ACE HOOD DEERFIELD BEACH, FL Words by MS RIVERCITY PHOTO BY MALIK ABDUL “We the Best” is a phrase that has become synonymous with the southern Florida music machine thanks to everyone from DJ Khaled to Rick Ross shouting it to the point of near overkill; the ultimate goal of branding. With the ongoing success of Miami’s current artists, the momentum must continue with a new breed of we-the-best talent. Ace Hood symbolizes a seed of rebirth for the next generation. Born in Port St. Lucia, Florida, Antoine “Ace Hood” McColister relocated to Broward County at the age of five after his parents’ separation. Although his father was a scarce figure in Antoine’s and his four siblings’ lives, the entertainment genes were passed down. In addition to his birth father being in a band, his step-father was a recording artist and part of a singing group, resulting in Ace’s eventual dive into music. By the time he was a young adult, Ace had begun to market himself as a rapper, growing in both talent and exposure. Located near one of the buzzing hubs for Hip Hop, Ace was in a prime position to network with the power players of Miami, including his future boss DJ Khaled. “Me and Khaled met up at the station 99 Jamz. I wanted to perform at his birthday bash but it ended up being something further than that,” says Ace about his first encounter with the CEO of We The Best Music. “Basically, he said he would listen to the song and once he listened to it, he called my manager back that night and told him he wanted to hear me on a bigger record. He sent ‘I’m So Hood’ over to me and I ripped it down and sent it to him the next day.” After becoming the first artist signed to We The Best, Def Jam entered the mix after Ace impressed label head L.A. Reid. “He ran ‘Cash Flow’ back five times, literally,” says Ace. “He never does that for new artists. I stepped out of the room and twenty minutes later it’s We the Best/Def Jam.” The Runners-produced single “Cash Flow” has over 23,000 plays on Myspace and counting. Sure, the T-Pain hook coupled with a Rick Ross’ guest appearance is garnering a mass of public appeal, but it’s Ace’s fierce lyrics that are keeping attention building for his debut album, Gutta. “I use the term ‘gutta’ a lot because it represents me as a person,” he explains. “From my swag to my slang and how I do things.” Near completion, Gutta features major-league production from J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Gold Rush, The Runners, and Cool & Dre. Aside from completing several hit records and bringing a new swag to the game, Ace Hood is also driven to prove that being from a small city is an obstacle that can be overcome by a determined artist. “I want people to get a new energy and give the game a different look,” he says. “Growing up in a small city, [my situation] lets people know that you can be from nowhere and grow up to be something major.”
50 // OZONE MAG
Patiently Waiting