BY MS. BENZO • NOVEMBER 12, 2018

With 30-plus years of being one of Rap’s most consistent (and profoundly influential) lyricists in the game, Masta Ace teamed up with longtime collaborating producer Marco Polo to pay homage to the borough of Brooklyn. They did this by collectively constructing a full-length body of work that is conceptual, cohesive, and knockin’ to many eardrums.

The chemistry between these two began in 2004 while Ace was working on A Long Hot Summer. They soon linked again, when Ace was featured on Marco’s debut, Port Authority, three years later. Ace’s immortal lyrics along with Marco’s early-’90s boom-bap approach on the video single “Nostalgia” showed the world how memorable a duo these two would be in the years to come.

After touring and many more collaborations, the Juice Crew member and accomplished producer decided to become partners for an album named A Breukelen Story. With the length of 19 tracks that clocks in at a total of 55 minutes, A Breukelen Story touches on the subjects of despair, devotion, gentrification, Hip-Hop and the current climate of the culture. It also covers the two artists’ relationship, and growing bond.

The opening song on the album and new single “Kings” is an ode to the county that birthed Ace (and which Marco now calls home). A few months back, Ace posted a photo of flyers that he collected over the years and asked his fans to give him some ideas on what he could do with them. Thanks to music video director Olise Forel, the photos became an incredible idea as the backdrop for the visual of “Kings.” Along with the flyers, there are also images of Ace’s previous album art that distinctly comes to life while Ace is rhyming.

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