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Macklemore, Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz & Kool Moe Dee Stage an Epic VMA Opening (Video)

Did you ever think you'd see Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz and Kool Moe Dee on the VMAs? Macklemore & Ryan Lewis made it happen. Fresh off the release of the completely over the top song and video, "Downtown," the Seattle duo topped both with one of the most epic VMA... Read more

August 30, 2015 Video

Macklemore Collaborates with Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz & Kool Moe Dee (Video)

The lives of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have changed immensely since the 2012 release of their album, The Heist. The duo went from being indie Hip-Hop darlings to full-blown global superstars. The album and its singles dominated music for more than a year, culminating in sales of more than 1.4... Read more

August 27, 2015 Video

Chris Rivers, Grandmaster Caz & More Bridge Generations in a Cypher w/ R.A. The Rugged Man (Video)

R.A. The Rugged Man is gearing up to go on his Shoot Me In The Head Tour, but before heading out, he did a show at SOB's in New York City and brought out an all-star cast to join him in a cypher on stage. The cypher bridged together generations... Read more

April 13, 2015 Video

This Is Real-Time Rap History: Grandmaster Caz Makes Peace With Big Bank Hank

Earlier this month, The Sugarhill Gang's Henry "Big Bank Hank" Jackson died after a bout with cancer. At 57 years old, Hank carried the honor of rapping on one of the genre's breakthrough records, 1979's "Rapper's Delight." However, Heads know that Hank was never a writer, and even down to... Read more

November 21, 2014 Featured-homepage, Fresh, Throwback

DJ Kool Herc & Grandmaster Caz To Throw A Free Bronx Block Party 41 Years Later

Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis don't do many free Rock & Roll shows. The Clash don't play too many Punk shows anymore. However, Hip-Hop Heads are blessed with the opportunity to still see pioneers at work, and for not a single penny. This weekend, Hip-Hop's Godfather, DJ Kool Herc,... Read more

June 20, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Why Every Rapper Owes A Debt To Grandmaster Melle Mel (Video)

To those who closely study the history of Hip-Hop and embrace the earliest days of Rap, Grandmaster Melle Mel is a living legend and pioneer. The Bronx New York MC has a name that is often mentioned, whether in academic texts like Can't Stop, Won't Stop or Netflix series Hip... Read more

March 19, 2017 Video

Treach Names His Top 5 MCs From New Jersey

On the most recent episode of Drink Champs, Naughty By Nature's Treach appeared as the guest. The Grammy Award-winning veteran MC discussed over three hours worth of topics. Last year, the NBN co-founder vented frustrations about Top 5 lists and their impact on Hip-Hop. “I don’t think a lot of... Read more

November 19, 2023 Trending Stories, Video

Chuck D Details How He’s Kept The BASS In His Voice For 35 Years

Along with penning some of the most impactful Hip-Hop songs, Chuck D has displayed an incredible voice. The Long Island, New Yorker has demonstrated a commanding delivery on Public Enemy songs for over 35 years and more recently worked with Prophets Of Rage. Mistachuck’s vocals are distinct, precise, and treated... Read more

September 20, 2023 Exclusive, Fresh

Lauryn Hill Shows She’s Somebody To Nas & The World

Last night (August 11), Hip-Hop culture took over Yankee Stadium. There, a host of legends performed songs in the same Bronx borough that is credited with birthing Hip-Hop as Heads know it, 50 years ago this weekend. Kool Herc and his sister Cynthia Campbell were part of the festivities. It... Read more

August 12, 2023 Video

Snoop Performs La Di Da Di With Doug E Fresh & Slick Rick

Last night (August 11), Hip-Hop took over Yankee Stadium. There, a host of legends performed songs in the same Bronx borough that is credited with birthing Hip-Hop as Heads know it, 50 years ago this weekend. Kool Herc and his sister Cynthia Campbell were part of the festivities. It was... Read more

