Ace A Caped Crusader – Lonely A (Album Review)

Ace A Caped Crusader (One of my favorite rap acts in the game) isn’t shy when it comes to creating music that comes from the heart. In his previous effort, “Whxte,” he got a chance to touch on high-strung subject matters such as lost love, growing pains, and family drama, approaching each with this vast level of realness. In “Lonely A,” I expect more of the same, as our hero continues to navigate through life finding a way to conquer the demons that come with it.

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TOP 5

5. WHO WE ARE

“Who We Are” is the last track on the project, but it is also the most sanguine.

If you listened to “Lonely A” from start to finish, you understand that Ace is going through a couple of things in his life that has got him feeling a bit down. In “Who We Are,” he finally gets a chance to relax a little, rapping with this slow pace that allows you to clearly and concisely hear his words of endearment towards this one girl he’s feeling. You can tell Ace is in the zone on the track, simply speaking from the heart over this soothing instrumental that will almost surely have you in your feelings.

4. LIFE

On “Life,” you get this feeling that Ace is starting to understand what he needs to do to make this romantic relationship he’s in work. For one of the few times on the album, his words feel patient, optimistic, and contain a few solutions he’s more than willing to try out. It’s definitely one of the more important tracks on the project.

3. ROSE

“Rose” is the shortest track on the project, but also the most spirited production-wise. Not only does the beat contain these heavy-hitting drums, but it also has this lively feel to it that gives me the feel of a musical sunset.

Despite the promising instrumental, Ace continues to rap like a guy that is suffering from a stained relationship. Initially, he does some finger pointing, but as the song progresses, he starts to morph into this individual that is both understanding and willing to figure out where things have turned for the worst.

2. PAINFUL MISTAKES

Let’s keep it real: We all make painful mistakes on a daily basis, especially when it comes to relationships. On this particular track, Ace gives us his account of a relationship with this one lover he had that may have gotten away due to his mishaps. I love how real the song feels, as Ace tries to piece together all the items that made his relationship deteriorate through these laidback/sobering bars.

1. DEAR MOMMA

“Dear Momma” is a short dedication track by Ace to his mother, and on it, he outlines the many reasons he thinks she’s an awesome black woman. Throughout, his words bounce between regrets he has when it comes to his relationship with her to the many accomplishments that she was able to achieve despite the odds stacked up against her. Musically, the track is pretty gentle in all facets, something that really lets the emotions of his words stand out.

What a dope way to open up an album! Think about it, without her, the guy we know as Ace A Caped Crusader wouldn’t exist (That’s some scary s**t to think about).

SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

1. DEAR MOMMA (4.5/5)

2. DO YOU THINK OF ME (3.9/5)

3. PAINFUL MISTAKES (4.5/5)

4. ROSE (4.8/5)

5. TIME (4.5/5)

6. LONELY (3.6/5)

7. WHO WE ARE (4.7/5)

OVERALL RATING

(8.1/10)

I always love when artists use their music to give listeners their deep thoughts; that is what you get on “Lonely A.” Ace doesn’t drop any flashy bars or talk about all this money and jewelry he has, instead, he discusses a few thoughts that I think your average person goes through but is afraid to discuss with other people. It’s vulnerability you simply don’t see in the rap industry these days.