Bonita

Lupe Fiasco vs. Kendrick Lamar: Why “Stealing” Is Not A Crime For Artists (Video)

Lupe Fiasco took umbrage with Marvel's upcoming Black Panther soundtrack on social media last week, arguing the cover artwork for the film's Kendrick Lamar and SZA-led soundtrack single, "All the Stars," bears a remarkable resemblance to the artwork for his forthcoming album Drogas Wave. Visual grievances aside, Lupe's and Kendrick's... Read more

January 15, 2018 Exclusive, TBD, Video

Lena Waithe Is The First Black Woman To Win An Emmy For Comedy Writing (Video)

"TV teaches you how to dream," Lena Waithe said in her recent interview with The Breakfast Club. The Chicagoan actor and writer just made television history as the first Black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing, for her work on the "Thanksgiving" episode of Master of None. Now... Read more

January 13, 2018 TV

Hip-Hop Is Good For The Brain. A New Study Proves It.

As the world's most dominant musical culture, Hip-Hop is permeating more than our earbuds. Generations of people around the world have been raised on Rap music as well as the fashion, dance, clothing and personal choices it inspires — which, in effect, changes the way we think about and move through... Read more

December 28, 2017 Lifestyle

The Golden Globes Snubs May Be A Sign Of A Hollywood Backlash Against Women

On January 7, 2018, the 75th Golden Globes will air amidst a time in which the entertainment industry remains mired in controversy. Titans like Harvey Weinstein, Louis C.K., Russell Simmons, Kevin Spacey and many more have had their careers engulfed in flames after decades of sexual assault, misconduct and charges... Read more

December 18, 2017 Lifestyle

Bahamadia Produced An Entire EP On Her Phone & It’s Dialed Up 2 The Max (Audio)

Revered as one of music's most gifted Philly lyricists, Bahamadia is known for her subdued, under-the-radar persona. However, her presence in the culture has never waned. Largely considered one of the dopest women to have ever touched a mic, her 1996 album Kollage continues to ring bells two decades later.... Read more

October 19, 2017 Audio, Exclusive

A New Study Shows Which Rappers Are Lyrically Similar & Many Are Very Surprising

As a data scientist, Matt Daniels has channeled much of his skill towards Hip-Hop, providing Heads with exceptionally creative looks at the numbers behind the names. In 2014, he made waves with an interactive graphic which grouped rappers along a scale according to the number of unique words contained in... Read more

September 21, 2017 Fresh

20 Years Ago The Beatnuts, Big Pun & Cuban Link Broke The Bank Off The Books (Video)

Two decades ago, The Beatnuts brought Big Pun and Cuban Link to Wall Street. In the video for the Queens, New York group's 1997 single "Off The Books," the men representing various Latin-American identities performed in the heart of America's financial hub and in so doing made a tongue-in-cheek statement... Read more

September 14, 2017 Do Remember

NFL Ratings Are Down & Big Media’s Too Scared To Cite The Boycott

With season-opening kickoff and Monday Night Football behind us, what promises to be one of the most politically tinged seasons in the NFL is underway. Still mired in controversy surrounding Colin Kaepernick, the league is also defending itself against those who believe the organization is too lenient with players who've committed... Read more

September 12, 2017 Lifestyle

Z-Ro, Trae Tha Truth & Killa Kyleon Discuss Houston’s State Of Crisis After Harvey (Audio)

With mandatory evacuations in Florida, Georgia and possibly more on the way as Hurricane Irma barrels towards the United States (after decimating islands in the Caribbean), the country continues to reel from the effects of Hurricane Harvey. Houston and some coastal parts of Texas were ravaged by the storm, which... Read more

September 7, 2017 Audio, Lifestyle

This Run-D.M.C. Beatboxing & Rapping Session Is Tougher Than Leather (Video)

It was 1988, and Run-D.M.C. were already four albums into a genre-defining discography. In May of that year, the Kings of Rock (who were previously raising hell on airwaves across the world) dropped what would become the platinum-selling Tougher Than Leather, home to fan favorites like "Mary, Mary" and "Run's House."... Read more

