Beats, love and life with MS: A night with Masta Ace at The Jazz Café

Earlier this year, we interviewed legendary American rapper Masta Ace for Black History Month – exploring his career, creativity and life with MS. So, when Masta Ace invited us to a special show in London with Marco Polo, Roxy went along to experience the night for herself. Here’s her take.

Every now and then, you walk into a gig and realise you’ve stepped into something rare: a room where the energy is right, the crowd is synced, and the whole thing feels less like a concert and more like the coolest house party.

That was the vibe at The Jazz Café for the Masta Ace and Marco Polo gig that I had the pleasure of attending. A night soaked in nostalgia, innovation, and pure, unfiltered hip-hop soul.

A sneak peek into the future of hip-hop

Early in the set, Ace and Marco Polo casually dropped a bomb: they're working on a new album.

And instead of playing it safe, they did something brave. They used the Jazz Café audience as their testing ground.

Beat after beat rolled out. Some smooth. Some jagged.

And then came that one beat. A dark, grimy, guitar-and-horns hybrid that ripped through the room like a shockwave. The second it dropped, the crowd erupted. People surged forward. Necks snapped in unison. It was raw, dirty, chaotic perfection.

There’s something intimate about witnessing artists experiment in real time.

Leschea: A voice of beauty!

One of the night’s sweetest surprises came when Masta Ace brought out his wife, Leschea.

Her voice?

Smooth. Effortless. Eternal.

Hearing her perform reminded everyone why her 1997 album Rhythm & Beats still holds weight today. But it wasn’t just the music. It was the way she and Ace moved together. Their chemistry radiated across the room: playful, aligned, deeply connected. You couldn’t help but smile watching them share a moment rooted in decades of love and artistry.

Performing through MS: A different kind of power

As someone living with MS, watching Masta Ace command the stage felt personal.

Because yes - Masta Ace lives and performs with MS.

Ace made it look effortless. Even though anyone who understands MS knows the effort behind that.

And yet there he was, moving with a stamina and sharpness that most artists can’t reach on their best day. Back-to-back shows. Relentless stage presence. Bars delivered with surgical precision. He made it look effortless, even though anyone who understands MS knows how much unseen effort goes into that level of performance.

It was a testament to his discipline, his love for the craft, and his refusal to let a diagnosis dim decades of artistic brilliance.

For those of us navigating chronic illness, seeing that kind of resilience hits differently.

It reminds you what’s still possible, not through denial, but through intention.

“London Love”: The moment that changed everything

At one point in the night, Ace paused to reflect on a track London embraced years ago, one that quietly reshaped the direction of his career. You could feel the gratitude settle over the room. A shared nod between artist and city, acknowledging a moment that mattered.

The Audience with ‘main character’ energy

And the crowd?

We weren’t just watching. We were part of the show.

Ace opened the floor and told the audience to shout out requests. Suddenly, the Jazz Café exploded into joyful, organised chaos. Fans yelled for deep cuts, classics, and dream tracks. It felt like a democratic hip-hop celebration where every voice mattered.

People danced and laughed with strangers.

Shared micro-moments of community that only live music can create.

A house party disguised as a gig

By the end of the night, The Jazz Café didn’t feel like a venue at all.

It felt like we’d stumbled into the kind of house party you talk about for years, where the host is a legendary MC, the DJ is a certified producer heavyweight, and the guest vocalist is an R&B queen with a timeless voice.

A night of beats, bars, vulnerability, love, and togetherness. And a reminder of why live music heals and why community matters.

Masta Ace remains one of the most respected storytellers in hip-hop -  MS and all.

A moment for the MS community

After the show, I had the chance to meet Masta Ace and Leschea. I told him that I also have MS.

He spoke briefly about taking care of himself after his diagnosis, especially around exercise and ‘treating yourself right’. But the real impact was the unspoken connection.

What really stuck with me was seeing someone living their dream with such beautiful support network around them. His wife Leschea, and DJ Producer Marco Polo, and the magic they were creating together.

It showed that with the right support and adjustments, anything is possible with MS. It was the subtle contentment in them as people that made the connection feel safe.

Ace also gave a shout-out to the MS Society at the end of the night, letting the audience know we were there raising awareness and accepting donations at the merch table.

It meant a lot that he welcomed us in and encouraged the crowd to support. A small moment, but a powerful one for visibility and community.