DJ Khaled Defends Ace Hood’s Sales: “[He’s] One of the Most Selling New Artists” [Video]

 •  XXL Magazine  •  by XXL Staff  •  33 Comments

After releasing two albums under the guidance of DJ Khaled to little fanfare, many fans question the musical impact of Miami rapper Ace Hood .

The former XXL Freshman alum failed to break 100,000 in sales on either release—2008′s Gutta sold 91,305 and last June’s Ruthless moved about 51,600 units, according to the Nielsen SoundScan—yet the newly-appointed president of Def Jam South says the Southern MC is one of the top grossing newcomers of the last few years.

“A lot of people don’t know, Ace Hood is one of the most selling new rap artists,” Khaled told XXLMag.com. “It’s hard to sell a lot of records these days; that’s what they sayin’, right? But at the same time, if I look at other new rap artists that came out in the last two years, like new artists on his level, he sold more.” [Watch below]

Sales aside, Khaled believes it’s only a matter of time before the young rapper becomes a star. 

“It’s not even like that with me,” he said about Ace’s SoundScan figures. “It’s about making Ace into a superstar, which he is gonna be, one of the big superstars in the game.”

Ace is currently in the studio working on his third solo disc. —Elan Mancini with reporting by Anslem Samuel

[video:http://www.xxlmag.com/uploads/video/files/12.9.09_QN_KhaledonAceHood.flv l]

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  • fsre

    I lol’d

  • dhunt512

    This dude and Officer Ross are beyond delusional! And Def Jam South President C’mon Son this nigga aint qualified to manage a Burger King! No only is these types of clowns bad for the culture i.e. over saturating the game and making it look corny they just downright suck! Just being honest and oh yeah I am 30 yrs old and been listening to rap since 5 so I have a good idea what I am talking about!

  • http://Pierzy11@gmail.com Pierzy

    BRICK!

  • Caine

    Real talk, Gutta was a hard ass album. Niggas slept on dat joint. I haven’t heard Ruthless yet, but I think I just might go cop it. Ace Hood ain’t da nicest, but I can say he know how to make good songs…just my opinion.

  • gift

    I personally feel like DJ Khaled is a motivational cat, and he’s good for hip hop. As far as ROss, niggas can say what they want, but dude can spit, and on top of that, he had one of the most solid hip hop projects this year. Real talk. Ace HOOD though, is one nigga that I really ain’t feelin. He’s not too versatile, and after the 3rd or 4th song on GUTTA, I got nautious. I don’t know wut it would take to make Ace HOOD hot, but their current marketing strategy is not gonna do that for him.

  • keishon78

    I like ACE’S MUSIC… the kid got skills, don’t sleep on em yet!

  • me

    i think khaled is on crack.

  • NORTH MIAMI ZOE

    DELUSIONAL IS NOT THE WORD!!!!! DRAKE AND CUDI smashed those numbers each in two weeks, and DRAKE GAVE US THE MIXTAPE!!!ROCKO PROLLY GOT BETTER NUMBERS!!!! WHO???? YES ROCKO!!!! THE PROBLEM IS THE YOUNG MAN IS LOST HE HAS NO DIRECTION, HE SOUNDS LIKE JEEZY ON ONE RECORD THEN WEEZY ON THE NEXT..
    JUST BECAUSE YOU DISAGREE DOESNT MAKE YOU A HATER, BUT I DID A CENSUS IN THE HOOD, THEY FEEL LIKE HE IS UNBEARABLE TO LISTEN TO.
    HIS RAPID FIRE HIGH PITCHED VOICE IS NOT THE BIZNESS YA DIG.
    HE NEEDS TO find HIMSELF, HE RANTS AND RAVES ABOUT LORD KNOWS WHAT AND IT DOESNT COME ACROSS AS AUTHENTIC..HE HAS A GOOD IMAGE AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB TO PROMOTE DUDE but HE needs TO DELIVER!!

    • that nigga

      Drake smashed those numbers with a mixtape. Wow. Ace Hood fuckin sucks. He aint sell shit.

  • keishon78

    The kid ACEHOOD got some dope shit… don’t sleep on him yet!

  • SOUTHSIDE A-TOWN

    “…But at the same time, if I look at other new rap artists that came out in the last two years, like new artists on his level, he sold more.”
    ^^he’s kinda right. i can onlyy think of one new cat (off the top of my head) that has broke the 100k mark, & thats Kid Cudi. what other new artists have really done some decent #’s?

    • Angel

      Kid Cudi, Maino, Gucci Man, Drake, and a few others…

      • SOUTHSIDE A-TOWN

        i didn’t know Maino had hit 100k, thats wassup. Drake, of course. Gucci is not a new artist, IMO.

