{{Use British English|date=June 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Merky ACE | image = Merky ACE.jpg | image_size = 300px | caption = Merky ACE in 2017. | birth_name = Aisa Sampson<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#ace/work/886994694 |title=ACE Repertory |access-date=22 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012060631/https://www.ascap.com/repertory#ace/work/886994694 |archive-date=12 October 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> | alias = Splurt Diablo | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1992|04|01}} | birth_place = Peckham, London, England | origin = Lewisham, London, England | genre = {{flatlist| * Grime * trap * dubstep }} | occupation = {{flatlist| * MC * rapper * songwriter * record producer }} | years_active = 2009–present | label = {{flatlist| * Tizzy Gang * Family Tree * Dirtee Stank * TUIGSE * Oil Gang * }} | associated_acts = Tre Mission, Dizzee Rascal | website = {{URL|merkyace.com}} }}
'''Aisa Khan Sampson-Spencer''' (born 1 April 1992), known professionally as '''Merky ACE''', is a British grime MC, rapper, songwriter and record producer from Lewisham, South London. He was a founding member of the grime collective Family Tree, and later Tizzy Gang, with whom he is still a part of. He also produces beats under the pseudonym '''Splurt Diablo'''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.radarradio.com/blog/merky-ace-splurt-diablo-dj-mc-interview |title=Merk Diablo? Splurty Ace? Who's Who? - Radar Radio - Radar Radio |access-date=9 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810150459/http://www.radarradio.com/blog/merky-ace-splurt-diablo-dj-mc-interview |archive-date=10 August 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> His debut album, ''Blue Battlefield'', was released on 3 April 2011.
==Career== Merky ACE first came to prominence on the UK underground scene as part of grime's "new wave" in 2011.<ref name="mtviggy">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtviggy.com/interviews/merky-ace-grime-prince/|title=Merky Ace: Grime's New Prince {{pipe}} MTV IGGY|publisher=mtviggy.com|accessdate=30 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005085300/http://www.mtviggy.com/interviews/merky-ace-grime-prince/|archive-date=5 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In the same year he independently released his acclaimed ''Blue Battlefield'' mixtape and followed it up with the ''Catch Up EP'' in the same year.<ref name="mtv">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/the-wrap-up/blog/wrap-up-and-watch-out-merky-ace|title=Wrap Up And Watch Out: Merky Ace {{pipe}} MTV UK|publisher=mtv.co.uk|access-date=30 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001115248/http://www.mtv.co.uk/the-wrap-up/blog/wrap-up-and-watch-out-merky-ace|archive-date=1 October 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="hitthefloor">{{cite web|url=http://www.hitthefloor.com/music/urban/merky-ace-catch-up-ep-advert-tracklisting/|title=Merky Ace - Catch Up EP (Advert & Tracklisting) - Hit The Floor|publisher=hitthefloor.com|accessdate=30 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001090326/http://www.hitthefloor.com/music/urban/merky-ace-catch-up-ep-advert-tracklisting/|archive-date=1 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2012, Merky ACE recorded features for Dizzee Rascal's Dirtee TV 2 mixtape which was released on Christmas of that year.<ref name="prefixmag">{{cite web|url=http://www.prefixmag.com/news/download-dizzee-rascals-dirtee-tv-vol-2-mixtape/72570/|title=Download: Dizzee Rascal's 'Dirtee TV Vol. 2' Mixtape {{pipe}} Prefix|publisher=prefixmag.com|accessdate=30 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001163238/http://www.prefixmag.com/news/download-dizzee-rascals-dirtee-tv-vol-2-mixtape/72570/|archive-date=1 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013, he released two mixtapes - ''All or Nothing'' and ''Play Your Position'' - through grime label NoHatsNoHoods.