Ace Reign

There aren’t enough women in hip-hop. Considering that hip-hop was born from the adversity one experiences living in the slums of the inner city, often we only hear the male artist perspective. We are missing an entire half of the human experience hip-hop is supposed to promote. Well if you look hard enough you can find some really great women emcees in new hip-hop and Ace Reign is one of them.
Ace Reign has deeper lyrics and a better flow than most of her male contemporaries. Her beats are tight and her production is clear, so you can really appreciate the stories she tells. Hip-hop is all about sharing difficult experiences and the perseverance it took to overcome those experiences. Ace Reign does this with all the style and talent of today’s best rappers.
Ace Reign has been featured on more mixtapes than I can list. Check out some of her tracks, and to get you going check out “Grind or Die” and become a believer. - Dave - The Hypetree Blog

Dutch producer SANDER KLEINENBERG unleashes in North America today, June 14, 2011, 5K, his debut studio album via his own label This Is Recordings (INgrooves). Coinciding with the album’s release, he has made available a new video for “T.I.O.N. (This Is Our Night).”
The song is the lead track on KLEINENBERG’s 5K and is available as a single with its original version accompanied by the Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano Amazon Project Mix. Its video is directed by High5Collective (http://high5collective.tumblr.com/) highlighting a group of partygoers fueled through the night via a selection of mysterious neon liquids and features a cameo by SANDER at the end.
5K was co-produced with Josh Gabriel and features guest appearances by fellow Dutchmen Kraak & Smaak, Ursula Rucker, Ace Reign, Neil Ormandy and more. Its debut single “Remember When” caught the attention of fans the world over with its alluring vocal courtesy of Jamie Cullum. Log on to Aol now to hear a full stream of 5K at: http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/spinner#/19. The album is also available via all digital retailers with a deluxe version available featuring an extended track listing at iTunes.
Meanwhile, KLEINENBERG is currently wrapping up a select run of North American tour dates where he is featuring material from 5K set to his custom complementing visuals. Shows are confirmed for Scottsdale, Orange County, CA, San Diego and Los Angeles this week, after which he’ll return to Europe for festivals and tour dates on the continent.
SANDER KLEINENBERG’s ‘5K’ is available now via iTunes at:
Deluxe: http://bit.ly/lyTslY
Regular: http://bit.ly/kartTC - Socal Music Today

General information about artist, bio and music featured on Tribe Online Radio. - Tribe Magazine

As a HUGE fan of music and a highly critical listener of rap, I have found myself drawn to Ace Reign's music. There is an honesty in her lyrics and a passion in her delivery that I haven't seen much of lately. She doesn't come across as a gimmick or a fad ... but as a passionate performer with a gift for turning real life situations and emotions into something beautiful and real.

I've had the pleasure of reading other articles featuring her and her music and while I agree that she is an amazing talent, I can't really find anyone to compare her to. What I CAN agree with is that Ace Reign is an AMAZING talent that the world needs to hear. Her refusal to sell sex and BS just to make a name for herself makes her a standout in the industry to me. The things that would normally repel me, are non-existent with her and I look forward to watching her star shine and being a witness to her continued rise to the top.
- Fire

Ace Reign, also known as Ace of Spade, born April D. Winston, is an American producer, songwriter, rapper artist from Washington, DC. She began her career as a songwriter at age 11 by portraying the details of life on her street. After a failed group consisting of herself, her brother, and a female friend called La Cosa Nostra in 1999, Ace refocused her attention on her education and worked on enhancing her writing skills.

Refocused and energized, Ace was more determined than ever to remain true to herself and make classic music. As a result, her music is not just about creating something enjoyable; she uses her passion and experiences to also make it relatable. “Making music is a way to vent my thoughts and emotions without making myself vulnerable to others. Its an outlet. My music enables me to reach people near and far in a positive way…to share my thoughts and motivate others in some way.” Ace is heading towards breaking barriers that are typically imposed upon female hip-hop artists.

She has been able to break into mainstream music industry through some well-renowned international producers such as Rob Stern, a progressive international techno audio producer. Through this connection, Ace was introduced to Grammy and platinum artist, Josh Gabriel, and owner of Little Mountain Recordings from the Netherlands, Sander Kleinenberg. They both recognized the realism and simplicity in her rhymes vocalized through her melodious and soulful voice. Kleinenberg, who has set the standard for progressive house music, invited Ace to play around with some beats. They were all impressed by the cultured, harmonious lyrics the twenty-six year-old was spitting. Ace was not yet ready to sign with a major label at the time but was asked to compose and record the track “This Love” on their album released on October 24, 2010. Gabriel and Stern both collaborated with Ace to produce “Still Ridin” and “Candy Coated Whip,” two tracks from her "When it reigns it pours, Volume 1 mix tape" album.

Ace’s androgynous style of music features a range from R&B to rock, classical to house, soul to eclectic, fused with a classic hip hop sound throughout. Her style can be compared to the sounds of soul/R&B/hip hop group Floetry and English pop rapper Lady Sovereign while she sites the greats - Tupac, Biggie, and Nas - as influences.

