100 hit in 1994, peaking at #60 on the chart.
1995-2000
Ace furthered his mainstream appeal in 1995, with his radio-friendly Sittin' On Chrome album. This effort was also released with the Masta Ace Incorporated crew, now also known as The I.N.C. The album was Ace's most commercially successful release, breaking into the Top 20 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Sittin' On Chrome included "Born to Roll", as well as two other Hot 100 hit singles, "The I.N.C. Ride" and "Sittin' on Chrome". In 1996, Ace split up with the I.N.C. crew and was largely missing from the hip hop scene over the next five years, save for a number of random vinyl singles. During his vinyl days, he bounced from a number of labels, releasing his "Cars" single on Tape Kingz Records, his "Yeah Yeah Yeah" and "NFL" singles on the Union Label, his "NY Confidential" single on Replay Records, his "Express Delivery" single on Three Sixty Records, his "Spread It Out/Hellbound" single on Yosumi Records, his "Conflict" single on Mona Records, his "Ghetto Like" single on Fat Beats, his "So Now U A MC" single on Bad Magic Records, and his "Brooklyn Blocks" single on Buckshot's Duck Down Records.
2001-present
Ace's "Ghetto Like" single led to a misunderstanding with an underground emcee named Boogieman, who released a somewhat similar single titled "Ghetto Life" not long before. He thought that Ace was "biting" his track and released a dis song toward Ace titled "Just You Wait". The dis led to a rap battle between the two at a Lyricist Lounge event, a battle that was won by Boogieman. Ace later claimed that he delivered his rhymes off the top of his head, while Boog was rapping previously written lyrics, a topic which he discusses on his scathing retaliation track "Acknowledge", aimed at Boogieman and the underground rap group the High & Mighty. "Acknowledge" was included on his fourth full length album, Disposable Arts, released in late 2001 through JCOR Records, six long years after his successful Sittin' On Chrome album. Disposable Arts became one of the most acclaimed underground hip-hop releases of 2001, beloved for its pure hip hop style and clever album concept, which served as a fictional story, chronicling Ace's time spent at a satirical rap school named the Institute of Disposable Arts. JCOR Records folded soon after the release, leaving it out-of-print, until being re-released in 2005 on Ace's self-established M3 label. The album closer, "No Regrets", led many fans to believe that it would be Ace's final album, because of the line "I don't know if it's the end, but yo, it might be". Ace killed the rumors by returning in 2004 with his fifth album A Long Hot Summer, another highly acclaimed effort. The story concept, similar to that on his last release, served as a prelude to the story told on Disposable Arts, chronicling the "Long Hot Summer" that led to his character's incarceration at the beginning of the Disposable Arts album. Rumors once again spread about a retirement, which were again killed, when Ace announced the formation of his new rap crew named eMC, including himself, Punchline, Wordsworth and his protege Stricklin. The crew plans to release a group album sometime in 2007.
Openness to collaborations
In large part, the creative company Masta Ace keeps is comprised of underground performers with whom he has developed a personal rapport. He commonly acknowledges his fan base outside of the United States, which is considerably larger than within, as in the final seconds of his song "Good Ol' Love". He has shown an openness to working with foreign-based producers, including Koolade of Croatia and DJ Serious of Canada. He also performed a guest rap for the British Acid jazz group Young Disciples for their debut album.
In Scandinavia, he recorded "What Is It" with Norwegian veteran producer Tommy Tee in 2003, for the soundtrack to the car racing game "Midnight Club 2", which also was featured on several European mixtapes.
Within the United States, he has worked with Jean Grae, 9th Wonder of Little Brother, DJ Spinna, DJ Premier, RJD2, Pete Rock, Domingo, Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and Kno of Cunninlynguists. Q-Tip enlisted him as a contributor to the original Crooklyn Dodgers track in 1992. The track spawned a follow-up in 1995, with a third projected for 2006, but neither Ace nor the other original contributors, Special Ed and the bellicose Buckshot (of Black Moon and Boot Camp Clik), were involved with them. Instead, the second Crooklyn Dodgers track was produced by DJ Premier and involved O.C., Chubb Rock and Jeru the Damaja, where the planned third installment is said to involve Mos Def, Jean Grae, and Memphis Bleek, with production courtesy of 9th Wonder.