  • Eastwickredrum

    What is he talking about Only 4 dudes came out with albums on that cover Kid Cudi, Wale, Ace Hood, and Asher Roth. Asher Roth and Kid Cudi 1 album sold more than Ace Hood 2 albums put together Wale is the only one that didn’t sell more If Khaled wasn’t president Def Jam would’ve been drop Ace Hood it’s only a matter of time before of u guys get dropped

  • John Cochran

    dhunt512, you’re 30 years old. That’s probably why you dont get it. You may not like every artist he’s down with, but DJ Khaled is behind alot of heavyweights in the game ( Rick Ross,Young Jeezy,The Runners, Akon, etc). I can respect him still sticking with Ace Hood but I agree with Gift, they dont market him right. He’s gotta find his own lane cause it’s kinda crowded down there. But Khaled and DJ Cannon are the two best right now, I dont get down with Drama no more.

    • El Tico Loco

      “you’re 30 years old. That’s probably why you dont get it”

      ^^^^^^^
      What’s so deep about it?

  • ri067953

    Yo, Khaled is looking a little fatter than usual. Time for son to slow down on that Mcdonalds.

  • THE MAN

    if he’s anything…he’s loyal. that’s gotta count for something right?

  • oskamadison

    Hold up, when exactly did Khaled become president of Def Jam South?!!! You mean to tell me they went from Scarface, who signed Ludacris and could have had T.I., Lil Flip and just about every Southern rapper who was hot at that time (had they not fronted on ‘Face), to that annoying, half-ass producing, pseudo-DJ, remixes with the same beats and 20 (of the same, most of the time) MC’s making lame?!!
    This, plus the fact they have an R&B dude at the helm, is the reason Def Jam is a shell of its former self. Straight FAIL!!!! And this small yellow bus rider is tryin’to sell us on Ace Wood?? Please!! Any dude that has to say the word “swag” 20 times a verse needs to take his ass to UPS.

  • Jake Steed

    nice grammar… can anyone ruin a song quicker than khaled?

  • King Don

    DJ Khaled is spewing so much BS I can smell it from here in Toronto…Other than Tyga, Drake, Gutta Gutta and Jay Rock who elese was a rookie and had any type of relevant success? Not Ace Hood…he did sell more records than Triple C’s (Carol City Cops)…which is pretty impressive figuring how much promotion they got

  • DJ Postman

    What’s with Khaled being unable to even finish sentences, let alone coherent ones?

  • Pingback: VIDEO: DJ Khaled Defends Ace Hood’s Sales: “[He’s] One of the Most Selling New Artists” (XXL VIDEO) « Crown The South

  • El Tico Loco

    The labels haven’t figured out that the people want substance for their dollars. The artists that bring substance don’t get promo and the the ones that get promo don’t bring substance so now the scales are even.

  • http://tonygrands.blogspot.com Tony Grands

    If Khaled believed in Ace so much, how come he didn’t throw him on that small ass last verse on “Fed Up”, instead of Drake, who not only doesn’t fit-on the song or video, but doesn’t need shine as much as Ace, his OWN artist.

    Ace is a decent, average, video game soundtrack worthy rap dude, no more, no less.

    There’s literally tons of dudes way worse than he is.

  • Jhon da Analyst

    Khaled……..just shut da fuck up please.

  • DetroitDraper

    Ace Hood is straight trash or better put ass and Im not even the hater type. I listen to everything from Papoose to Cee-Lo dude is mad corny.

    MAYN HOL’UP

  • Jhon da Analyst

    Ace Hood and Gucci Mane are both hot garbage. Simply put.

  • Jhon da Analyst

    Raekwon is doing seminars on rappin so maybe Ace Hood can attend.

  • Death Deala

    You know you’re Ace Hood when…

    -you can diss any rapper you want because those rappers aren’t even clocking you

    -your other rap game alias is “Plies with braids”

    -you’re the opening act for those animatronic Chuck E. Cheese singing animals

    - the only endorsements offered to you are for Dollar Tree and RC Cola

    I could do this all day…anyone else want to join in?

  • Gerv

    I don’t wanna hear no more bullshit about promotion because that nigga Ace had some good promo.Promo don’t sell albums good sounding music sells albums.

  • $ykotic/Don McCaine

    Whatever Khaled.

    You gotta be asleep to be hypnotized.

    I’ve got an idea:

    Put Ace in a McD’s commercial rappin’ for food, that’s good exposure.

  • validation

    Ace Hood is my favorite rapper right now. Ace and fat joe is my numba 1′s. Ace needs to continue with albums like his last they is classics!!! some of the best albums of alltime ace hood is a supastar!