Edwin Maximilian "Eddie" Hayes, Jr. (born September 30, 1970), better known by his stage name Aceyalone, is an American

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

from

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, United States. He is a member of Freestyle Fellowship,

Haiku D'Etat Haiku d'Etat is a super group rap trio featuring Aceyalone and Myka 9 of Freestyle Fellowship and Abstract Rude of Abstract Tribe Unique. All three members are heavily affiliated with Project Blowed, Aceyalone and Abstract Rude being co-founders. ...

and The A-Team. He is also a co-founder of Project Blowed. Aceyalone is best known for his role in evolving left-field hip-hop on the West Coast at a time when the West Coast was dominated by

gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...

Career

Project Blowed and Freestyle Fellowship

Aceyalone emerged from the Project Blowed collective, considered to be the longest-running open mic hip-hop workshop. He began rapping as part of the group Freestyle Fellowship, which consisted of Aceyalone,

Myka 9 Michael Lafayette Troy (born January 15, 1969), better known by his stage name Myka 9, is a rapper from Los Angeles, California. He is a member of Freestyle Fellowship, Haiku d'Etat and Magic Heart Genies. Known for years as Mikah Nine, he chan ...

, and Self Jupiter. Later, P.E.A.C.E. Freestyle Fellowship developed a reputation for influencing a style of fast double-time rap used by rappers like

Busta Rhymes Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver ...

, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and

Migos Migos () is an American hip hop trio from Lawrenceville, Georgia, founded in 2008. The group was originally composed of Southern rappers Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset. Quavo is from Athens, Georgia; Offset and Takeoff were born and raised in Law ...

. Aceyalone was part of Freestyle Fellowship releases of '' To Whom It May Concern...'' and ''

Innercity Griots ''Innercity Griots'' is the second studio album by American hip hop group Freestyle Fellowship. It was released on April 28, 1993 on 4th & B'way Records and distributed through Island Records. Critical reception Nathan Bush of AllMusic gave the ...

'' and a Project Blowed compilation in 1994.

Solo projects

Aceyalone signed as a solo artist to

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...

after the Freestyle Fellowship failed to break into mainstream radio with

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anothe ...

. Aceyalone released his debut solo album, ''

All Balls Don't Bounce ''All Balls Don't Bounce'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Aceyalone. It was released in 1995 on Capitol Records. In 2004, it was re-released on Project Blowed and Decon Decon'' is a New York-based creative studio that houses produ ...

'', in 1995. He returned three years later with the dark concept album '' A Book of Human Language'', which was a collaboration with producer Mumbles. His third solo album, '' Accepted Eclectic'', was released in 2001 and featured

Abstract Rude Aaron Pointer, better known by his stage name Abstract Rude, is a rapper from Los Angeles, California. He is the MC of Abstract Tribe Unique, alongside dancers Zulu Butterfly and Irie Lion King, turntablist DJ Drez and producer Fat Jack. ...

with production from

Evidence Evidence for a proposition is what supports this proposition. It is usually understood as an indication that the supported proposition is true. What role evidence plays and how it is conceived varies from field to field. In epistemology, evidenc ...

. He released '' Hip Hop and the World We Live In'' in 2002. Aceyalone's next offering came a year later, and was titled '' Love & Hate''. The track “Find Out” was featured on the soundtrack to ''

You Got Served ''You Got Served'' is a 2004 American dance drama film written and directed by Chris Stokes, who was also the business manager of the performers who were the film's main characters: recording artist Marques Houston and the boy band B2K. The plo ...

''. In 2006, Aceyalone released '' Magnificent City'', a collaborative album with producer

RJD2 Ramble Jon Krohn (born May 27, 1976), better known by his stage name RJD2, is an American musician based in Columbus, Ohio. He is the owner of record label RJ's Electrical Connections. He has been a member of groups such as Soul Position, MHz Lega ...

, followed by the '' Grand Imperial'' mixtape. Aceyalone frequently collaborates with producer Bionik, including on the 2007 release '' Lightning Strikes'' and the 2009 release '' Aceyalone & the Lonely Ones''. Both albums explored different genres –

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The R ...

and

doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...

, respectively – as part of Aceyalone's goal of “exploring the world of music through hip hop.” The

Phil Spector Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...

-inspired ''Aceyalone & the Lonely Ones'' followed. Inspired by Spector's

Wall of Sound The Wall of Sound (also called the Spector Sound) is a music production formula developed by American record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios, in the 1960s, with assistance from engineer Larry Levine and the conglomerate of sessio ...

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

and

Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, inc ...

