A sad day for grime: Major Ace, a founding member of UK’s most influential garage crew, Pay As U Go Cartel, passed away yesterday as a result of a 3 year battle with a brain tumor.
Major Ace (real name Luke Monero) was a key player in the shaping of UK’s grime scene that grew significantly throughout the early 2000s. Fellow members of the group were: Wiley, Gods Gift, and DJ Slimzee Geeneus and DJ Wildfire.
Monero’s brother confirmed his death via Instagram and Twitter writing, “I’m in absolute pieces…Love u bro forever LEGEND IN THE GAME x”
The news came as a shock to the music industry and many artists who worked with and were inspired by Major Ace also took to social media to pay their respects to the grime legend. Upon hearing the tragic news, Tinchy Stryder, Lethal Bizzle, Lisa Maffia, Wretch32 were among those to share their feelings about how Major Ace has influenced their music careers as well as their personal lives. Chipmunk wrote: “he was one of the MC’s that made me wanna do this” while Tinchy Stryder reveals, “we grew up listening to you“.
Pay As U Go Cartel had a Top 20 hit called “Champagne Dance”, that was popular in 2002 and charted at number 13. Have a listen below.