As an aspiring rap artist I am always asked the question…what current rapper do you like? For a while my answer was that I don’t know because honestly I don’t have the same feeling for rappers as I did when I was younger. Until it hit me…Ace Hood!
Fast spitting 24 year old Florida MC Ace Hood has got to be one of the most underrated lyricists in the game today. Despite being XXL’s Freshman back in 09’ he’s never gotten that new school recognition the way Drake, Wiz Khalifa, or Meek Mill has, and it seems that his biggest hit “Hustle Hard” unfortunately became bigger than him, even though it only peaked to 60th on the billboard top 100.
I find this dude super talented and a straight BEAST on the mic, though what’s confusing is why I’m one of the few who thinks so. Maybe here’s why…For starters his moniker could pose somewhat of an issue due it having the word “Hood” in it. Yes for those that believe a name is what you make it I agree, but I believe that in his case it limits him from reaching more of a vast demographic he has the capability of reaching. Next he is being marketed terribly wrong. His biggest hits are focused towards the ladies, and even though he is skilled in making good records directed towards them, its clear that he’s not a ladies man type of rapper. Many of his songs sound pretty much the same as well, along with the repetitive output of “ladies songs” theirs a repetitive output of “street songs” in addition that collectively can sound the same. I believe him being so attached to DJ Khalid creates a problem as well. Even though Khalid was able to create an entire Florida movement back in 2007 the problem is that he hasn’t been able to branch out further than the southeastern region. Lastly, I can’t fathom why he would sign to Cash Money and be down with the already full roster of YMCMB other than Khalid merging his We The Best label with them. I wonder why Rick Ross didn’t try to sign Ace with MMG (a label that rose to fame once the flame dwindled for Young Money) because at one point he was consistently making songs with MMG’s popular artist Meek Mill that appeared frequently on World Star Hip Hop. I feel like his success would have been to the likes of Wale whose career started off rocky because of the label he was on prior to MMG and later sky rocketed. Like Wale, Ace has that potential and would have been given better direction on a label like Maybach Music Group then what he seems to have now.
I find Ace Hood has the potential to be something great in Hip Hop but the people around him seem to prevent that. Lyrically he has the ability to stretch beyond the expectations people have of him and create timeless music instead of the “safe music” route he’s known since the beginning of his career. I would love to make music with him in the future and I would love for him to have the success I know he deserves. People if you haven’t already, check him out and maybe you’ll understand why I feel the way I feel.
Alano
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