Watch for Cerritos College student Robert “ACE” Davidson’s first solo album “Gotta Be Me” to arrive in music stores in early 2004. His vynals are already out in West Coast record pools.

DJ ACE says he rapped at a celebrity basket ball game at the Staples Center on Aug. 4. Sixteen months ago he performed on Ed McMahon’s “Next Big Star” program filmed at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for a television audience of 500,000.

ACE hustles. His work ethic pushes him hard. He announces “My music is important to me. I’ll make it happen!” He is resolved – an independent rap artist recording under the independent record label, Tone Struck Records.

ACE’s musical keyboard is connected to his computer in his home studio. “Reason” and “Pro-tools” are the technical software programs he uses to write his own poetry.

“My music represents the New Era style in Hip-Hop. I’m honest with myself and my music. I have to feel something before I write it.”

His titles include “Know Me Like That,” “Gotta Be Me,” “See It My Way,” and “Young G.” All poetically produced from personal experience.

His “flow” (rhythmic style of MCing) is faster and more complex than the sing-song rap style of the old school. Check it out. Call 1-888-696-1003 radio station 100.3 – The Beat – and request his music. (For more information on ‘poetic flow’ and ‘new school rap’ read Rap Music and the Poetics of Identity by Adam Krims, Cambridge University Press; CerritosLibrary’s call number ML 3531,K75 2000.)

ACE’s goal is to merge with a major record label but “Tearing down industry walls is difficult. Outlying stations (such as Phoenix, Las Vegas, Sacramento) have to play my music before Los Angeles radio stations will play it.”

ACE is studying music theory and taking a piano class as a freshman here at Cerritos College. “Music motivates me. I love rap, pop, gospel – all kinds of music.” As well as rap, he writes R&B (rhythm and blues).

He started performing in elementary school during the weekly ‘show and tell’ period. “Instead of showing materialistic (sic), I rapped and beat-boxed.” (Beat-boxing is the verbal imitation of percussion instruments.)

ACE was born in Las Vegas, the fifth of six children. After the tragic death of his father, his mother moved the family from Los Angeles where they were living, to Little Rock Ark. Ace was then l5 years old.

While living in Arkansas, he rapped in Memphis, and Atlanta. ” Arkansas was limited in music technology so I moved to Atlanta after high school graduation.”ACE came to Los Angeles in 2000 to continue his music career and promote his music.