<ref name="factmag">{{cite web|url=http://www.factmag.com/2013/04/05/grime-up-and-comer-merky-ace-wants-all-or-nothing-on-new-mixtape/|title=Grime up-and-comer Merky Ace wants All or Nothing on new full-length - FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music.|publisher=factmag.com|accessdate=30 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001163351/http://www.factmag.com/2013/04/05/grime-up-and-comer-merky-ace-wants-all-or-nothing-on-new-mixtape/|archive-date=1 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="sonicrouter">{{cite web|url=http://www.sonicrouter.com/2013/10/a-natural-balance-talking-merky-aces-second-album-play-your-position/|title=Sonic Router {{pipe}} A Natural Balance: Talking Merky Ace's Second Album, Play Your Position|publisher=sonicrouter.com|accessdate=30 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001213900/http://www.sonicrouter.com/2013/10/a-natural-balance-talking-merky-aces-second-album-play-your-position/|archive-date=1 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="earmilk">{{cite web|url=http://www.earmilk.com/2013/10/11/merky-ace-play-your-position-mixtape-premiere/|title=Merky ACE - Play Your Position [Mixtape Premiere] - EARMILK|publisher=Earmilk|accessdate=30 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002030125/http://www.earmilk.com/2013/10/11/merky-ace-play-your-position-mixtape-premiere/|archive-date=2 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2014, Merky ACE was signed to Dizzee Rascal's label Dirtee Stank.<ref name="complex">{{cite web|url=http://uk.complex.com/music/2015/06/premiere-merky-ace-cuss-match-produced-by-footsie|title=Premiere: Merky Ace Makes His Dirtee Stank Debut With "Cuss Match" (Prod. By Footsie) {{pipe}} Complex UK|publisher=uk.complex.com|accessdate=30 September 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106190829/http://uk.complex.com/music/2015/06/premiere-merky-ace-cuss-match-produced-by-footsie|archivedate=6 January 2016}}</ref> Merky ACE's first project on the label ''Peak Levels EP'' was released on 17 July 2015.<ref name="vice">{{cite web|url=http://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/music-video-premieres/merky-ace-cuss-match-official-video|title=MERKY ACE - "CUSS MATCH" (OFFICIAL VIDEO) {{pipe}} MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERES {{pipe}} NOISEY|publisher=noisey.vice.com|access-date=30 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004161930/http://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/music-video-premieres/merky-ace-cuss-match-official-video|archive-date=4 October 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> In late 2015, Merky ACE formed a new crew, Tizzy Gang alongside Tre Mission and Cadell; following this news, Family Tree disbanded shortly after in early 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sbtv.co.uk/read/features/in-the-studio-with-tizzy-gang |title=The Lowdown: In the Studio with...Tizzy Gang - SBTV |access-date=18 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520053504/http://www.sbtv.co.uk/read/features/in-the-studio-with-tizzy-gang/ |archive-date=20 May 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.sbtv.co.uk/new_music/listen-merky-ace-tre-mission-and-cadell-team-up-on-hurt/]{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Merky was a joint executive producer of Tizzy Gang's debut collaborative album, ''Opps Next Door Vol. 1'', which was released on 16 June 2017. He provided vocals for fifteen of the album's twenty tracks, and produced many of its tracks under his Splurt Diablo alias. The album's release was celebrated with a launch party at Relentless No. 5 in London.
His debut solo album, ''War Is Normal'', was released on 11 May 2018. The album features the singles "TDF", "Black Hawk Down", and "Out of Order", which were released on 9 March, 16 March, and 23 March 2018 respectively. The first two of these tracks had previously premiered on his SoundCloud in 2016, as had "Ruff's the New Buff", "Crash Bang Sound", and "What's the Program?".
