Cover Stories, Music

“I’ve Done Way Too Much To Stop Now” Mace The Great

6 June

“Cardiff is my home, you know?” Mace tells me, leaning back into his chair. “Everything about me – how I dress, my accent, the music I make, the slang – it all comes from growing up in those streets.” Mace the Great has continued to put Cardiff on the map with his combination of grime, hip-hop, and diverse musical influences. In this exclusive interview, the Welsh rapper opens up about his journey, inspirations, and steadfast repping of his hometown.

The rapper, whose real name is Mason, fully embraced the influences of his hometown since the start of his career. Even his stage name “Mace The Great” was carefully crafted to stand out. “A lot of people just called me Mase for short. I went with ‘Mace The Great’ to set myself apart, and make that artistic name recognition.”

Despite his meteoric rise to prominence, with awards like the prestigious Triskel Award and being the first Welsh MOBO artist to perform at acclaimed music festivals like SXSW in 2022, Mace has remained true to himself, sharing excitedly, ‘It was an amazing experience to represent Wales at such an iconic festival.’

His achievements, though amazing, pale in comparison to having his track “My Side of The Bridge” featured for the Cardiff City FC kit launch. He recalls, “Repping the hometown club like that was amazing. Just repping where I’m from, that was a great feeling.”

That allegiance to Cardiff translated into his acclaimed 2022 album “Splott World,” which paid tribute to the diverse working-class neighbourhood that raised him. “The inspiration for the album was just to create something versatile that shows more layers to me – artistically and personally. I wanted to channel honesty, my culture, morals, respect for where I came from, into the music.”

Mace doesn’t just love Wales though, Wales is also just as in love with him, even going as far as using his single ‘Brave’ for the Wales World Cup qualifying campaign. He shares the story of how that came about, “When the BBC reached out to me with the opportunity to remix my single “Brave” for the Wales World Cup qualifying campaign. They had said how much they liked the song, and then everything in terms of making the remix/video came from there onwards. It was such an honour to be a part of that”

For an artist who has accomplished so much at a young age, I have to ask – where does that drive, that perseverance come from?
Mace considers this for a moment. “A few things… Mainly, I’m just still really enjoying the journey, you know? I want to do this music thing full-time, make enough to support my family. But I’ve also put way too much work in to stop now.”

That tenacity has propelled Mace onto stages across the globe, from Paris to New York City. He credits those experiences with expanding his artistic horizons. “Traveling, experiencing different cultures – it just allows me to grow as an artist and human. The more life I’m living, the more I can channel into my art.”

Our conversation drifts to Mace’s inspirations and dream collaborators – he namechecks Sage Todz and Manga Saint Hilare as Welsh artists he has already worked with, while hoping to collaborate with Welsh collectives like Let Loose Crew, alongside major stars like Stormzy and Skepta.

His inspirations span across different artists and genres— “Growing up in Wales, Let Loose Crew, Local, and Astroid Boys were some of my biggest musical influences, and they inspired my sound. My sound is very Cardiff, with grime roots, but you’ll hear some rap, drill, garage, etc., and of course, a Jamaican influence.’

“The truth is, Representing my city is essential to me. It’s home, and I just love to represent where I’m from; that’s all there is to it.”

When I quizzed Mace on his favourite self-owned track, it was a pleasant surprise to discover we shared the same favourite. With a smile, he shared, “My favourite song by me is ‘3am in Montreal.'”

As we all know, with every high, comes lows, and Mace doesn’t shy away from openly sharing the struggles he has faced in his career, such as balancing a busy touring/performance schedule and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. He is very determined though, to push for bigger and better things, “I’ve done way too much to stop at this point.” He reaffirms.

Looking ahead, Mace epitomises the definition of “booked and busy.” as he enthusiastically shares his upcoming plans: “I’ve just got back from a showcase in South Africa, and I’ve got a few singles planned for release this year, maybe a big headline show later down the line. I’m excited to have been in Africa for the first time for the Africa Rising Music Conference—grime took me to the Motherland.”

According to the award-winning artiste, he still believes he has a long way to go, asserting that the pinnacle of his career will be selling out the Cardiff Utilita Arena (CIA), winning a MOBO Award, having a TV show, and collaborating with producers Jae5 and Skepta.

As our discussion carries on, more tracks are being dropped online heightening the Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud, and I enthusiastically ask him, whose side he is on, Mace issued a sly grin. “I rate Drake, but I just align myself more with Kendrick’s vibe and storytelling,” he mused. “However, If it’s time for me to get involved in a high-profile beef like that though, it is what it is!”

In true Cardiff fashion, Mace The Great keeps it real, even when discussing hypothetical musical feuds. As he shared his parting words of wisdom for aspiring artists, his authenticity shines through once more:

“Don’t second guess yourselves and don’t take advice from people who haven’t done what you’re trying to do. Just put in your thing with no boundaries.”