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We caught up with AOS for an exclusive interview.

Emerging Hip Hop Artist Joins Forces with his DJ Uncle for Exciting New Album

1. Who is the artist AOS?

 

Ace of Spades (AOS) is a writer, rapper, and a gamer

 

2.  How did the name AOS come about?

 

Back when I was younger, I remember everyone rapping about being the king. There was the king of NY, the king of the south, the king of this, the king of that. It all just became kind of ridiculous. Styles P apparently felt the same way and on Switch My Style he said “while you tryin to be king, I’m steady shootin’ for ace”. Felt like that embodied what I wanted to do when I got into music. The idea of being a major card that could be anything (Aces wild) just seemed perfect, thus the name Ace of Spades.

 

3.  How would you describe your music for the public audience reading this who have never seen or heard of you before?

 

It’s hip-hop through and through. It’s made to make you nod your head and gives you something that you can relate to. It’s diverse: one minute it can be a street story, the next I’m talking about gaming, the next relationships, the next politics. It’s music for everyone from the people with hoodies, to the ones playing Pokemon or the ones wearing suits.

 

 

4. What made you first realize you wanted to pursue a career in music and how did you get into creating and writing the type of music you do now? 

 

Honestly, it wasn’t until my father passed that I really considered music was even an option. My brothers Ebz and Rook Nass (childhood friends) were already well known for their skills and I initially got into it because they did it. After my pops passed, Uncle Chris was really there for me and after I told him I had a couple verses I was toying around with, he invited me out to his house to see what I could do. It was amazing therapy not just for me, but I think it really reignited something in him as well. I feel like once he realized how serious I was, we were off to the races. As far as the type of music we do, this is always what we’ve done. We knew from the jump that we always wanted to do what we want to do. We always wanted to make sure solid instrumentations would be the foundation of his end and strong concepts and flows from my end. Every step of the way, it’s been about constantly improving our art. Always learning, improving, and growing.

 

5. What is the inspiration behind your lyrical content?

 

Literally everything. My personal experience, my favorite movies, anime, video games, random conversations with friends, EVERYTHING. I’ve felt like that kind of diversity has been missing from music so instead of rehashing the opulence raps that have become commonplace, I love to let something random spark a new point of view for a song.

 

6. Is there currently a project in the making?

 

We’re actually in the final stages of my upcoming debut album, “III” (Three). It’s a culmination of A LOT of trial and error, our evolution, and an earnest love for hip-hop from a group of people I’m extremely honored to have worked with. Rook Nass, Nellz York City, and Lord Slugg have been some of my greatest supporters and have helped me get create a body of work I’m proud to call an LP. It will stand as a promise fulfilled to my current fans and a grand introduction to those who have yet to hear me.

 

7. Are you planning to go the indie route and build your own brand or are you looking for record deal?

 

It has to be indie all the way. I’ve never wanted a deal. I don’t really agree with the excess that goes along with that. I just want to make music and connect with people. I don’t need a label of people who simply view me as an ATM to try to dictate how that’s going to work.

 

8.  If you had to describe your music in three or four words what would you call it?

 

Nu Hip Hop

 

9.  Labels and management companies want so much control, how much creative control do you have over your own music?

 

100%. Unc will always be there to help me out with suggestions or maybe calm me down if I get a little out of character in a bar or two, but if it’s my track, it’s still on me. I couldn’t imagine it any other way. Having someone tell me to create art about something I have no connection to sounds completely contradictory to why we do what we do.

 

10. What had been the biggest challenge for you so far in the music industry?

 

It’s been two fold actually. The most soul crushing has been not getting the attention of my own friends and family. I guess I just assumed that the foundation for my success would come from them and I quickly found out my foundation was quick sand. When you put your heart and soul into creating something from nothing and those close to you don’t even give you a listen, it hurts. Second, I greatly underestimated just how over saturated music is in general. Most of social media just becomes a torrent of new songs from new artists every 5 seconds. It’s overwhelming as a fan and as an artist, it’s so easy to get washed away in it.

 

11. You've heard of the term starving artist before how do you cope with major obstacles?

 

I just keep going. I have great faith in my music and I know that good music just needs to be heard. Once enough people hear it, all these days of being broke, all this time and effort, all the “failures” will just be the first half hour of my E! True Hollywood Story. These obstacles are just the karmatic proof that something great is ahead of me. I just have to keep going until I get there.

 

12. Someone once said a ride what you would want to perform over and over. With that in mind, what song do you love to perform the most?

 

From my upcoming album the track, “Doin’ Me” without a doubt. The energy of the track is just so much fun to play with. I’ve even performed it as spoken word at a couple poetry slams and it picks up the energy of the whole place.

 

13. What’s next for you?

 

As of now, I’m just staying the course. I have a vision for how I’d like to see things go down, but they’re just plans on the drawing board right now. Until then, we’re going to drop “III”, get as many people to hear it as humanly possible and ride that wave into the next phase.

 

14. Where can people get in touch with you?

 

Everything and anything Ace of Spades can be found at www.1245music.com. There are links for my Twitter, WordPress blog and Instagram.  Also there's info on Uncle Chris and my dude Rook Nass.


 

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