Jas Mace, pronounced Jace Mace, began mastering his rhyming skills in 1988, which many refer to as the adolescent stage of Hip Hop. After purchasing Kool G. Rap and Polos certified classic Road to Riches, Jas Mace was inspired to sit down and write his first rap song, ultimately paving the way for what has become a remarkable journey and display of sacrifice and persistence. A significant turning point in Jas Maces life was when he met his partner in rhyme, Marchitect, at a little league baseball game. Through this newfound friendship, Jas Mace was introduced to Marchitects older brother Grouchy Greg Watkins, co-founder and CEO of allhiphop.com. Marchitect and Jas Mace became collectively known as the 49ers and began recording numerous basement demos. As the 49ers displayed their creativity and dedication, Grouchy Greg, who had his own group at the time, decided to mastermind a Hip Hop conglomerate called the Outfit. At this point, under the tutelage of Grouchy Greg and Marchitect, Jas Mace began producing his own beats first experimenting with the Ensoniq EPS +. The Outfit had much success with their first independent release titled Soundtrack to Life. Their first single, Beauty of the Week, spent 13 weeks on the college radio charts. Many reviews wrote with high regards about a group from Delaware with great potential to emerge from the Underground. However, due to unfortunate events, the Outfit was dismantled but the 49ers kept on honing their skills as true emcees and producers. In the meantime, Jas Mace continued his education after graduating high school and got his Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Delaware, majoring in world history and global politics. The 49ers have just finished up their full length LP titled Equilibrium, which is scheduled to be released after Jas Maces solo debut.
Jas Mace is in the final stages of completed his first solo release titled Cheap Seats: The Lotus Album. When asked where he came up with the name, Jas Mace responded, This album is dedicated to everyone that has been living their lives in the cheap seats and are doing everything they possible can in order to get to the front row. From Palestine to Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone to Darfur, New York to Cali, I want the world to know there are people that recognize the struggle, even if they cant relate to them directly, we can recognize the problems exist and work together towards achieving an immediate solution. And when asked about the significance of the term Lotus Album, he said, The lotus is a beautiful flower that emerges from the depths of the muddy swamps and rises to the surface in all its glory. This is symbolic to the struggle of those living in the cheap seats, and to be born and raised in the slums or perceived as the underdog your whole life and to finally force your way to the front row through hard work and determination, theres no other feeling like that in the world.