Ace's flavor is a refreshing change as her ingenuous yet mature flow sets her apart from the profusion of hip hop revolved around flashy, vulgar, violent, or mindless material. The music production is high-quality, containing sophisticated musicality and a well-rounded and pleasureable sound palate.

Because it covers such a wide range of sounds, Ace's music does not fit into any one genre. Although this could be seen as a benefit to attract a broader audience, it can become rather difficult to brand yourself as an artist without debuting within a niche or with a signature sound. Her sound can be broadly placed in a hip hop category but while some of the tracks on the album lean towards spoken word neo-soul, others are much grittier, contrasting with a much harder and rougher classification of hip hop. She has already proved herself unique in the game but can do so further by establishing her niche either by focusing on one style or blending to create one cohesive one.

You can preview and purchase Ace's volume 1 mix tape here or here. Stay tuned for her second mix tape CD, “When it Reigns it Pours Vol. 2” and other projects in the near future. Share your thoughts on Ace Reign's music below. - Kiana Basu, Music Industry Examiner

Ace Reign is a Washington, D.C. based rapper who, at the age of ten, took baby steps towards becoming a songwriter by jotting down aspects of her life on paper. That led Ace, born April D. Winston, to form a group called La Cosa Nostra in 1999 with her oldest brother and a female companion.

The group ultimately disbanded, but the fire for music never died. That passion is clearly evident on Ace Reign’s mix tape, "When It Reigns It Pours, Volume 1."

Despite the likes of MC Lyte and Queen Latifah paving the way for modern day successes such as Lil' Kim and Nicki Minaj, female rappers must continue to prove themselves in an arena steeped in testosterone and bravado. That can sometimes force a woman to try too hard, causing her lyrics to become overly gritty and sexualized.

In the case of "When It Reigns It Pours," Ace Reign manages to avoid many of these pitfalls.

Make no mistake, Ace is no punk. Tracks such as "Red Bandana" and “B---- N----” shows that she can go hard with the big boys:

Punk a---- slippin’
For underestimating b----
Yeah, I roll with the hardest, young black Goddess
I shine so bright, it’s like my skin was f---- polished
All haters, I demolish

Still, Ace is at her best when the guard comes down and we learn more about her desires, passions, and beliefs. On the track "Maria," which samples The Jackson Five song of the same name, Ace expresses the joy of being in love:

Damn, first kiss just like magic
You give me life with the joy you bring
If only I could sing, I would serenade you everyday

The same is true for “When We Make Love,” an affectionate love letter of a song that, in the hands of a lesser artist, might have slipped over the edge into debauchery.

"When It Reigns It Pours" even manages to be uplifting. On the track "Look Beyond the Surface," Ace rails against anyone who chooses to judge her based on her appearance or sexual preference, which in rap music, is virtually unheard of:

Love is blind
Comes in any shape, form, or fashion
So don’t let it pass ya
Life is meant to be lived for many things
If you live for nothing, I guess you’ll die for anything

There are still some tracks that come across as less than original. Songs such as “Still Ridin” and “Candy Coated Whip” are braggadocios, anti-hater anthems you’ve heard on the radio for years. Despite that, Ace Reign has a nice flow that’s supported by unique beats, strong production, and at times, very revealing lyrics.

Score: *** out of *****

--

Ace Reign has recently collaborated with Josh Gabriel and Sander Kleinenberg, owner of Little Mountain Recordings from the Netherlands, to record the track "This Love." You can find it on their album "5k," which was released on October 24th. - Michael Langston Moore, Examiner.com

"Ace Reign is obviously amazing talented" - Sander Kleinenberg, Little Mountain Recordings

"Your music sounds awesome and we'd like to work with you."— Rafa, Vent Magazine - Vents Magazine

Ace Reign was born to be different. Her current cd release “When it Rains it Pours, Vol. 1” is a natural fit into today’s new age of Hip-Hop. Don’t sleep on the current artist who has the potential to be one of the top Hip-Hop Female Artist today! As you look beyond her sensitivity, her style involves the 90’s throwback era along with the current Hip-Hop edge. A music connoisseur realizes that Ace is one of the few artists whose lyrics are about real life and not about the flashy lifestyle only one imagines having. The track “Look Beyond the Surface” describes the adversities we face when people pass judgment based on the outside and not spending time finding out what is real on the inside. As Ace Reign continues to break down barriers and rise to the top, she will be able to leave a lasting impression on Hip-Hop. Stay tuned, the coming reign will be Ace Reign.

Sheila R. Hudson
SCBP Assistant Pride Director & Program Coordinator - SC Black Pride

The RepYoGrind Awards “Grinder of the Year”, is a ceremony that highlight and promote artists, entrepreneurs, as well as business professionals, who exemplified determination and dedication in pursuing their dreams. These individuals along with numerous of others have represented their craft to the best of their abilities and we take this time with nominations to bring awareness to their passions. Congratulation on your nomination. - Vonetta Chapman