Masta Ace Incorporated: The Pioneers of Jazz-Rap Storytelling

Masta Ace Incorporated was a groundbreaking hip-hop group formed by the influential Brooklyn rapper Masta Ace. The collective is best known for its critically acclaimed 1995 concept album "Sittin' on Chrome," which became a defining work of the mid-90s jazz-rap and mobb music era.

Early career

Masta Ace, born Duval Clear in 1966, first emerged from New York's fertile hip-hop scene as a member of the legendary Juice Crew in the late 1980s. His solo debut, "Take a Look Around" (1990), established his lyrical prowess, but it was his 1993 album "SlaughtaHouse," credited to Masta Ace Incorporated, that marked a shift towards a fuller, group-oriented sound featuring Lord Digga and Paula Perry.

Breakthrough

The group's major breakthrough arrived in 1995 with the release of "Sittin' on Chrome" on the Delicious Vinyl label. The album was a commercial success, peaking at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and number 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, eventually earning a Gold certification from the RIAA for sales exceeding 500,000 copies.

Key tracks

Born to Roll — This lead single became the group's signature hit, renowned for its cruising bassline and iconic music video featuring lowrider culture.

Sittin' on Chrome — The title track solidified their mobb music aesthetic and received heavy rotation on MTV and BET, driving album sales.

Jeep Ass Niguh — Another standout single that further celebrated car audio culture and became a staple of West Coast G-funk and East Coast hip-hop playlists alike.

Turn It Up — This track exemplified the group's seamless fusion of smooth jazz samples with hard-hitting, narrative-driven rap.

The success of "Sittin' on Chrome" was followed by extensive touring, but the group disbanded shortly after. Masta Ace resumed his solo career, continuing his reputation as a masterful storyteller on albums like "Disposable Arts" (2001) and "A Long Hot Summer" (2004). His work has remained influential, with collaborations spanning from fellow hip-hop stalwarts like Eminem to newer generations of artists.

For fans of Masta Ace Incorporated's intricate lyricism and jazz-infused production, similar artists include Digable Planets who also expertly blended cool jazz with hip-hop beats. Gang Starr shares a commitment to lyrical precision and jazz-sample-based production from the same era. The narrative style can be heard in the work of Slick Rick, another New York-based storytelling pioneer. Pete Rock & CL Smooth also delivered a similar vibe of soulful samples paired with smooth, conscious rap.

The music of Masta Ace Incorporated maintains a steady presence on specialty radio formats, particularly on classic hip-hop stations and online radio streams dedicated to 90s rap and underground sounds. Their tracks are frequently featured in blocks highlighting the golden age of hip-hop or the specific jazz-rap genre.

Listeners can explore the influential catalog of Masta Ace Incorporated, including the classic "Sittin' on Chrome," through the curated playlists of the classic hip-hop and specialty genre radio stations available on onairium.com.