Ace Hood, Body Bag

Deerfield Beach, Florida’s Ace Hood is two albums deep, but just 23-years-old and still looking to leave to his mark on the rap game. Coming off the unavoidable single “Hustle Hard” earlier this year, he looks to snowball the success with Body Bag.

As a prelude to Ace’s third album Blood, Sweat & Tears, Body Bag conveys what the DJ Khaled-signee is about in just over 60 minutes: Ace delivers no-nonsense hustler talk with a snarl that would make DMX proud, all over echoing, Lex Luger-style production. The former XXL Freshman's offering is solid if unremarkable; he follows a format that, though serving its purpose, results in a unimaginative beats and a flow duplicated from track to track. From the production to delivery, "Hustle Hard" is basically part one of his second single, “Go N Get It." Still, Body Bag's first half is solid, even if the freestyled latter parts are skippable. A highlight is when Ace and Meek Mill pair off on the triumphant horns on “Same Dream,” as well as when the We The Best soldier vividly recounts his come-up over the shuddering organs and skittering hi-hats of “Real Talk.”

Surely, Ace Hood won’t win any prizes for creativity with this mixtape, but his aggressive resolve works over these thunderous beats. Fans undeniably amped up music would be advised to cop Body Bag for their daily dose of hostility.