August 24, 2017 Do Remember

Tupac & E-40’s 1st Collabo Still Leaves Lesser MCs Dusted & Disgusted (Video)

E-40's 1995 sophomore solo LP In A Major Way might be remembered most for "Sprinkle Me" (featuring fellow The Click member Suga-T), but lesser-known single "Dusted 'N' Disgusted" also stands the test of time. Featuring Tupac - who dropped Me Against the World the very same week, that March - Mac... Read more

August 17, 2017 Do Remember

Confederate Statues Are Coming Down As Rappers Speak Up

At this very moment, the United States is undergoing an unnerving week of heated political debate. Over the previous weekend, a rally organized by members of White nationalist, KKK, and other extremist groups turned violent and fatal. Charlottesville, Virginia has become the unwitting headquarters for America's latest civil-rights battle, one... Read more

August 16, 2017 Lifestyle, News

Sadat X Drops A Freestyle Filled With The Grown Man Rap He’s Made For Years (Video)

Debates about a so-called "generation gap" in Rap music will likely be a perennial characteristic of the genre. As recently as the June release of JAY-Z's 4:44, vociferous fans and critics engaged in discussions about "grown-man Rap" and how a 47-year-old MC was able to drop one of the best albums... Read more

August 14, 2017 Video

Scientists Are Hacking Computers By Converting Malware Into Strands Of DNA

In contemporary society, hacking has become an all-too-familiar aspect of daily life. Unauthorized access to data using computers has been employed for both ethical and unethical purposes by both authorities and the general public, generating massive public interest or remaining unnoticed. The domain of hacking encompasses a wide range of... Read more

August 12, 2017 Lifestyle

Big Boi Is Giving A 5-Year Old Victim Of Gun Violence A Life-Changing Gift (Video)

Outside of his career as a prodigious solo rapper and one-half of the incomparable Outkast, Atlanta, Georgia's Big Boi has been involved in the professional breeding of dogs for many years. Focusing primarily on American Bully breeds, the man born Andre Patton is the owner of Pitfall Kennels where he... Read more

August 11, 2017 Lifestyle

JAY-Z’s Video For “Moonlight” Re-Creates “Friends” With An All-Star Black Cast

In 2003, Aisha Tyler joined the cast of NBC's long-running television series, Friends. She played a recurring character who represented the show's most visible Black character in its then nine-year history. Along with shows like Sex and the City and Seinfeld, the New York City-based sitcom often came under fire for the lack of... Read more

August 11, 2017 Video

Joyner Lucas Shows The Journey Of A $100 Bill In 1 Of The Year’s Most Innovative Videos

In the video for his phenomenal record, "Keep It 100," Worcester, Massachusetts rapper Joyner Lucas takes follows the lifespan of a $100 bill. After being printed at the Mint, it emerges through an ATM, then is handed off to a drug dealer, who brings it to a strip club. The... Read more

August 10, 2017 Video

For The First Time, A Woman Has Won The National DMC DJ Championship

Since 1985 the DMC DJ Championships organization has named DJs representing a vast array of countries the winners of the competition, considered the preeminent battle in the world of turntablism. Roc Raida, Mixmaster Mike, Q-Bert, A-Trak, and Craze are just a few of the gifted disc jockeys to have walked away... Read more

August 9, 2017 News

Royce 5’9 & Conway The Machine Make Other MCs Sick With Ill Rhymes (Video)

In May, producer and DJ Green Lantern's skills were heard on Conway The Machine's Reject On Steroids project, which featured a collaboration with Royce 5'9. On "iLL," Conway and Royce trade bars that should make lesser MCs sick to their stomachs, each rapper delivering a punishing verse that showcases their respective talents. Conway and... Read more

August 8, 2017 Video

The Music Of Common & Stevie Wonder Is A Perfect Match In This Mash-Up Album (Audio)