August 12, 2023 Video

Melle Mel Flexes His OG Status On An Eminem Diss

Last week (August 4), Eminem unleashed some diss bars at Grandmaster Melle Mel. Marshall Mathers, who thanked Melle in his Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction speech less than a year ago, clearly took umbrage with some of the comments his fellow Hall of Famer has made in the... Read more

August 8, 2023 Audio, News

KRS-One Explains Why Kool Herc Is THE Founder Of Hip-Hop

Throughout 2023, Hip-Hop culture is celebrating its most significant anniversary to date. At the top of the year, US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Congressman Jamaal Bowman appeared at the Universal Hip Hop Museum construction site in New York's Bronx borough. There, attending with KRS-One, Roxanne Shanté, Grandmaster Flash,... Read more

February 16, 2023 Video

Macklemore Ponders Hip-Hop’s Bad Influences On A Song With DJ Premier

It has been over a decade since Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' mainstream breakthrough, The Heist. Promoted with impressive Backroom freestyles and more, the album dealt with industry triumphs, sexual equality, and more. The against-the-grain LP featuring ScHoolboy Q and Ab-Soul would eventually (and somewhat controversially) win "Best Rap Album" at the 2014... Read more

January 22, 2023 Video

LL Cool J Blasts DJ Akademiks For Dissing Hip-Hop’s Pioneers

Weeks after Hip-Hop celebrated its honorary 49th birthday, one of the more popular commentators within the space has come under fire for some recent remarks surrounding Rap's pioneers. DJ Akademiks, known for his social media posts and co-host role on Complex's Everyday Struggle and Off The Record, did a Twitch... Read more

September 22, 2022 Fresh, News, Video

Latinos Have Played A Critical Role In Hip-Hop History. There’s No Debate

Last Friday (August 26) Fat Joe posted a video online that celebrated the contributions of Latino Hip-Hop pioneers. The slideshow acknowledged figures ranging from the Cold Crush Brothers' DJ Charlie Chase to DJ Disco Wiz to early producer/musician Pumpkin to The Fearless Four's Master O.C. and Tito. With the video,... Read more

August 30, 2022 Food for Thought

Kool G Rap & Big Daddy Kane Reunite On A New Song

After a 35-plus-year career, Kool G Rap is gearing up for a statement album. On October 14, 2022, the Queens, New York lyrical legend will release Last Of A Dying Breed. The upcoming album features contributions from Sean Price, AZ, 38 Spesh, NEMS, Royal Flush, and Vado. Domingo, a producer... Read more

August 25, 2022 Audio, Exclusive

Many Of Hip-Hop’s Greatest Rappers Name Their Top 5 MCs

Note: Jadakiss recently appeared on ESPN’s Jalen & Jacoby podcast and was asked who his top 5 Hip-Hop groups of all-time were. This article has been updated below with his response, as well as The Game’s top 5 LA Rap albums. A few days ago, during a podcast appearance, Ice... Read more

July 12, 2022 Video

KRS-One Raps Hip-Hop’s History & It Doesn’t End Well

Over a quarter-century ago, KRS-One assisted Das EFX in a cultural anthem, "Real Hip-Hop." Featuring production by DJ Premier (and Pete Rock on the remix), the EastWest Records single served as a battle cry for the culture these artists loved in the winds of change. In 2022, Kris returns with "Raw Hip... Read more

May 3, 2022 Video

DJ Kay Slay Has Passed Away At The Age Of 55

DJ Kay Slay has died. The man born Keith Grayson passed away yesterday (April 17) after a four-month-long battle with COVID-19. Kay Slay's Hip-Hop career stems back more than 40 years from his days as a graffiti icon into a leader in music, radio, and street publishing. The bold personality... Read more

April 18, 2022 News

The Top MCs Of The 80s & 90s Were Graded By Kool Moe Dee

Kool Moe Dee cemented a reputation during the 1980s as one of Hip-Hop's elite MCs who said what he felt without concern. After putting in work with The Treacherous Three group, Moe Doe pivoted to the scene as a feared battle rapper. He took on Busy Bee at the Harlem... Read more

January 11, 2022 Throwback

Kanye West’s Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Turns 10. Is It His Best Album?

