Masta Ace

Compilations that gather B-sides and soundtrack appearances tend to be pretty hit-and-miss when it comes to value and many don’t put much thought into the flow. Don’t let the dated sounds of Ace’s collaboration with the Brand New Heavies throw you off though because the majority of Grand Masta is comprised of remixes from the Slaughtahouse and Sittin’ On Chrome eras, which means razor-sharp rhymes over incredible mid-’90s production. Ace’s storytelling delivery is one of the best in hip-hop’s history, flawlessly ripping through reworked classics, most of which are equally as great as the single versions and were most likely alternatively flipped numerous times by disc jocks back in the day. The selection of joints is well thought out and Grand Masta plays like a proper listening experience, making you forget you’re listening to "Saturday Night Live” and others more than once. A great compilation to add to your shelf, but it’s probably best for DJs that want to condense their crates in favour of a single piece of Masta Ace bangers.