Amerigo Gazaway is the sort of musical innovator whose work is nothing short of remarkable. He has forged a path entirely his own through ingenious mash-up projects dating back several years: 2011's Fela Soul, featuring the works of Fela Kuti and De La Soul; 2014's Yasiin Gaye, the marriage of Yasiin Bey/Mos... Read more

August 8, 2017 Audio, Mixes

The Last Original Member Of Slum Village Is Stepping Away With A Solo Album (Audio)

T3 has been carrying the legacy of Detroit Rap group Slum Village on his shoulders for many years. Since the deaths of fellow founding members J Dilla and Baatin (in 2006 and 2009, respectively), Slum Village's roster of members has included Elzhi, Illa J, and Young RJ but T3's presence... Read more

August 6, 2017 Audio

Busta Rhymes Can Still Break Ya Neck With Raps In Only 41 Seconds… (Audio)

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So...let AFH fight through it for you and only supply you with that great stuff. Despite the reports, Hip-Hop is alive and well and, in many ways, is better than it's ever been. Not only are we able to go back... Read more

August 4, 2017 Audio, Playlists

JAY-Z’s Open Letter To His Father Is About Pain & Progress (Video)

JAY-Z's 4:44 is proving to be a preeminent example of "mature" Rap music. At 47 years old, the iconic MC released a piece of music that is deeply personal and resonant with millions of fans, from his comments about infidelity to financial advice, openness about homosexuality in his family and... Read more

August 4, 2017 Video

Talib Kweli Is Celebrating 15 Years Of Quality With An Extended Residency At The Blue Note

In November 2002, Talib Kweli's debut solo LP hit store shelves. The Brooklyn, New York MC had already won Heads over as Mos Def's Black Star brother, but it would be on his own where he sowed the seeds for one of Hip-Hop's most successful careers and Quality would be the... Read more

August 3, 2017 News

Lord Jamar Is Challenging Hip-Hop To Show Off Stacks Instead Of Racks

One of the unexpected results of JAY-Z's 4:44 was the social-media responses the critically acclaimed album inspired. Of those, perhaps none caught on as quickly as the "money phone challenge" in which users uploaded images of them holding stacks of cash to their ear. Meant to symbolize "money calling," holding up racks... Read more

August 3, 2017 Fresh, Lifestyle

A Company Has Implanted Microchips Into Employees. Where Do We Go From Here? (Video)

Today (August 1), some employees at a technology company in Wisconsin will be using microchip technology to perform a handful of routine job-related tasks. But what makes this particular technology noteworthy is that their microchips are implanted inside their bodies. At Three Square Market, 50 out of 80 employees now... Read more

August 1, 2017 Lifestyle

Masta Killa’s New Video Reminds Us To Celebrate Rap’s OGs While They’re Still Here

As a member of one of Hip-Hop's most venerated crews, Wu-Tang Clan's Masta Killa is a true original. With his 48th birthday turning the corner next month, he's been releasing music since the 1990s, including three solo LPs beginning with 2004's No Said Date. This December will mark the 5th... Read more

July 31, 2017 Video

Mary J. Blige & Grand Puba Gave Us The 411 On The Real Meaning Of Hip-Hop Soul (Video)

On July 28, 1992, Mary J. Blige released a debut album that would alter the course of contemporary R&B and Soul and introduce the world to a new Queen. What's The 411? remains the keystone to her career, 25 years and 12 solo LPs later. A quarter of a century... Read more

July 28, 2017 Audio

Action Bronson Makes A Demented Video, With Rhymes That Kick Like Kung Fu

Action Bronson may be remembered for his videos as much as his rhyming and antics, when all is said and done. Last month, the Queens, New York rapper released one of the year's most outrageous videos in the form of his Fat Boys-sampling "Let Me Breathe." He has followed it... Read more

July 27, 2017 Video

Digital Underground’s Money-B Reveals The Secret History Of Tupac’s “I Get Around” (Video)

In 1993, Tupac Shakur dropped Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…, his sophomore solo LP and the home to singles "Holler If Ya Hear Me," "Keep Ya Head Up," and "I Get Around." Featuring Shock G and Money-B of Digital Underground, "I Get Around" has over 39-million views on YouTube, making it one... Read more