One decade ago (November 22, 2010), Kanye West released a blockbuster album in My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Whereas 2008's 808's & Heartbreak confronting loss and lust with sounds that veered beyond 'Ye's first three albums, 2010's M.B.D.T.F. marked a return to form, even if it was nothing like the Roc-A-Fella Records mid-2000s run. Just... Read more

November 23, 2020 Fresh

Jaz-O Discusses The Record That He & JAY-Z Released In 1986 (Video)

Veteran Brooklyn, New York MC/producer Jaz-O released a new project, The Warmup. In a career that spans work with Rakim, M.O.P., DJ Premier, and others, Jaz-O is best known as the early mentor and rhyme partner of JAY-Z. The two artists with similar names appeared on several songs dating back... Read more

February 8, 2020 Video

Rakim Is A Top MC, But He Ain’t No Joke As A Producer Either (Video)

Rakim is widely revered as one of the greatest MCs in Hip-Hop history. However, as the lyrical legend continues to speak about his career in a new light, he may also deserve recognition as one of the culture's great producers. Earlier this week, Rakim stopped by HOT 97's Ebro In... Read more

October 26, 2019 Video

Mike Tyson Shares His Top 50 MCs List…And Joe Budden Is Not On It

At the top of this week, The Brew Podcast disseminated a ranked "Top 50 Greatest Rappers Of All-Time" list (embedded below) that has since captivated much of social media and the conversations around it. The Cincinnati, Ohio-based podcast dedicated to beer-making elicited some fans raising a glass, while other folks... Read more

August 7, 2019 Fresh

Jaz-O Confirms Inking Deal With JAY-Z’s Roc Nation

Some of JAY-Z's early and breakthrough Rap appearances came courtesy of his Marcy projects neighbor, Jaz-O. The Jaz, who was signed to EMI Records, featured his friend Jay on video singles "Hawaiian Sophie" and "The Originators." At the time, the two Brooklyn MCs employed a similar stuttered rhyme style. However,... Read more

July 9, 2019 News

In 1988, A Dozen Songs By Top Shelf MCs Went Missing. They’ve Been Found (Audio)

Back in 1988, there was a small studio and gathering place in Manhattan's Lower East Side. Top Shelf Studios was reportedly different than the usual places where Rap records were made. At a time when the culture was blossoming, MCs from across New York City liked the energy of the... Read more

November 15, 2018 Audio, Exclusive

MC Lyte Will Celebrate 30 Years In Hip-Hop With A Kennedy Center Concert

Thirty years ago this month, MC Lyte released her debut album, Lyte As A Rock. The MC born Lana Moorer was just 17 years old when she linked with Audio Two and First Priority Music to drop one of the earliest full-length offerings by a solo female Rap artist. The... Read more

September 19, 2018 Fresh

Will Smith Gives 1 Of His Realest Interviews. He Says He’s Finally Being Authentic (Video)

Will Smith is at a crossroads in his career. Throughout the last 33 years, the West Philadelphia native has balanced music, film, TV, philanthropy, and a celebrity family. In all of those fields, the 49-year-old has seemingly thrived on the highest level. Recently, two freestyles showed a fierce return to... Read more

July 16, 2018 Video

The Kennedy Center Put Q-Tip In Charge Of Hip-Hop Culture & He Built A Dream Team To Help

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. has announced the inauguration of its Hip Hop Culture Council, and the names are nothing short of heavyweights. According to the center's Medium page, the council is comprised of Hip Hop luminaries from across various elements of the culture.... Read more

March 6, 2018 News

This Fast-Paced Documentary On 1977 NYC Shows Hip-Hop’s Playground (Video)

From The Get Down to The Deuce, 1970s New York City has become a recent beacon of pop culture inspiration. At the time, the Big Apple seemed defined by countercultures. Within the five boroughs, politics, sex, crime, and the fight for equal rights would help shape critical advancements in music,... Read more

