If you are in the hip-hop underground and you haven’t heard of Ace Mccain, let me help you out from under the rock that you must live under. The self-made artist, producer, entrepreneur, and creative mind blesses our ears with two brand new tracks Up (Interlude) and Cry. Both very different in content and sound, both incredible tracks that give a deeper look at the artist behind the music.
David: First off, Can you explain the difference between “Ace Mccain“ & “Cain“ and the difference between the 2 personas?
Cain: “For the first time ever, you’re the only blogger or website or brand to ever ask me the difference and I’ve done over 50+ interviews or articles from now to last year.
To be honest, ‘Ace Mccain’ is [a] smooth lyrical guy with a very different delivery, never know how ‘Mccain’ is gonna come. It’s always something different or a different flow… It’s more of a happier type of side and celebration.
Now this guy ‘Cain’ is from a darker side of me. I earned that name deeper than the music, but Cain is love and hate in one. It’s addictive and it’s addiction. It’s a feeling you’ll get. Angry and hype type of vibes but then emotional and in my feelings as well, with deeper R&B feel.”
Jumping behind the boards, trying to create something that he liked that he could rap over, the beat for Up almost came on accident. Since Ace Mccain is a perfectionist when it comes to any endeavor he finds himself in, naturally he wanted this beat to come out perfectly. When asked about what inspired the track, he told me about a conversation he had with another artist in the studio while recording:
“Stop thinking about it so much, chase it! The dream right in front of us even with them obstacles, we gotta go up.”
With that inspiration in the back of his mind, he began to write and within minutes he has bars written about the ups and downs that come with the industry. Even “when people told me that it wasn’t for me, it’s [only more] inspiration.”
With the second release of the day, he ignites the booth with a powerful song titled Cry. Rapping over a very smooth instrumental with a fantastic, almost euphoric sample, Cain draws the listener into his world from the very first note.
David: You said you made “Cry“ for people going through suicidal thoughts and battling depression, can you speak on that more?
Cain: “Cry is very dear song to me, I was tryna end it all a couple of times. I’m not perfect, that’s why I tell survivors of suicide and depression that it’s deeper than words: I’m really here for you all. I really take time out my day for fans battling demons and diversity… even family issues and drama. People think ’cause of this clout concept that some of us [are] not human and battle things still, but truth is the more known you or your brands get the more problems come with it. That sayin “mo money mo problems“ is a lifestyle and too real. I just want my people to know it’s not the way and somebody here does love you – that’s why I made cry: to walk you through Cain’s trails and tribulations and hopefully I can lead more and help more lost voices.
You lost souls have all my blessings”
Finding himself in tears when recording this track, he truly puts himself in a vulnerable state when in the booth. Allowing himself to dig deep and pull out the rawest of emotions, he created a truly great piece of music. Brutally honest with every word spoken, each syllable seems to hit home in some sense. Thinking about all the times he thought about quitting music and going back to the trap or back to kicking in doors, he keeps on fighting. Truly embodying all the highs and lows that come with life, his music is all about finding the balance. Never writing one single word on paper, he just went into the booth and vented: Cry was the result.
Be sure to check out both of Ace Mccain’s new tracks below and be sure to check out all of the incredible things he is doing for the underground. Always staying active of every platform, it won’t be too long until Mccain is a household name.