On 5 June 2020, Merky marked his first collaboration with fellow grime MC Capo Lee with a joint project, the ''Clash of the Pagans'' EP.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://merkyace.bandcamp.com/album/clash-of-the-pagans|title=Clash of the Pagans|date=5 June 2020|website=bandcamp}}</ref>
==Discography==
===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Details |- ! scope="row"| '''''Opps Next Door''''' <small>(with Tizzy Gang)</small> | * Released: 16 June 2017 * Label: Last Gang Records * Formats: Digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''War is Normal''''' | * Released: 11 May 2018 * Label: Tizzy Gang, TUISGE * Formats: Digital download |- |}
===Compilation albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Details |- ! scope="row"| '''''Best of Merky ACE''''' | * Released: 28 September 2009 * Label: Self-released * Formats: Free digital download * Features songs from ''Headtop Turner'', ''Normal'' and ''Who's Merky?'' alongside bonus tracks |- |}
===Mixtapes=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Details |- ! scope="row"| '''''Headtop Turner''''' | * Released: 2008 * Label: Headtop Turner Entertainment * Formats: CD, free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Watch Me Leave Scars''''' | * Released: 17 February 2008 * Label: Headtop Turner Entertainment * Formats: CD, free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''NWO: New World Order''''' | * Released: 2008 * Label: Headtop Turner Entertainment * Formats: CD, free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Normal''''' | * Released: 8 May 2009 * Label: Self-released * Formats: CD, free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Who's Merky?''''' | * Released: 9 August 2009 * Label: Self-released * Formats: CD, free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Grime''''' | * Released: 2009 * Label: Family Tree * Formats: CD, free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''The Ones That Didn't Make It''''' | * Released: 4 July 2010 * Label: Family Tree * Formats: CD, free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Blue Battlefield''''' | * Released: 4 April 2011 * Label: Family Tree * Formats: CD, digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''All Or Nothing''''' | * Released: 27 May 2013 * Label: NoHatsNoHoods * Formats: CD, digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Play Your Position''''' | * Released: 14 October 2013 * Label: NoHatsNoHoods * Formats: CD, digital download |- |}
===EPs=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Details |- ! scope="row"| '''''Shinobi''''' <small>(with Splurt Diablo)</small> | * Released: 27 October 2009 * Label: Family Tree * Formats: Free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''The Recycle Bin''''' | * Released: 2 November 2010 * Label: Family Tree * Formats: Free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Catch Up''''' | * Released: 12 December 2011 * Label: Family Tree * Formats: Digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Peak Levels''''' | * Released: 17 July 2015 * Label: Dirtee Stank * Formats: Digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''GOAT (Greatest of All Time)''''' <small>(with MIK)</small> | * Released: 11 January 2016 * Label: Tizzy Gang * Formats: Digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Catch Up Vol. 2''''' | * Released: 19 February 2016 * Label: Tizzy Gang * Formats: Digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Catch Up Vol. 3''''' | * Released: 12 October 2016 * Label: Tizzy Gang, TUIGSE * Formats: Digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Personality Cult''''' | * Released: 29 September 2017 * Label: Tizzy Gang, TUIGSE * Formats: Digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Catch Up Vol. 4''''' | * Released: 3 July 2020 * Label: Tizzy Gang * Formats: Digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Clash of the Pagans''''' <small>(with Capo Lee)</small> | *Released: 5 June 2020 *Label: BLACC CIRC13 *Formats: Free digital download |- |}