February 18, 2018 Throwback, TV, TV/Film, Video

Hip-Hop Pioneer Lovebug Starski Has Passed Away

Lovebug Starski is one of the Hip-Hop pioneers that Biggie Smalls shouts out in the opening verse to "Juicy." According to author/filmmaker Nelson George, the Bronx, New York MC, DJ and producer is responsible for coining the early 1970s youth culture as "Hip-Hop." He also was reportedly one of the... Read more

February 8, 2018 News

Black Thought Lists His Top 5 MCs & The Reasons He’s A GOAT (Video)

The latest episode of the Touré Show podcast released this week, and the guest is none other than Black Thought of The Roots. This insightful conversation (named "How To MC") took place in late 2017 at the Brooklyn Museum and was filmed in front of a live audience of a... Read more

February 1, 2018 Video

Happy Birthday Rakim. The God MC Turns 50 Years Old (Video)

It is a milestone month for legendary MCs. On January 14, LL Cool J celebrated his 50th birthday. Two weeks to the day after, Rakim also reaches this important mark. Fifty years ago today (January 28, 1968), the master lyricist was born William Michael Griffin, Jr. in New York, and... Read more

January 28, 2018 Fresh, Video

The Kennedy Center Is Celebrating Rap’s Pioneers With A Concert Series

The John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center has gradually created a bona fide space for Hip-Hop within its gates over the past year. It has appointed A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip as its First Artistic Director of Hip-Hop Culture in 2016 and is awarding LL Cool J as the first ever... Read more

November 10, 2017 News

An Argument For Why Ghostwriting Is Good Starting With Exhibit D-R-E (Video)

The biggest MCs in Hip-Hop are talking about ghostwriting more than ever right now. Sixteen years after Puff Daddy proudly proclaimed, "Don't ask me if I write rhymes, I write checks," authorship in Rap verses is not something that anybody takes lightly. Since Meek Mill outed Drake's involvement of emerging... Read more

October 28, 2017 Exclusive, TBD, Video

One Train Operator Gives New Meaning To “South Bronx Subway Rap” (Video)

In the film soundtrack to Wild Style, Cold Crush Brothers MC Grandmaster Caz famously spit the "South Bronx Rap." That classic track was later used for Nas' Illmatic intro and countless other places. While much has changed in New York City since the early 1980s, the relationship between subway trains... Read more

August 8, 2017 Video

Fat Joe, MC Lyte, DJ Premier & MC Eiht To Headline Final Rocksteady Anniversary Weekend

Next weekend, the Rocksteady Crew will celebrate its 40th anniversary. The yearly New York City event was announced by Crazy Legs to be the organization's final concert event of this kind. While the R.S.C. lives on, Crazy Legs suggested there would be new platforms put in place to show its... Read more

July 23, 2017 Fresh

40 Years Ago A New York City Blackout Turned Up The Power On Hip-Hop (Video)

Thursday (July 13) marks the 40th anniversary of New York City's infamous 1977 electricity blackout. This was a pivotal moment in Hip-Hop history which ignited a surge in the formation of DJs and Rap crews throughout the genre's birthplace. Wonder What A 1977 New York City Park Jam Sounded Like?... Read more

July 13, 2017 Do Remember

President Obama Inducts JAY-Z As The First MC In The Songwriters Hall Of Fame (Video)

Last night (June 15), Jay Z was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame. The first MC or Rap artist to receive the honors was not in attendance for the Manhattan ceremony. He and wife Beyoncé are presently awaiting twins. However, Jay's acceptance speech was replaced with other types of... Read more

June 16, 2017 News, Video

Chuck D Tells Kool Moe Dee That Spike Lee Did For Public Enemy What Radio Wouldn’t (Video)

Kool Moe Dee is one of the first Hip-Hop solo stars. As Public Enemy's Chuck D points out, Kool Moe Dee went from one third of the Treacherous 3 MCs to a Jive Records soloist, complete with hits, battle beefs, and a career that went from the 1970s into the... Read more

