Artist Detailed Info: Masta Ace

Duval Clear (born December 4, 1966), better known by his stage name Masta Ace, is an American rapper and record producer from New York City. He is a member of Mr. Magic's hip hop collective Juice Crew and first gained major attention through his appearance on the posse cut "The Symphony" alongside Kool G Rap, Craig G and Big Daddy Kane, released in 1988 on Marley Marl's "In Control" album, produced by Marley Marl. The album also included the tracks "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" and "Simon Says". In 1989, he released his first solo single, "Together" b/w "Letter to the Better", and in 1990 his debut album "Take a Look Around" was issued via Cold Chillin', featuring production from Marley Marl and DJ Mister Cee. The album included the singles "Music Man" and "Me & The Biz", the latter featuring Ace impersonating Biz Markie during a planned but unrecorded collaboration.

In the early 1990s, he became increasingly critical of commercial trends in hip hop and the rise of gangsta rap. This perspective informed the 1993 album "SlaughtaHouse", which used a satirical concept in which he portrayed an exaggerated gangsta persona. The project introduced the collective Masta Ace Incorporated, including Eyceurokk, Lord Digga, Paula Perry and Leschea, and featured the singles "SlaughtaHouse", "Saturday Nite Live", "Style Wars" and "Jeep Ass Niguh". A remix of the latter, titled "Born to Roll", became a crossover hit in 1994, reaching No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. That same year, he joined the temporary group Crooklyn Dodgers with Special Ed and Buckshot for Spike Lee's film "Crooklyn", contributing the title track, which reached No. 60 on the Hot 100.

In 1995, he released "Sittin' on Chrome" with Masta Ace Incorporated, also referred to as The I.N.C., which became his most commercially successful album and reached the Top 20 of Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It included "Born to Roll", "The I.N.C. Ride" and "Sittin' on Chrome". During this period he also began producing under the name Ase One. Following internal conflicts within the group, Masta Ace Incorporated disbanded, and he largely stepped back from the mainstream hip hop scene, releasing a series of vinyl singles across various independent labels, including releases such as "Cars", "Yeah Yeah Yeah", "NFL", "NY Confidential", "Express Delivery", "Spread It Out/Hellbound", "Conflict", "Ghetto Like", "So Now U A MC" and "Brooklyn Blocks".

In the early 2000s, a dispute arose after the release of "Ghetto Like", which led to an exchange of diss tracks with another underground rapper and a battle at a Lyricist Lounge event. The track "Acknowledge" was included on his 2001 album "Disposable Arts". That same year, he contributed voice work to the television series "Kung Faux". "Disposable Arts", a concept album about a fictional rap school, was critically acclaimed and initially released on JCOR Records before being reissued in 2005 on his M3 label. It was followed in 2004 by "A Long Hot Summer", another concept-driven album that served as a narrative prequel. He later formed the group eMC with Punchline, Wordsworth and Stricklin, although Punchline left the group in 2014. Their album "The Show" was released in 2008 after delays.

In 2009, he collaborated with Boston rapper Ed O.G. on "Arts & Entertainment", which was shortened to A&E and later required artwork changes due to trademark concerns. In 2012, he released "MA Doom: Son of Yvonne", produced entirely by MF Doom, a personal album reflecting on his relationship with his late mother. In 2014, eMC signed with Penalty Entertainment and Sony Red, with plans for further releases, and he later released "The Falling Season" in 2016. He also contributed to various documentary projects reflecting on his earlier work. In 2018, producer Marco Polo announced and released the collaborative album "A Breukelen Story". In 2024, their track "P.P.E." received a nomination at the Hollywood Independent Music Awards in the Adult Contemporary Hip Hop category.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masta_Ace

Studio albums
Take a Look Around (1990)
Disposable Arts (2001)
A Long Hot Summer (2004)
MA Doom: Son of Yvonne (2012)
The Falling Season (2016)

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