July 26, 2017 Video

Apollo Brown & Planet Asia Are Putting That Stank On Ya With Anchovies (Audio)

Apollo Brown will be adding another project to his already robust collection of collaborative projects, this time with MC Planet Asia. The Mello Music Group producer has already teamed up with Guilty Simpson (Dice Game), OC (Trophies), Ras Kass (Blasphemy), and with Skyzoo on 2016's standout LP The Easy Truth, released fewer... Read more

July 25, 2017 Audio

MTV Is Making History By Doing Away With Gendered Categories For The VMAs

Most music fans would likely agree that MTV has long since lost its standing as "Music Television," in both official title and its programming content. However, its annual Video Music Awards ceremony continues to draw millions of viewers and this year's installment is poised to make the television network a... Read more

July 25, 2017 Lifestyle

3D Na’Tee Might Have Outrapped JAY-Z On His Own Song & She Drops Knowledge Too (Audio)

"The Story of O.J." continues to prove to be a source of inspiration for artists. The JAY-Z record with some of 2017's most compelling visual accompaniment is one of 4:44's standout tracks, and has already inspired Detroit rapper Page Kennedy's pen. On the original version, the song is akin to Mos... Read more

July 25, 2017 Audio

Queen Latifah & Jada Pinkett Smith Set It Off Again At The Box Office With “Girls Trip”

Films by Black directors, screenwriters, and casts continue to prove that diverse voices are Hollywood gold. With Straight Outta Compton, Hidden Figures, Moonlight, and Get Out still fresh in our memories, Girls Trip is continuing the recent streak of Black cinema breaking records, winning awards, and driving the conversation about diversity in film. Starring Queen Latifah, Jada... Read more

July 24, 2017 TV/Film

Rapsody Shows There’s More Worth In Rapping For Live Presidents (Audio)

For the third week in a row, Rapsody has set free another potent example of her virtuosity as an MC. The Snow Hill, North Carolina Roc Nation signee (and Jamla roster member) has been celebrating #JamRocFridays, a series of releases which, by all outward appearances, seem to be in anticipation... Read more

July 22, 2017 Audio

Alchemist & Mobb Deep’s New Song Is A Reminder Of Prodigy’s Quiet Storm (Audio)

In 1999, Mobb Deep released Murda Muzik, the duo's fourth LP and one that featured production from The Alchemist. On the album's eponymous track as well as the Kool G Rap-assisted "The Realest," the producer with a Los Angeles provenance vibed perfectly with Havoc and Prodigy, two of Queensbridge's most notorious... Read more

July 21, 2017 Audio

Dave Chappelle Tells Stretch & Bob The Back-Story Of Hosting SNL After The Election (Audio)

Hip-Hop radio icons Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Garcia have returned to the airwaves, though in a different format. Bringing their decades of experience and expansive breadth of music knowledge to National Public Radio (NPR), the two men largely responsible for breaking the likes of The Notorious B.I.G., Mobb Deep, and... Read more

July 19, 2017 Audio

For 1st Time Ever, Americans Are Consuming Hip-Hop More Than Rock Music

From fashion to language, Hip-Hop culture has left its imprint on far more than just music. What was once shrugged off as a fad is now the globe's dominant cultural force, with more and more reports being published to offer up statistical proof. In 2015, Hip-Hop was crowned as the... Read more

July 17, 2017 Fresh

Vic Mensa Crashes & Burns With Rage Then Rises Again (Video)

Lots has been said about Vic Mensa's consistently outspoken nature, a characteristic of both his music and personal views. A vociferous critic of political policies in his native Chicago, Vic also recently made waves calling out DJ Akademiks for what he perceived to be the latter's nonchalant ignorance about homicides... Read more

July 17, 2017 Video

Rapsody Shows Once Again That Few MCs Can Hang With Her Whether Male Of Female (Audio)