June 9, 2017 Throwback, TV/Film, Video

Dillon Cooper Doesn’t Scare Easily & Turns A Blind Eye To His Competition (Video)

Dillon Cooper is a Crown Heights, Brooklyn rapper who sound and look familiar to fans of the Hip-Hop inspired Netflix series, The Get Down, for which he contributed to the official soundtrack and played a supporting role as a young Grandmaster Caz. Also an accomplished musician,he attended the prestigious Berklee... Read more

May 16, 2017 Ready Or Not

Jermaine Dupri Penned Hits For Many. He Explains Why Using Writers Ain’t A Thang (Video)

In recent years, Hip-Hop has called into question the use of additional writers on songs. In 2015, Meek Mill created a beef when he publicized Drake's working with Atlanta, Georgia MC Quentin Miller on #1 album If You're Reading This It's Too Late. In turn, Meek and Drake's relationship disintegrated,... Read more

May 6, 2017 Video

A New Video Argues Methodically For Why Rakim Is The Greatest MC Of All-Time

For many, the greatest MCs of all-time hailed from the 90s. Names like Tupac, Biggie, Nas, Andre 3000, Jay Z and Eminem are often cited, and rightly so. Each is among the most gifted poets to pick up a mic, doing so in his own unique way. When Ambrosia For... Read more

March 4, 2017 Video

Finding The GOAT Producer. Which 2 Should Join The Top 30?

“Finding the GOAT Producer," the third installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series, features Hip-Hop’s greatest producers vying for the #1 spot. Thirty producers were pre-selected by a panel of experts, and two slots have been reserved for wild-card entries, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no deserving beat... Read more

January 31, 2017 Finding the GOAT

A New List Declares Who’s Been The Best MC Every Year From 1979 to 2016

2017 is still too young to have its best MC crowned, but a new list has named the best MC in each year, since 1979. From Grandmaster Caz to Chance the Rapper, MCs of all generations have found themselves mentioned in the comprehensive list generated by a team of writers... Read more

January 30, 2017 Fresh

9th Wonder Makes A Powerful Case For Tolerance Between Generations In Hip-Hop

In recent weeks, there have been several incidents, primarily on social media, that suggest a generational divide within Hip-Hop. Three of the biggest breakout stars of the last year ran into isolated incidents, and collided with some of Rap's veterans. Beyond simply music, age played a factor in the conflicts... Read more

September 14, 2016 Food for Thought

The Story Of Hip-Hop’s Earliest Days Is Told By Its Pioneers (Video)

Fifteen years after the onset of Hip-Hop culture (August of 1973 is credited by many historians), Eric B. & Rakim's Paid In Full album took the elements of skillful rapping and DJ'ing and applied them to a materialistic, ambition-driven lifestyle that featured fashion, jewelry, and luxury cars. Even in that... Read more

September 8, 2016 Video

Hear One Of The Earliest Rap Battles Ever Recorded From 1981 (Audio)

The Rap Battle has become a pop culture institution. The sport of two (or more MCs) competing has excited Hip-Hop culture since the art of rapping stepped to the front. Some of the most successful and acclaimed MCs began their careers through battling, and distinguished their legacies with combative moments... Read more

August 27, 2016 Throwback, Throwback

Large Professor Broke More Than Atoms 25 Years Ago. He Broke New Ground.

By the early 1990s, Wild Pitch Records proved to be one of the most exciting labels in Hip-Hop. It was their logo at the center of the record that made key introductions for Gang Starr, Lord Finesse, and Flavor Unit lyricist Chill Rob G. Stu Fine’s label appeared to be... Read more

July 19, 2016 Food for Thought

Phonte Explains Why Big Daddy Kane Is The Reason He Became An MC (Audio)

Phonte is the latest guest on The Cipher Show Podcast. For episode #146, the Greensboro, North Carolina native MC/singer spoke about the evolution of his career. A founder of Little Brother and Foreign Exchange, "Tigallo" had an hour-and-a-half discussion with Shawn Setaro on topics ranging from his "Percy Miracles" character,... Read more

March 15, 2016 Audio

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