, Aceyalone said: “I'm not from that era, but this is my ode to it. I'm just putting myself into that character as a showman and bandleader.” '' Leanin' on Slick'', released in 2013 with

Decon Records Decon'' is a New York-based creative studio that houses production, creative, strategy, and music divisions. The company creates campaigns on behalf of brands and advertising agencies. History Originally named Deconstruction Company, the comp ...

, continued the retro flow of the previous release, this time taking inspiration from 1960s style-R&B and hot buttered soul.

Style and influences

Aceyalone has been noted particularly for his innovative lyrical style and content. Some attribute the double-time rap styles that emerged in the mid-1990s to Aceyalone and Freestyle Fellowship, although this is disputed by others. Aceyalone and Freestyle Fellowship were noted for their rejection of the West Coast trend of gangsta rap. Aceyalone developed strong critiques of rap music's commercialization and glorification of violence.

Discography

Studio albums

Aceyalone * ''

'' (1995) * '' A Book of Human Language'' (1998) (with Mumbles) * '' Accepted Eclectic'' (2001) * '' Hip Hop and the World We Live In'' (2002) (with Elusive) * '' Love & Hate'' (2003) * '' Magnificent City'' (2006) (with

) * '' Lightning Strikes'' (2007) (with Bionik) * '' Aceyalone & the Lonely Ones'' (2009) (with Bionik) * '' Leanin' on Slick'' (2013) (with Bionik) * ''Action'' (2015) (with Bionik) * ''Mars'' (2016) (with Slippers) * ''Ancient Future: Conversations With God'' (2017) (with

Orko Eloheim David Wali Rahmaan Ebn Hassan Bullard, better known by his stage name Orko Eloheim (formerly Orko the Sycotik Alien) (born 1975/1976) is an American alternative hip hop artist from San Diego, California. He is also one half of the duo Nephlim ...

) * ''43rd & Excellence'' (2018) (with Fat Jack) * ''Mars, Vol. 02'' (2018) (with Slippers & Michelle Stevens) * ''Let's Get It'' (2019) * ''Ice Water'' (2020) Freestyle Fellowship (Aceyalone with

, P.E.A.C.E. &

Self Jupiter Ornette Glenn (born March 16, 1970), better known by his stage name Self Jupiter, is an American rapper from Los Angeles, California. He is a member of Freestyle Fellowship alongside Myka 9, P.E.A.C.E., and Aceyalone. He is also one half of The ...

) * '' To Whom It May Concern...'' (1991) * ''

'' (1993) * '' Temptations'' (2001) * ''

Shockadoom ''Shockadoom'' is a 2002 EP by American hip hop group Freestyle Fellowship. Production After releasing ''Innercity Griots'' in 1993, Freestyle Fellowship went on hiatus due to the incarceration of Self Jupiter. In 1998, the group reunited and reco ...

'' (2002) P* '' The Promise'' (2011)

Haiku d'Etat Haiku d'Etat is a super group rap trio featuring Aceyalone and Myka 9 of Freestyle Fellowship and Abstract Rude of Abstract Tribe Unique. All three members are heavily affiliated with Project Blowed, Aceyalone and Abstract Rude being co-founders. ...

(Aceyalone with

and Myka 9) * ''

'' (1999) * '' Coup de Theatre'' (2004) The A-Team (Aceyalone with Abstract Rude) * ''Who Framed the A-Team?'' (1999) * ''Lab Down Under'' (2003)

Other releases

* ''Version 2.0: To Whom It May Concern... Remixed by J. Sumbi'' (2001) To_Whom_It_May_Concern...''.html" ;"title="emixes of tracks from '' To Whom It May Concern...''">emixes of tracks from '' To Whom It May Concern...''/small> * ''The Lost Tapes'' (2003) ixtape/small> * ''Grade A'' (2004) arities collection/small> * '' Grand Imperial'' (2006) arities collection/small> * ''Who Reframed the A-Team?'' (2006) best of' compilation by The A-Team/small> * ''Power Plant'' (2011) ixtape by Freestyle Fellowship/small> * ''Aceyalone 101'' (2013) arities collection/small> * ''Action Accessed Remixes'' (2017) emixes of tracks from ''Action''/small>

References

External links

* *
Aceyalone
discography at

Rate Your Music Rate Your Music (often abbreviated to RYM) is an online collaborative database of music releases and films. Users can catalog items from their personal collection, review them, and assign ratings in a five-star rating system. The site also fea ...

{{Authority control Living people 1970 births Rappers from Los Angeles West Coast hip hop musicians Capitol Records artists Underground rappers 21st-century American rappers Project Blowed