Born & raised in Wakefield uptown, Bronx, Ace Clarke is a well-polished rapper who is climbing his way up the steepest of steps to becoming the greatest of all time. His competence as a lyricist is clear to anyone hearing the complexities within his rhyme scheme bars. 

The NY rap artist/songwriter has risen from the ashes and built an audience from the ground up, displaying rare talent and true emotion which you may have been missing from your daily playlist. His craft is the highlight of this generation’s class of rappers, and the recognition has been pouring out from veterans and newcomers in the rap game.

Hi there, welcome to Honk Magazine. Can you tell our readers about what really inspired you to write music?

Ace Clarke – I always loved music growing up. My moms used to bump the Isley Brothers, Whitney houston, Toni Braxson, etc, every friday night, my pops used to bump Bob Marley, Zig, Elephant Man, Pac, X, Big, all the time along wit my big brother, so i always had a knack for it. What really had gotten me into writing was environmental stress. Family drama, financial bills, just being a youth in a bad neighborhood, we always tend to gravitate to outlets. Music was always mine, I could recall sitting in my room about 10 years old listening to “It’s Dark & Hell Is Hot”, particularly “I Could Feel It” & “Prayer” in how deep music & emotions could touch a soul. That was like the initial spark to start writing, and it’s just been up from there.

When did you realize you were going to make music professionally?

Ace Clarke – I was about 15. Me & my cousin JV had started hitting studios uptown & around making songs in high school just for the fun of it though, but the traction we would get out of it only fueled my desire for it more. I knew what we were capable of making happen at the time, & from the shows & just naturally feeling at such peace with myself while performing, making music, I knew it was something i wanted to make happen. Somehow, somehow, I was going to make it happen.

Tell us what is so unique about you and your music?

Ace Clarke – What I feel like I bring to the table is simply put from the soul. I lay my heart out in my songs, my art & that’s not to be replicated by anyone. I respect everyone, & i feel like everyone, from fans, supporters to peers know what I bring to the table through my journeys & experiences i paint my heart to connect to.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Ace Clarke – Oh I got you! I remember my first show I performed at LIU college back in like 2013, & my anxiousness then was really getting to me. I was trying to control it as best as i could but boy i had the jitters to say the least. So anyway, I hop on stage, & try to turn that nervousness into passion, but I end up tiring myself early on into my set. I didn’t think it was that noticeable at the time, but thinking back on it, my pacing was off in my rhythm so that had to look crazy. I’m like a perfectionist so if I make a mistake or think I made a mistake I’m the type to obsess & work my ass off until I reprimand the flaw, but thinking back then moving like a rhythmless chicken is definitely up there.

Can you tell us about your latest releases and what inspired you to create them?

Ace Clarke – Home & Trauma are personal pieces, either from internal or external povs & experiences that I’ve gone through in life. They both tell their own stories of reflectiveness, I would say love is the inspiration for them, hence the cover art of my 4th birthday. It meant alot to write, work with Farai Milion & Kayy Hunter on it because they’re famous. Always makes the process more enjoyable.

Can you give us a brief insight into your upcoming projects?

Ace Clarke – I’ve been working on my upcoming debut tape “Shenanigans & Antics” which is about 95% ready as of this point. As the title presumes, i’ma be giving my audience a lot of shards of my soul on my experiences, the fun, the anxious, the downs, very personal project from me to y’all with this one. Besides that, rehearsing & sharpening my craft daily for these shows I’ve been blessed with, looking forward to sharing that stage with Only one Theory for her Somewhere Over East tour this July 24th, collaborating with other artists, there’s plenty in the vault I got for my supporters this year!!

What do you wish you were told when you first started making music that you think would help artists just starting out?

Ace Clarke – Would say honestly just how important it is to wear multiple hats in this industry. You should be your own graphic designer, editor, marketing/promo team, engineer, and wear as many hats as possible in this game, because it’s ALL about saving for the next move. The difference between the ones who make it & the ones who don’t besides opportunity is who’s paying attention to their spendings. With everything being so costly, to save yourself a lot of money in the process, I would recommend learning not just how to record, but dabbing in a bit of everything. You’ll be surprised at just how creative it could get y’all.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

Ace Clarke – Don’t force anything. Anything forced isn’t natural, let things come to you but be aggressive for the things you want. Writers block & creative blocks are APART of the process, they don’t mean you’re lacking, they mean you just need to do something different you probably don’t do in your daily life. Also remember that you only live once, so try to make the best of your days by having hobbies & other outlets you could take a break to whenever you need from music.

What do you do when you don’t do music (creative or otherwise) and that you are passionate about?

Ace Clarke – Whenever I feel like I need a slight break from music, I tend to watch something I probably usually wouldn’t watch, read something I probably wouldn’t usually read, go play basketball with the fellas, a comfortable date night with my girl, anything to get my mind on other things. I personally love cooking too, I picked up both music & cooking at the same time but trying new food has always been therapeutic for me!

Any last piece of advice for those artists who just started making music?

Ace Clarke – Just keep going if you love it & stay true to yourself. You know what makes you special, what makes you bring your flair so you don’t have to force it, the people will catch on. Always work on your craft, remain a student, ALWAYS do your research, the motivation will come & go but the discipline to be the best you can be should stay sharp.

How can our readers follow you online?

Ace Clarke – I’m never too hard to find guys, tune into me on:

Instagram: @Ace.Clarke

Twitter: @Ace_Knightz

TikTok: @Acekangshun