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col"| Album |- | rowspan="2"| 2010 ! scope="row"| "Blue Battle Kiwi" | rowspan="3"| Non-album singles |- ! scope="row"| "Greaze" |- | rowspan="1" | 2011 ! scope="row"| "Shutdown"<br/><span style="font-size:85%;">(with MIK)</span> |- | rowspan="2" | 2012 ! scope="row"| "Eff Tizzy" | ''All Or Nothing'' |- ! scope="row"| "3 CDs Freestyle" | Non-album single |- | rowspan="3" | 2015 ! scope="row"| "Cuss Match" | ''Peak Levels EP'' |- ! scope="row"| "El Peñol" | ''Catch Up Vol. 2'' |- ! scope="row"| "Polyphonic Ringtone" | ''Catch Up Vol. 3'' |- | rowspan="5"| 2017 ! scope="row"| "Old Skool Roadman Jacket"<br/><span style="font-size:85%;">(with Tizzy Gang)</span> | rowspan="3"| ''Opps Next Door Vol. 1'' |- ! scope="row"| "Shekel"<br/><span style="font-size:85%;">(with Tizzy Gang)</span> |- ! scope="row"| "Opps Next Door"<br/><span style="font-size:85%;">(with Tizzy Gang)</span> |- ! scope="row"| "Our Queen" | rowspan="2"|''Personality Cult EP'' |- ! scope="row"| "Ragu"<br/><span style="font-size:85%;">(featuring Southside JB and Ko-Kane)</span> |- | rowspan="3" | 2018 ! scope="row"| "TDF" | rowspan="3" | ''War is Normal'' |- ! scope="row"| "Black Hawk Down" |- ! scope="row"| "Out of Order" |- | rowspan="1" | 2019 ! scope="row"| "Look Like Loubz" | Non-album single |}
===As Splurt Diablo=== ====Mixtapes and compilations==== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Details |- ! scope="row"| '''''Extra Terrestrial - The Splurt Diablo Anthology''''' | * Released: 1 May 2020 * Label: Tizzy Gang * Formats: Digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''All About the Melanin''''' | * Released: 1 May 2020 * Label: Tizzy Gang * Formats: Digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''/s''''' | * Released: 3 July 2020 * Label: Tizzy Gang * Formats: Digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Blacc''''' | * Released: 7 August 2020 * Label: Tizzy Gang * Formats: Digital download |- |}
====EPs==== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Details |- ! scope="row"| '''''Vomit''''' | * Released: 1 March 2010 * Label: Family Tree * Formats: Free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Vomit Vol. 2''''' | * Released: 1 April 2010 * Label: Family Tree * Formats: Free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Vomit Vol. 3''''' | * Released: 1 May 2010 * Label: Family Tree * Formats: Free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''J3''''' | * Released: 9 October 2013 * Label: Oil Gang * Formats: Vinyl, digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Throwbacks''''' | * Released: 11 August 2016 * Label: Self-released * Formats: Free digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Cyborg Justice''''' | * Released: 17 January 2017 * Label: Self-released * Formats: Bandcamp-exclusive digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Fatigue''''' | * Released: 15 February 2017 * Label: Self-released * Formats: Bandcamp-exclusive digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''CCTV Celeb''''' | * Released: 15 March 2017 * Label: Self-released * Formats: Bandcamp-exclusive digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Hara-Kiri''''' | * Released: 21 April 2017 * Label: Self-released * Formats: Bandcamp-exclusive digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Space Madness''''' | * Released: 17 May 2017 * Label: Self-released * Formats: Bandcamp-exclusive digital download |- ! scope="row"| '''''Amped / Irn Bru''''' | * Released: 7 May 2018 * Label: Blood Frenzy * Formats: 12" vinyl<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://weareinsert.com/audio/premiere-splurt-diablo-irn-bru-blood-frenzy/ |title=Premiere: Splurt Diablo - Irn Bru [Blood Frenzy] | Insert |access-date=3 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023175046/https://weareinsert.com/audio/premiere-splurt-diablo-irn-bru-blood-frenzy/ |archive-date=23 October 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |}
==Awards and nominations== {{awards table}} !{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | 2020 | rowspan="1"| Jme featuring Merky ACE - "Live" | rowspan="1"| UK Music Video Awards Best Hip Hop / Grime / Rap Video | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web|last=Paine|first=Andre|date=6 November 2020|title=UK Music Video Awards 2020 Winners Revealed|url=https://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/uk-music-video-awards-2020-winners-revealed/081818|access-date=7 November 2020|website=Music Week}}</ref> {{end}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merky ACE}} Category:Living people Category:Black British male rappers Category:Black British rappers Category:British trap musicians Category:Dubstep musicians Category:English male rappers Category:English record producers Category:Grime music artists Category:Rappers from the London Borough of Lewisham Category:Rappers from the London Borough of Southwark Category:People from Lewisham Category:1992 births Category:People from Peckham Category:21st-century rappers