Ace Hood: Poker Face

It’s no secret the South is now the perennial powerhouse as far as Hip-Hop is concerned. The confederate soldiers that make up the region keep churning out hit after hit, followed by artist after artist. One of the main ingredients to their success is an info structure that allows them to function as one unit. Whether it’s Rick Ross or Flo Rida, at one point in time they’ve all crossed paths to assist each other on their road to glory while keeping the Sunshine State even brighter in the process. Now they welcome another member into their fold (literally) and he goes by the name of Antoine “Ace Hood” McColister. You might recognize his song ‘Cash Flow’ which features Florida alumni T-Pain and Rick Ross. The video itself has an abundance of cameo spots from Fat Joe, to Fabolous, to DJ Khaled. The Terror Squad affiliate can be seen over the elaborate production, and that’s because Ace Hood happens to be his artist signed to his own imprint We The Best Music (in association with Def Jam). After meeting the boisterous Khaled outside of a radio station, information was exchanged, followed by the inking a deal, and Khaled hosting Ace’s introductory mixtape; Ace Won’t Fold.

The dread-locked MC hailing from Broward County, Florida comes in at a time where artists are practically a dime a dozen, but he remains un-phased as he readies for his debut album titled Gutta. The project will be backed by the likes of Cool & Dre, The Runners, Danjahandz, and The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. With vocal support being provided by Plies, Akon, Trick Daddy, and a slew of other heavy hitters. But the brash, confident, and soft-spoken 19-year-old has every intention of keeping ahead of the pack regardless of who’s in front, and just by his demeanor alone, you can already tell that he’s playing with a full deck.


Rap Sheet: Where are you originally from?

Ace Hood: I’m from Broward County, Florida. That’s over there by the Fort Lauderdale area.

Rap Sheet: How was it like growing up there?

Ace Hood: It was straight I grew up with four other siblings, with me being the fifth. I grew up with my original mom and a stepfather, and life was pretty much what it was. I didn’t have a bad childhood when I was coming up, only a couple of problems here and there but nothing too bad. My mom worked 2-3 in order to provide us, so that’s basically what it was.

Rap Sheet: Was music something you were always into as a child?

Ace Hood: Music was something that caught my eye later on in life. My stepfather was a part of music, and I felt like it just grew on me after a while; you feel me?

Rap Sheet: So how did you get the name “Ace”?

Ace Hood: It was something that I made up. “Ace” represents one, and I’m an army in myself. I feel like I can carry my own, but being that I’m from the streets, and from the ‘hood, I just attached “Hood” to it.

Rap Sheet: What’s the whole idea behind your album Gutta? Was there anything in particular you wanted to achieve with the project?

Ace Hood: I just wanted to give the people a taste of who I am; you know what I’m saying? Basically just letting them know where I’m from, which is the bottom and all of the stuff that I’ve been through in my life. I just wanted to put my life story into a book, and then put it on a CD. That’s basically what I was trying to do.

Rap Sheet: With this being your first official album, how was the creative process during the time of making it? Did it ever get difficult?

Ace Hood: Nah not at all being that I had so much on my mind, and so much I had to get off my chest. I just wanted to get everything down on paper, so there was no writer’s block or anything like that. I’m very versatile when it comes to the music, so I was just going in. I knew what I wanted to accomplish, and once you know that, it’s easier to do.

Rap Sheet: Your project is going to feature artists like Rick Ross, Flo Rida, T-Pain, Trick Daddy, Akon, and Plies. You’re not worried about all those collaborations overshadowing your individual success?

Ace Hood: No not at all, because on each and every record I’m going to do my thing. I’m always going to make sure that whatever I’m doing is recognizable to who I am, you feel me? Yeah there are some features on my album, but I don’t think it will overshadow my individual shine or nothing like that. Either way I’m going to always deliver, you know what I’m saying? The people are going to always say I went hard.

Rap Sheet: So how did you and DJ Khaled first meet?

Ace Hood: We hooked up at this radio station called 99 Jamz down in Florida, and we met outside. He was on his way to a meeting when I met up with him, and I wanted to perform at his birthday party but it ended up being something more than that. So he read my bio, and took my CD, and then he told me that he liked my swag. He said that I had great potential, but he wanted to hear me on a big record to see if I could handle it. So he sent me the ‘I’m So Hood’ instrumental and I ripped it down, and once I ripped it down I sent it back to him, and from there we just started talking about music, and that’s how it went.

Rap Sheet: How long were you out on your grind before you had the opportunity to hook up with [DJ] Khaled?

Ace Hood: I was on my grind for about six years, but it was on and off with the music thing since I was in high school. I would always write lyrics, and I was in a group when I was a little younger. I put out little street songs and stuff like that, but when I got out of high school I needed this to be my career. This is what I wanted to do besides playing football.

Rap Sheet: You used to play football too?

Ace Hood: Yeah, I played football in high school…

Rap Sheet: What position were you?

Ace Hood: I played Free Safety…

Rap Sheet: Do you feel any pressure since you’re signed to [DJ] Khaled’s label and you have T-Pain and Rick Ross on your first single?

Ace Hood: I don’t feel any pressure—you know what I mean? Of course it’s a blessing to have T-Pain and Rick Ross on the record, but I don’t feel any kind of pressure because I know what I’m supposed to do. I know what it takes in order to be the best, and to make your way to being the best; you feel me? So I know what I have to uphold, and I know what I have to do as an artist in order to keep things popping, and to keep my situation on point.

Rap Sheet: What do you think is going to help to set you apart from all the other new artists coming out?

Ace Hood: My energy. I feel like my energy and swag makes me go harder. A regular artist would probably come in and chill during a meeting, or go in the club and chill. But we’re at the bar or at a table, anything that can set me a part to where people say, “Okay, Ace is in his own category.” I would do what a new artist wouldn’t do, you feel me? And that will set me a part.

Rap Sheet: What’s been the hardest part of this ordeal for you so far?

Ace Hood: The hardest part is always breaking yourself as an artist; you have to go that extra mile that an established artist would. I would say that’s the hardest thing, which is not even a problem, but you have to dedicate time to break yourself as an artist. You’re going to go through love, and you’re going to go through hate, and that’s pretty much what it is.

Rap Sheet: Also do you ever think about getting lost in shuffle, (no pun intended) with so many artists coming out all the time?

Ace Hood: Nah not all, because I feel like I’m definitely one of the top new artists that’s out. We’re definitely going to go hard with my project, and I don’t feel any stress because I feel like I’m the best new artist that’s out.

Rap Sheet: So at the end of the day when its all said and done, what do you want people to take away from your music?

Ace Hood: I just want them to get my pain, and understand where I’m coming from and what I’ve been through; you feel me? Understand how hard I go everyday, understand how I was grinding everyday without a deal, and that’s pretty much my motto. A deal is just an attachment, because it’s all about that grind. I want them to know that “Ace Hood” is going to continue to go hard.