16/07/2019: “Acknowledge” by Masta Ace

Hip Hop has a long tradition of diss tracks. It’s good for the artists because it gives them exposure and generates hype. It’s good for the listener because it’s funny and brings out the most acerbic side to MCs.

Acknowledge is a great diss track. The background to it is that a rapper named Boogieman had accused Masta Ace of ripping of one of his tracks. The Boogieman track was called “Ghetto Love”, and the Masta Ace one was called Ghetto Like. So Boogieman released a track entitled “Just You Wait” dissing Masta Ace.

Masta Ace’s reply is “Acknowledge”, a scathing reminder to other MCs about Masta Ace’s talent and long standing in the rap game.

The word play is on point, and the message is a straightforward one: who’s Boogieman?

Such a takedown deserves a decent arena, and the instrumental provides a fantastic backdrop to the lyrics, with a deep, smooth bassline and some catchy strings sampled from “Home” by Cafe Del Mar.

The song was released in 2001, and also appeared on the album Disposable Arts. 

3 Comments

  1. One of cleanest, most cleaver, most direct diss songs of all time by the O.G. Master Ace.

    1. He did it live at his show in Leicester this evening (17/6/22) and it’s even better live!! Props to Masta Ace and Marco Polo

  2. such a dope dope diss…the so called boogieman got the message loud and clear not to mess with the wrong master lyricist.
    Master Ace is the best sh**

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