Unfortunately Ace Henderson was unable to meet with me last month while I was in New York. We had arranged to do a little question and answer session over a coffee or something like that. Although, not as intimate and unable to describe his facial expressions or how he said things we managed to do one over email. Ace talks about his inspirations, who has top plays on his iPod and what he wanted to be as child...
1) Who/what is your inspiration? Are your songs based on real life events, i.e monumental points in your life? Current affairs..etc.
My biggest inspiration is my family. Everyone in my family has had to face adversity in some shape or form, and they've all managed to prosper. I'm at the point in my life where I have to face adversity and prosper in my own way.
I've recently gotten into telling more life stories but I have never lied in any of my songs. Ever.
2) When and why did you start writing and recording your own music?
I started writing my own songs when I was 12 and recording when I was 15. I didn't start taking music seriously until my senior year of high school and ever since then I've been taking it a bit more seriously. Rapping started off to me, as a hobby because I idolized Pharrell Williams heavily. I wanted to dress like him and rap like him so I started to rap over his beats and then I got discouraged because I couldn't sound like him. A couple years later, I made a mixtape as a bit of a whimsical effort to see if people would listen. Once my friends said that they supported me, I took that and used it as fuel to keep getting better day in and day out.
3) Aside from music, what are your hobbies and interests?
I am addicted to music, I search the web for new and old artists to add to my collection. I research artists and songwriters and the history of the makings of albums. It's just cool to get a deeper understanding of the time and contributions to your favorite albums. I think I'm weird for that haha. I'm really into sports culture. I am an ex-athlete so I keep up with stats and transactions and watch my favorite teams play.
4) Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at in the future? (Music based or non music based?)
I'd like to have my own record label. I'd have the sickest artists. It'd be so cool. I want to coach a high school basketball team. Playing high school basketball is a life changing experience. You learn a lot about trust and other intangible life skills blah blah blah. I also want to run a recording studio, but it'd be a house.
5) Pet Hates?
I like all pets that like me.
6) As a child what did you aspire to be?
I wanted to be an English teacher.
7) Who do you listen to most on your iPod?
Cocaine 80's, Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse, Nick Waterhouse, Sam Sparro (thanks Devonne) and James Blake.
8) If you could collaborate with anyone who would it be? And why?
7 song EP with Cocaine 80's and Amy Winehouse.
Listen to the Ghost Lady EP.
9) How would you describe the music that you produce? - describe your sound in relation to the different genres today
The music that I produce from scratch and that I collaborate with producers on is very manipulative. In the sense that I can either make a light song or a dark song and I think that having the ability to openly dictate that on any song allows me to express myself in the exact way that I want to. I feel that I'm making my own way honestly. I'm influenced by some older and some newer rappers but I still like to think that I have my own style. It's a conscious depiction of what I see and experience but sometimes with satire and other dry humor.
..and lastly,
10) ESGTS Freestyle has 15,000+ plays on your soundcloud, how does this make you feel?
That's the craziest feeling. I made that song the day after we all [ESGT$] met up for the first time. I literally just freestyled about the night before. When I saw that I had accrued 15k plays, I immediately started working on new material because I knew that 'nothing would be the same.' Hahahahaha I just ended that with a Drake reference.
Follow Ace on twitter @acehenny
Soundcloud - soundcloud.com/acehenderson
YouTube - www.youtube.com/user/theacehenderson
Tumblr - acehenderson.com
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