Interview: Asce AA Spade Talks Dancehall and Taking Music Serious, Grades Freedom Street 8 outta 10 and more

US-based rising Dancehall artiste Asce AA Spade who started out as a dancer before transitioning into being a recording artiste is optimistic about the possibilities in 2025 as he seeks to make a mark in Dancehall music.

The Spanish Town, St. Catherine native, a past student of Jose Marti Technical High School is a big lover of the Jamaican culture, labelling it as “magnificent”. Wanting to be apart of the culture, Dancehall music is the path taken while also being in the United States Military.

In a chat with Yardhype, Asce AA Spade, 28, details that he has been seeing some viral success with his latest song titled ‘Tuff Up Mi Ting’ hitting a million views.

On the heels of ‘Tuff Up Mi Ting’ he explains that he will be releasing his next song on February 14, a collab track titled ‘Hawk Tuah’.

Yardhype had a questions and answers session with Asce AA Spade, see the questions and answers below:

Q: Why the name ‘Asce AA Spade’?
A: “Years ago, when mi a dance and dem thing deh, mi realise mi can’t miss, mi a mash up everything, suh mi a seh Asce a name weh mek sence, cause Ace a bullseye, can’t miss. And mi a seh mi need something else fi mek it more unique, then spade comes to mind, cause one ace of spade inna the deck. It a come from a long line of different things also, but that’s the main idea behind it.”

Q: When did you decide that you wanted to take on music full time?
A: “Mi decide seh mi wah take music serious about seven years ago while in the military in 2018, i use to do music before but did not take it serious until about 7 years ago.”

Q: Where are you from and or where you located?
A: “Well mi spend most a mi time between St. Catherine and Maypen in Jamaica, later migrated to the USA and lived in New York for a while before moving to Texas where i’m based now.”

Q: Who’s your favourite Dancehall Artiste of all time(Male and Female)?
A: “I don’t really have a single favourite but i have a top 5 which includes Vybz Kartel, Alkaline, Masicka, Shenseea, Jada Kingdom. Spice a chop it too, she have some bad songs.”

Q: Who’s your Favourite Reggae Artiste?
A: “Mi can tell you mi top Reggae artistes, Beres Hammond, Bob Marley, Buju Banton, King Yellowman and Sizzla.”

Q: Which artiste would you say you are most inspired by?
A: “Alkaline, Masicka and Vybz Kartel, them artistes deh inspire me the most, because a dem versatility.”

Q: What Keeps You grounded? (Things you do to relax/chill) outside of music?
A: “Me is a man mi like deh outside, mi like deh outdoors, mi like nature and dem thing deh, any time mi deh a yaad mi deh a Ochi side a chill or mi deh up inna the hills. Or play game, Call Of Duty, or watch anime, dem thing deh.”

Q: What do you love the most about Jamaica?
A: “The culture, the culture is just magnificent.. wi deh every weh.. The Japanese people dem love wi, Chinese, the white people dem love wi, what’s not to love about it.”

Q: What’s your favourite Jamaican food?
A: “Is a couple of them, Fry dumplin, breadfruit, ackee and salt fish, curry chicken, curry goat, oxtail, steam fish, rice nd peas, ital…. acke and salt fish deh pan the top a the list”

Q: Which do you hold in higher regard, and why: Reggae Grammy Award or a song that peaks at #30 on the Billboard hot 100 chart?
A: “The billboard feel more, but Grammy a Grammy… It’s hard to say because bout a dem have them own purpose”

Q: List your top three songs, based on their popularity and the feedback you get from listeners.
A: (1) Tuff Up Mi Ting (2.) Red Light Green Light. (3) Legends.

Q: Any known Producer that you have worked with in music?
A: “Dre Swade, Troyton Music plus as article i worked with Skirdle Sparta who is Tommy Lee Sparta’s son.”

Q: Did you watch, and what you think about Freedom Street Concert, what’s your rating of it?
A: “Yeah, overall mi give Kartel him praise because him deliver regardless of him condition, however, some performers should have done better, ‘Rvssian duh bay fckry’, on the other hand some other artistes lacked vocal control but the columns dem like Law Boss and Popcaan deliver and Skillibeng’s performance was aright. But overall mi give the show a 8 outta 10.”

Q: Which artiste you would like to work with?
A: “There are many artistes mi would want to work with enuh, sometimes it’s best not to call names but will name a few such as Kraff and Kartel.”

Q: Any of your family members in Music?
A: “Yeah, I-Wayne would be a second cousin and I-Shane a cousin also. Plus i have other cousins who play instruments for popular artistes.”

Q: Do you think nowadays Dancehall has the potential to outdo the Dancehall of the 90s(Shabba) or 2000s(Shaggy/Sean Paul), also what you believe will improve the reach of nowadays Dancehall aka Trap Dancehall?
A: “Yeah man… You have to think of new Dancehall as innovation, mi feel like the new Dancehallers a create something new even though many people do not agree with it.. Just like when the internet did just created, nuff people did seh dem would not go on it. But we need to make Dancehall nice again, mek the people wah dance, plus the selectors a kill the music with money pullup… We have the potential but we have woleep a work to do.”

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