Aceyalone
Aceyalone | |
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![]() Aceyalone performing in 2005 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Edwin Maximilian Hayes, Jr. |
Born | September 30, 1970 |
Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Genres | Hip hop Alternative hip hop Underground hip hop Jazz rap Trip hop Experimental hip hop |
Occupation(s) | Rapper |
Years active | 1988–present |
Labels | Project Blowed Capitol, EMI Records Decon |
Website | aceyalone |
Edwin Maximilian "Eddie" Hayes, Jr. (born September 30, 1970), better known by his stage name Aceyalone,[1] is an American rapper from Los Angeles, California, United States. He is a member of Freestyle Fellowship, Haiku D'Etat and The A-Team and a co-founder of Project Blowed.[2] Aceyalone is best known for his role in evolving left-field hip-hop on the West Coast at a time when the West Coast was dominated by gangsta rap.[1][3]
Career
Project Blowed and Freestyle Fellowship
Aceyalone emerged from the legendary Project Blowed collective, considered to be the longest-running open mic hip-hop workshop.[4] He began rapping as part of the group Freestyle Fellowship, which consisted of himself, Myka 9, and Self Jupiter and, later, P.E.A.C.E.. Freestyle Fellowship developed a reputation for influencing a style of fast double-time rap used by rappers like Busta Rhymes and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.[5]
Solo projects
Following the Freestyle Fellowship releases of To Whom It May Concern... and Innercity Griots as well as a Project Blowed compilation in 1994, Aceyalone signed as a solo artist to Capitol Records after Island failed to break the Freestyle Fellowship on mainstream radio.[5]
Aceyalone released his breakthrough solo debut album, All Balls Don't Bounce, in 1995.[3] He returned three years later with his second album A Book of Human Language, a collaboration with producer Mumbles, which was a dark concept album.[6][7]
His third solo album, Accepted Eclectic, was released in 2001, featuring Abstract Rude and production from Evidence.[8][9][10] He released Hip Hop and the World We Live In in 2002.[11] Aceyalone's next offering came a year later, and was titled Love & Hate.[12][13][14] The track "Find Out" was featured on the soundtrack to You Got Served.[15] In 2006, Aceyalone released Magnificent City, a collaborative album with producer RJD2,[16][17] followed by the Grand Imperial mixtape.[18]
Aceyalone frequently collaborates with producer Bionik such as on the 2007 release Lightning Strikes and the 2009 release Aceyalone & the Lonely Ones. Both albums explored different genres – dancehall and doo-wop respectively – as part of Aceyalone's goal of "exploring the world of music through hip hop."[15] The Phil Spector-inspired Aceyalone & the Lonely Ones followed.[19] Inspired by Spector's Wall of Sound, Motown and Bo Diddley, Aceyalone said: "I'm not from that era, but this is my ode to it. I'm just putting myself into that character as a showman and bandleader."[19] Leanin' on Slick, released in 2013 with Decon Records, continued the retro flow of the previous release, this time taking inspiration from 1960s style-R&B and hot buttered soul.[20][21]
Style and influences
Aceyalone has been noted particularly for his innovative lyrical style and content. Some attribute the double-time rap styles that emerged in the mid-1990s to Aceyalone and Freestyle Fellowship, although this is disputed by others.[22]
Aceyalone and Freestyle Fellowship were noted for their rejection of the West Coast trend in Gangsta Rap. Aceyalone developed strong critiques of rap music’s commercialization and glorification of violence.[6]
Discography
Studio albums
Aceyalone
- All Balls Don't Bounce (1995)
- A Book of Human Language (1998) (with Mumbles)
- Accepted Eclectic (2001)
- Hip Hop and the World We Live In (2002) (with Elusive)
- Love & Hate (2003)
- Magnificent City (2006) (with RJD2)
- Lightning Strikes (2007) (with Bionik)
- Aceyalone & the Lonely Ones (2009) (with Bionik)
- Leanin' on Slick (2013) (with Bionik)
- Action (2015) (with Bionik)
- Mars (2016) (with Slippers)
- Ancient Future: Conversations With God (2017) (with Orko Eloheim)
- 43rd & Excellence (2018) (with Fat Jack)
- Mars, Vol. 02 (2018) (with Slippers & Michelle Stevens)
- Let's Get It (2019)
Freestyle Fellowship (Aceyalone with Myka 9, P.E.A.C.E. & Self Jupiter)
- To Whom It May Concern... (1991)
- Innercity Griots (1993)
- Temptations (2001)
- Shockadoom (2002) [EP]
- The Promise (2011)
Haiku d'Etat (Aceyalone with Abstract Rude and Myka 9)
- Haiku d'Etat (1999)
- Coup de Theatre (2004)
The A-Team (Aceyalone with Abstract Rude)
- Who Framed the A-Team? (1999)
- Lab Down Under (2003)
Other releases
- Version 2.0: To Whom It May Concern... Remixed by J. Sumbi (2001) [remixes of tracks from To Whom It May Concern...]