For fans of Rapsody, the last couple of weeks have been golden. The North Carolina MC is celebrating her two musical families, Jamla and Roc Nation, with #JamRocFridays, releasing new music for what are now two consecutive weeks. As fans continue to anticipate the impending release of her first full... Read more

July 15, 2017 Audio

Logic Literally May Have Saved Lives With The Release Of His Latest Album

The impact of Rap songs on the real lives of listeners continues to thrive well into the genre's 5th decade of existence. On his latest album, May's Everybody, Logic featured a song with the curious title "1-800-273-8255." Featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid, the LP's third single draws its name from the... Read more

July 13, 2017 Lifestyle

A New Study Suggests Record Labels Are Ignoring The Popularity Of Pro-Social Hip-Hop

A new study out of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is turning a common misconception about what fans of Rap want to hear on its head. Generally speaking, the radio and the industry at large are often criticized for promoting music with negative messages, ones drenched in... Read more

July 13, 2017 Fresh

Rob Markman Says He’s Better Than MCs He’s Interviewed & Freestyles To Prove It (Video)

Rob Markman and "freestyle" typically only appear in the same sentence when the veteran journalist is writing about a hot verse dropped by an established rapper. A longtime presence in Hip-Hop journalism, Markman is currently Head of Artist Relations at Genius, but he has many years of work putting pen... Read more

July 13, 2017 Video

A New Show Is Bringing Conscious Hip-Hop Back To Radio (Audio)

In recent years, Rap radio has been heavily criticized for being washed out and repetitive, playing only what's hot right now and providing listeners with the same content over and over. But Hip-Hop's relationship with radio hasn't always been so disjointed. For much of its lifespan, the culture was promoted... Read more

July 10, 2017 Audio

The FDA Has Approved A New Sickle Cell Treatment For The 1st Time In 20 Years

Prodigy, the late rapper who suffered from sickle-cell disease, played an important role in opening up dialogues about health in communities of color. The illness - which primarily affects African-Americans, Latinos, and other racial minority groups - caused him tremendous pain and suffering, a struggle about which he spoke frankly... Read more

July 10, 2017 Lifestyle

JAY-Z Announces North American Tour In Support Of 4:44

Already being called one of the best solo LPs of his 20-plus-year career, 4:44 will be celebrated on a 31-date North American tour beginning in the fall. JAY-Z has announced the details for the 2017 spectacle, which begins in October and spans two months. The Brooklyn, New York icon has been enjoying one... Read more

July 10, 2017 Fresh

Run The Jewels Show America As The Little Shop Of Horrors It’s Becoming (Video)

Never ones to back down from melding political opinion with music, Killer Mike and El-P have made Run The Jewels arguably one of the most outspoken acts in Hip-Hop today. Whether addressing the flawed criminal-justice system in a music video or speaking out against Trumpian policies during live performances, the critically... Read more

July 6, 2017 Video

Nas Performs “Hate Me Now” With A Brass Band & It’s All Love (Video)

Rakim, Prodigy, Queen Latifah, Talib Kweli, and Joey Bada$$ are just a few of the big names in Rap music who have shared the stage with the Soul Rebels, an award-winning brass band enjoying the biggest success of its 20+ year career thanks to worldwide tours and appearances on some... Read more

July 5, 2017 Throwback

The Maker Of Boyz N The Hood Shows The Origins Of Crack In The Hood (Video)

There's an epidemic sweeping the country. Headlines refer to it as an opioid issue, and one that is being treated with a gentler response than the U.S. crack epidemic of the 1980s. As Ambrosia For Heads has reported in the past, the rising number of White Americans stuck in the... Read more

July 3, 2017 Lifestyle, TV/Film, Video

Hip-Hop Notables Support Havoc As He Does His 1st Show Without Prodigy (Video)

Last November, Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi took the Saturday Night Live stage, A Tribe Called Quest's first major appearance since the death of Phife Dawg in March of 2016. For many, watching a beloved group perform new material for the first time in decades without one of its... Read more

July 3, 2017 Video