The Ace up Knysna's rap sleeve

KNYSNA NEWS - A rapper and producer from Plettenberg Bay, Alroy "Ace" Mclein, is living his dream after being signed up by a prominent Johannesburg recording company. Mclein released a snippet on Saturday of his extended-play (EP) record titled Switch, also featuring Joburg hip-hop / rap artist Jermain Eagle.

The Knysna-born rapper counts among his achievements airtime on KOR Radio in the UK of his single 87 Knots - which is also being played on numerous community and online radio stations, including the top 20 list on Radio 204 - and a review published on SlikourOnLife, touted as the "largest urban online music platform".

Mclein was also nominated for Hype magazine's newcomer of the year award.

In an interview with Knysna-Plett Herald (KPH), the 29-year-old said music has been part of his life from an early age. "I make my own beats and music. The support I received from local artists in Knysna after they heard my music helped me to take the craft serious."

Mclein says he was attracted to the genre by cult rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur (2Pac) and growing up in the violent streets of Hornlee inspired him to do music. "Seeing the effects of gangsters, drug abuse and violence steered me to pursue music as I saw it as a way to escape that life," he says.

His music is about everything that happens around him. "I rap about my personal experiences in the industry and life in general. My music has an educational flow, often inspiring to the youth. At times I do hardcore gangster rap. My sound beats are different and I am not trying to sound like anyone else."

Fans of the genre have already seen Mclein perform in Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, George, Oudtshoorn and even as far away as Durban. "We planned to have a tour in the Garden Route but that was postponed until further notice due to Covid-19," he told KPH.

The husband of Hesley Mclein and father of two, Fhanru (6) and Rozaney (2), describes himself as a hustler, a hard worker, a dreamer and entrepreneur who enjoys life to the full and appreciates every second of every day.