By extending largesse to younger MCs even as he has been careful to solidify connections with the rap game's old guard, he has amassed a list of collaborators numbering over 60. The most notable of his collaborators have been Eminem (who has expressed ongoing admiration for his skills), Common (on the track "Claimin' Respect" as part of a trio called Boulevard Connection), Guru of Gang Starr, Edo G (the third member of Boulevard Connection, from Boston), Jean Grae, Saukrates, Young Zee, Big Noyd, Cella Dwellas, King Tee, Tonedeff, Rah Digga, Strick, Das Efx, Greg Nice and the Beatnuts. He devotes several lines of the track "No Regrets" to express goodwill and thanksgiving to the artists he has worked with, calling these opportunities some of the most valued blessings of his career.
Movin' on
Masta Ace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To get ahead, in life
I must avoid the rain, pain, and the strife
I have to keep (people) striving
I want to be among the young that are surviving
So I go and get a job and
Work amongst the jerks that I used to be robbing
My boss' name is Rick
Now I'm taking orders
Dreaming about the days when I went to Latin Quarters
Me and my batallion
Scheming on the kid with the link and medallion
Rolling with the rush
Anyone that stepped in the way got crushed
But that was then, this is now
And I don't want to join my best friend
Cause he bit the dust
Went one-on-one with the kid and got bust
I can still see the blood
Pouring outta his head, red like a flood
I stayed up til dawn
Cause I knew, that it was time to move on
"Keep moving, keep moving on" "Moving oooooooooon" (Repeat 4x)
Hot summer night
Rolling on the deuce just looking for a fight
Take a few flicks
As they walked past we harassed a few chicks
I snatch her by the arm
Her man's up the block so she screams in alarm
But we don't give a fuck
He's wearing pennyloafers so we know he's a duck
Try to play hero
And catch a bad one you nerd-looking zero
Pockets are bare
Stetsasonic and Dougie are up at Union Square
Let's take a ride
Even though that we know that we can't get inside
Standing out front
On the prowl, on the hunt
Who's it gonna be?
Some kid rolls up in a 300 E
Uh oh, time to wreck
Diamonds on his wrist, his fingers, and his neck
Sweat on my brow
I wish I knew then what I know right now
Cause now I'm reborn
And I know, that it's time to move on
"Keep moving, keep moving on" "Moving oooooooooon" (Repeat 4x)
Here's the break
This is the break
My man Dre waves his fist
To the crew that means no assist
So he stepped
The kid was at the phone booth, yeah he slept
It was simple
Dre just hit him with a blow to the temple
Then he fell
The girls that were standing in line start to yell
The kid's out cold
Dre's kinda bold, he's putting on the gold
Then another yell
The crowd starts running and I wonder, "What the hell?"
The kid on the floor (Watch your back!)
Came to now it's his turn to score
He had a gun
Pulled the trigger before Dre could run
Then he jumped in the Benz
And he jetted off, we had no wins
These days I think
As I hold the cup of success, Dre would never get a drink
Cause that night a very clear picture was drawn
It was was tiiiime to move on
"Keep moving, keep moving on" "Moving oooooooooon" (Repeat 4x)
In the song "Movin' On," Masta Ace recounts his experiences with street life and the need for change in order to survive. He describes his past as a robber and his transformation into a person who strives to work and succeed in life. He wants to avoid trouble and pain, and he dreams about the days when he used to go to the Latin Quarters. He also reminisces about his past mistakes, which resulted in the death of his best friend. The trauma of that moment caused him to realize that it was time to move on and start anew.
The lyrics in the song are a reflection of the struggles many people face in the inner cities. Masta Ace tells a story of a young man who tries to make it out alive and despite making some mistakes, ultimately makes the right choice to change. The chorus of the song, "Keep moving, keep moving on," encourages the listeners to keep pushing forward and never give up, even in the face of adversity.
Overall, "Movin' On" is a powerful song that addresses issues such as poverty, crime, and the need for change. It is a reminder of the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions and choosing the right path in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo we gonna do it now?
Are we ready to move on?
