He’s just talking on the title cut, but Master Ace is a good rapper with a knack for composing clever rhymes and thinking-up interesting concepts. Me And The Biz, for example, is a mock duet with Biz Markie, while The Other Side Of Town has Ace coming from the perspective of a hungry bum. “I’ll never get ahead; my raps have a better chance,” his character laments, “I’m living on Wonder Bread with holes in my leather pants.”

The underlining message here seems to be a socially conscious one. What you’re supposed to Take A Look Around at is the state of affairs happening in the ghettos of New York. But Ace also brags about his skills and chases young ladies; Letter To The Better and Postin High, respectively. The beats are provided by Marley Marl and Mister Cee, who bring with them a crateful of funk/soul records from the 1960s and 1970s.

my rating : 4 of 5

1990