"A.C.E" THE UNDERGROUND DON *

Bongo BoomBap had a chance to catch up with this uprising young Star A.C.E. from KENYA for a short interview,which  gives you the an introduction and the insight of A.C.E world. Shout out to Native Gitahi for making this interview possible in the name of technology..Nuff talk ENJOY!!

So when you first started rapping, before anyone really knew who you were, what was the reception? Were people like, "Dude, shouldn’t you be breakdancing or something?"

ACE: When i was twelve,at that time i wasn't very serious. used to jumble up words that could rhyme and just recite them.Most of the time i was in school and so i decided to concentrate on my studies more than the art.I started serious rapping when i finished high school in 2003.
When people heard my music they were thrilled,and wondered where i was all this time.Back then all i did was conscious hip-hop music with my crew called the LENEX.
People really liked the music we brought in.(were a group back then) It was real,melodic,conscious untapped underground hiphop music,so in a few words am saying the reception was good.


Could you just make a Pop Autotune radio friendly song?. Nowadays seems to be a good way to get on Radio..
ACE:No,Trying to mess around with music just to get air play really pisses me off and i would rather be known by a few for my true nature and calling rather than known by many for the bullshit crap that radios want.


Who are some rappers that you would compare yourself to then?
ACE: locally is ....Kalamashaka. I used to listen to lots of K-Shaka,K-South,Nanoma and Mashifta,these are the rappers i grew up listening to.Internationally i could compare myself with Canibus,Rakim,Vinnie Paz,Juss Allah,Chino XL,and of course Nas.My rap style is a mixture of all that and if i continue perfecting my skill style i think i would be just as dope as them.


Compare hip-hop between now and back when you first came into the game. Generally, was hip-hop better back in the day or is it better now?
ACE:Thats a tricky question there.Ok,back then hiphop was pure,straight up skill and dopeness,it was real and skills gave the Mc street credibility but there were very few mc's and avenues where artists could showcase their talent.Today hip hop is twisted up because we have dope mc's but very many wack rappers who claim to be hip-hop but they are not.One thing that i would like to mention though is that hip-hop has grown and its know by many. To summarize your question hip-hop is better now than it was back in the day since there are many dope mc's coming up now .


What makes you think that?
ACE: Cauze the hip hop has been embraced by many not only as a way of life but also as a source of livelihood for most mc's.It is better also because there is less media censorship on the music that is played on the radios..(underground radio stations) and people have the advantage to speak their minds,addressing public issues and many other things which would not have been done back in the day and especially during the previous Moi's regime.


How did you get hooked up with HipHop Natives?
ACE: Blackrose,that is all i can say.She is a member of the group.So there is this day am on the net and am on her profile viewing her friends list,then i say this guy.....Lost Cause Gitahi....All this guy was doing was putting dope hip hop links on the net.I took a quick preview of his info then i saw that he was very deep into hip hop,talking about the beats he had sent to his friends,his status updates were all hip hop,he seemed to know about everything,actually more than i sent him a friend request with a message that if he was a producer may be he could send me a beat and i'd send him a song.He accepted the request and that night he sent me this crazy beat...native theme....i had to re write the rhymes that i had so that they could fit as the beat had some crazy stop overs...the kicks were okay but they changed suddenly. He had put in crazy violins in it and so i knew for me to get his attention i had to kill the beat which am glad to say i did.I sent him the song and he was impressed,i mean very impressed and from there on the rest is what you see and what we are doing will make history.Am a Native now.


Now Tell us more about this new album you're about to drop..
ACE: A.C.E.T.R.O.L.G.Y...What can i say,its pure genius,dope and hardcore.Its for the hardcore fans with their headphones on,its for the underground who loves conscious songs,its for the upcoming artist who wants to be known,its for the biggest unearthed talent who is sitting at home,its for those fans who kill just to see a battle when the mic is turned on,
its for the intellectual mind that knows his math,science,philosophy,politics,poetry,its for those fans who have always waited for something different but raw.Its an eleven track album including the intro and out raw.The album has song having diverse topics,politics,science,religion,battles,stories,trials that I've been through to a 400 bars song that i did just to prove a point.


Who else did you work with in the Kenyan underground scene?
ACE: As i said i worked with Lenex.These were my homeboys,P-tex and Nec,we were born the same year and were in the same class.We did close to 50 songs together.I got some of the material we did and i put them two mixtapes that i did back in 2007,the tapes were well received.Other Mc's i have worked with are G-wiji of mashifta,just as i was beginning my rap career we did a song with him at point 45 Records.I also did work with Fun,who was my producer for a very long time,i worked with Mc Jared Bilah,Kay,Sheikh,Nuttz,Macabees aka Slim and The Liquid.I am also looking foward to work with Harry lee another underground cat but that i will reveal later.


What makes this album different from other kenyan albums?
ACE:The diversity of its content and the style that i bring in.You have to be smart to get everything that i put on wax.The album is for the raw hip hop heads.


Out of the new crop of emcees who would you say is the next "Rakim" of kenyan hiphop, or maybe close to that?
ACE: Haha...thats a difficult one...K swiss,vigetti nobody else comes closer.


 Final thoughts? Confessions? Shout outs?
ACE: Never give up on your dreams. I have to confess i love eating.my shout outs goes out to Liquid,P-tex,Nec,my brother Steve,Sky,Fun,Sheikh,my little homies..ben, mali,clem,christiano not to foget The Natives crew...Harry lee,Angie Kibichoi,Vinnie,Noah,Angazetu,Dj Laikera and Native Gitahi