To get ahead, in life
In order to succeed in life
I must avoid the rain, pain, and the strife
I must avoid difficulties and struggles
I have to keep (people) striving
I must keep people motivated
I want to be among the young that are surviving
I want to be successful among the youth
So I go and get a job and
So I get a job to make money
Work amongst the jerks that I used to be robbing
I work with the same people I used to steal from
My boss' name is Rick
My boss is named Rick
The kind I used to vic on the ave with a stick
Someone I used to rob in the past
Now I'm taking orders
Now I'm working under someone else's instruction
Dreaming about the days when I went to Latin Quarters
Thinking back to good old days at Latin Quarters
Me and my batallion
Me and my group of friends
Scheming on the kid with the link and medallion
Plotting to steal the kid with the jewelry
Rolling with the rush
Hanging out with friends
Anyone that stepped in the way got crushed
Anyone that disrupted our fun got confronted
But that was then, this is now
That was the past now this is the present
And I don't want to join my best friend
I don't want to die like my best friend
Cause he bit the dust
Because he died
Went one-on-one with the kid and got bust
Fought one on one and lost
I can still see the blood
I still remember the bloodshed
Pouring outta his head, red like a flood
Blood flowing thickly from his head
I stayed up til dawn
Stayed up all night
Cause I knew, that it was time to move on
Because I knew it was time to leave that lifestyle behind
"Keep moving, keep moving on" "Moving oooooooooon" (Repeat 4x)
Keep going forward, keep moving on
Hot summer night
Warm night in summer
Rolling on the deuce just looking for a fight
Driving around hoping to start trouble
Take a few flicks
Taking pictures
As they walked past we harassed a few chicks
Mistreated some girls passing by
I snatch her by the arm
I grabbed her arm
Her man's up the block so she screams in alarm
Her boyfriend is nearby so she screams
But we don't give a fuck
But we don't care
He's wearing pennyloafers so we know he's a duck
He's wearing penny loafers, he must be an easy target
Try to play hero
Act like a hero
And catch a bad one you nerd-looking zero
You'll get hurt because you look like a loser
Pockets are bare
I have no money
Stetsasonic and Dougie are up at Union Square
Stetsasonic and Dougie are hanging out at Union Square
Let's take a ride
Let's go for a drive
Even though that we know that we can't get inside
Even though we know we won't get in
Standing out front
Hanging around outside
On the prowl, on the hunt
Looking for trouble
Who's it gonna be?
Who will be the target?
Some kid rolls up in a 300 E
A kid drives up in a Mercedes 300 E
Uh oh, time to wreck
Uh oh, time to fight
Diamonds on his wrist, his fingers, and his neck
Diamonds on his wrist, fingers, and neck
Sweat on my brow
Sweat on my forehead
I wish I knew then what I know right now
I wish I had known better then
Cause now I'm reborn
Because now I'm a new person
And I know, that it's time to move on
And I know that it's time to leave this lifestyle behind
"Keep moving, keep moving on" "Moving oooooooooon" (Repeat 4x)
Keep going forward, keep moving on
Here's the break
Here's the interlude
This is the break
This is the interlude
My man Dre waves his fist
My friend Dre raises his fist
To the crew that means no assist
Gesturing to the crew not to interfere
So he stepped
So he walked over
The kid was at the phone booth, yeah he slept
The kid was sleeping at the phone booth
It was simple
It was easy
Dre just hit him with a blow to the temple
Dre punched him in the head
Then he fell
Then he fell down
The girls that were standing in line start to yell
The girls in line start to scream
The kid's out cold
The kid is unconscious
Dre's kinda bold, he's putting on the gold
Dre is brave, putting on the jewelry
Then another yell
Then another scream
The crowd starts running and I wonder, "What the hell?"
The crowd runs away and I wonder what's going on
The kid on the floor (Watch your back!)
The kid on the ground, be careful
Came to now it's his turn to score
Now it's his turn to take revenge
He had a gun
He had a firearm
Pulled the trigger before Dre could run
Shot Dre before he could escape
Then he jumped in the Benz
Then he quickly drove away in a Benz
And he jetted off, we had no wins
He sped away and we didn't win
These days I think
Nowadays I think
As I hold the cup of success, Dre would never get a drink
As I celebrate my success, Dre would never be able to
Cause that night a very clear picture was drawn
Because that night made it clear that I needed to move on
It was was tiiiime to move on
It was time to leave that lifestyle behind
"Keep moving, keep moving on" "Moving oooooooooon" (Repeat 4x)
Keep going forward, keep moving on
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TERENCE BRIAN FARLEY, PETER HELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
marxman 300
One of my best ace joints 💯
Damn Glo
@marxman 300 #real
marxman 300
@bryan rivas and still consistent till this day.he never falls off unlike some people from that era.
bryan rivas
marxman 300 he’s So underrated , mad rhymes
Delandis Duncan
ONE OF THE BEST STORYTELLERS FROM THE 90^S FACTS!!!!!!
The Dajoka687
.......Woooooooord
CMDEE QTEE
Love this song since the day I purchased the bootleg cassette because I was a kid with no money
mont5702
Had this cd in 90. Loved every second of it
Aidan Murphy
found this when I was like 12 on a random download site and it never had any track names. So throughout the years I've managed to grab more than half of the old school shit I had on my old ipod and it's just as dope as when I first heard it
Aidan Murphy
@Changes Till infinity 22 at the end of September