As the first artist on DJ Khaled’s fledgling We Da Best imprint, Broward County, Florida native Ace Hood has been in the recording studio hoping to release what he has labeled a “classic” album.
A number of Florida’s best rappers are banding together to support Ace Hood with guest appearances on his new album, which is titled Ruthless.
The album features cameos by The Runners and Incredibles. Ruthless is rounded out with guest appearances from Ludacris, Jeremih, Akon, T-Pain, The Dream, Lloyd, Jazmine Sullivan and Rick Ross.
“This album is definitely gonna be a classic,” Ace said of the album. “People are expecting a lot out of me not only because I’m on Khaled’s label, but because everyone knows that the ace is ranked as the highest.”
Ace Hood, born Antoine McColister, signed with DJ Khaled, after he caught the attention of the popular Miami DJ during a performance at Khaled’s annual birthday bash.
According to Ace Hood, he didn’t think the opportunity to perform would lead to a full-fledged record deal.
“We was outside the radio station not even trying to get a deal, just hoping to perform at his birthday bash,” he recalls. “We just figured we’d try and perform. He had a contest going on where you had to give a certain amount of reasons why you should perform at the birthday bash. So I was going to rap for him on camera and show him why I was worthy. Although he had to go to a meeting, he came out, looked at me and said ‘I love his image.’ We handed him a CD and once we did that he listened to it and called my manager that night. He said ‘I love his swag, I hear starvation in his music and I want to take a meeting with him.'”
DJ Khaled signed Ace Hood shortly after the meeting and has been promoting the rapper ever since.
Ace Hood’s latest single is titled “Over Time,” which features T-Pain and Rick Ross.
“Once I played the song for Rick Ross he loved it and he put his whole swag to it” explained Khaled. “The song was pretty much done but we felt to make it more of a hit record, get somebody like T-Pain who’s running the game right now, on the hook to make it go that much further.”
Ace Hood’s Ruthless is due in stores June 30th.