- The Lost Tapes (2003) [mixtape]
- Grade A (2004) [rarities collection]
- Grand Imperial (2006) [rarities collection]
- Who Reframed the A-Team? (2006) ['best of' compilation by The A-Team]
- Power Plant (2011) [mixtape by Freestyle Fellowship]
- Aceyalone 101 (2013) [rarities collection]
- Action Accessed Remixes (2017) [remixes of tracks from Action]
References
- ^ a b Birchmeier, Jason. "Aceyalone - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". Allmusic.
- ^ Zuñiga-West, Dante (May 17, 2012). "Alone and Still Standing". Eugene Weekly. Archived from the original on 2012-10-17. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
- ^ a b Arnold, Paul W (March 20, 2011). "Aceyalone: Bounce These Balls". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on February 12, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ Thill, Scott. "Freestyle Fellowship's Brain-Hop Delivers on Promise". Wired. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ a b Weiss, Jeff. "Having Already Influenced Every Rapper You Like, Freestyle Fellowship Are Back". LA Weekly. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ a b Pecoraro, David. "Aceyalone - Accepted Eclectic". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ "Aceyalone - Book of Human Language". Sputnikmusic. May 25, 2011.
- ^ Clark, Trey (March 1, 2001). "Aceyalone - Accepted Eclectic - Project Blowed". The Daily Nexus.
- ^ Cowie, Del F. (April 2001). "Aceyalone - Accepted Eclectic". Exclaim!.
- ^ "Accepted Eclectic". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ Shepherd, Julianne (March 2, 2003). "Aceyalone: Hip Hop and the World We Live In". Pitchfork Media.
- ^ Palmer, Tamara (July 10, 2003). "Aceyalone". Phoenix New Times.
- ^ Quinlan, Thomas (July 2003). "Aceyalone - Love & Hate". Exclaim!.
- ^ Cowie, Del F. (July 2003). "Aceyalone - Love & Hate". Exclaim!.
- ^ a b Johnson, Nicole. "Lightning Strikes by Aceyalone". Impose. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ Solomon, Eric (February 14, 2006). "Aceyalone with RJD - Magnificent City". Prefix.
- ^ Patch, Nick (April 2006). "Aceyalone - Magnificent City". Exclaim!.
- ^ Brown, Marisa. "Grand Imperial - Aceyalone". Allmusic.
- ^ a b "Aceyalone Goes Doo Wopping". IGN. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ "Leanin' On Slick". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ Quinlan, Thomas (May 27, 2013). "Aceyalone - Leanin' On Slick". Exclaim!.
- ^ Drake, David. "Hip-Hop's Sonic Doppelgangers". Complex. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
External links
- Official website
- Aceyalone discography at Discogs
- Aceyalone discography at Rate Your Music