See also "Best of the Best 2012: A Five-Part Guide" -- plus "Memorial Day 2012: Fifteen Best Rap Parties in Miami and South Beach."
He's socially conscious, believes Mitt Romney doesn't stand a chance against Barack Obama in the general election, and would totally buy Facebook stock despite its slow start, saying, "Hell yeah, Facebook is a great investment." He's Ace Hood.
At 24 years old, this Broward County, We the Best, and YMCMB MC is one hip-hop's most promising talents. Discovered by DJ Khaled in 2007, Ace rose to prominence in 2009 after XXL Magazine featured him in its annual "Freshman Issue."
Three studio records and a shit-ton of mixtapes later, Hood's still hustling hard, paving his way toward hip-hop superstardom verse after verse after verse.
We caught up with Ace ahead of his Best of the Best appearance, Memorial Day weekend parties, and discussed everything from strippers to politics.
Crossfade: Did you watch Tuesday's Heat game? Do you think Haslem fucked up with that retaliation foul, or did Tyler Hansbrough deserve that shit?
Ace Hood: Not at all, great retaliation. It's the playoffs, man. At the end of the day there's a lot of energy. I'm team Heat all day. I'm with Haslem all day.
You grew up in South Florida; does any Memorial Day weekend in particular stand out in your memory?
The Memorial Day that stands out was the one when I got my first deal; I want to say '08. There was a point in time when I used to walk the strip, nobody knew who I was. I wasn't going in the club, just walked around, fascinated by the things I saw. But it felt different as a person finally performing in this club, all these people coming to see me... 2008, man, Memorial Day weekend, I'll never forget it.
Are you from the school of thought that Miami-Dade and Broward County are complete opposites, or are they same shit?
They're alike in a lot of ways, but we got our own way of doing things, the Broward County scene, it's different. But [Miami] is a bigger outlet.
What's the most money you've ever made rain at a strip club?
I think it was about $20,000.
Damn, I haven't done more than $20. I don't ball as hard as you. How did that feel?
I feel like Superman, I feel rejuvenated. Sometimes I think, 'damn, I just really blew like $20,000 on this and that,' but it's all within the profession, it's all within a lifestyle at the end of the day. We do it to have fun. And we're blessed to make more of it. You gotta support the hustle, too.
Can you weigh in on the 2012 election? Do you think Mitt Romney stands a chance against Barack Obama?
Not at all, Barack Obama is the greatest. He's the man. He balls hard; he's the man.
Despite it's slow start, do you think Facebook is a good stock?
Hell yeah, Facebook is a great invetment. They've managed to stay around all these years and stay the top social network even though they've had great competition. I feel like Myspace came and went, a lot of different things came and went, but Facebook is still holding strong. If I could invest in it, I'd love to have a few shares.
Best of the Best Concert. With DJ Khaled, Ace Hood, Meek Mill, French Montana, 2 Chainz, and others. Sunday, May 27. Bicentennial Park, 1075 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. General admission tickets cost $44.95 plus fees. Call 305-498-9488 or visit bestofthebestconcert.com.
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