AFH Ambrosia for Heads

A New TV Series On Don Cornelius Will Show The Wild Trip Of His Soul Train

From 1971 to 1993, Don Cornelius hosted "the hippest trip in America" courtesy of Soul Train. The syndicated show was an institution not only for tuned-in audiences, but for many Black artists in R&B, Soul, Funk, and eventually, Rap music. Furthermore, Soul Train showed viewers of all races the talent,... Read more

This 2003 Conversation With MF DOOM Is The Interview Of His Career

In addition to phenomenal lyricism and one-of-a-kind production, one of DOOM's charms is his mystery. Perhaps as an extension of the metal-faced mask that he has worn for nearly 20 years, the man born Daniel Dumile rarely grants interviews. While verified accounts may exist, DOOM's one great artist of the... Read more

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

LL Cool J Remembers Knocking Out MC Hammer With A Diss & Explains Why (Video)

On his "I Shot Ya (Remix)" LL Cool J reminded music fans that his victories included wins against Kool Moe Dee, Ice-T, and M.C. Hammer. Five years prior, on LL Cool J's fourth album, Mama Said Knock You Out, he seemingly left the ring victorious with a TKO title track aimed... Read more

Cypress Hill Recall Filming A Video With Ice Cube & Tim Dog On The Same Set (Video)

It's been nearly a decade since Cypress Hill released a group studio album, but that changed late last month with their new LP Elephants On Acid. That effort restores the production to DJ Muggs, a welcomed shift both for the group and its legions of fans. In honor of the project,... Read more

Ski Beatz Admits To Throwing Away An Entire Pre-Reasonable Doubt JAY-Z Album & Big L Music

Hip-Hop lore often provides Heads with stories of triumph, classic moments, and past situations that, at the time, those involved didn't know how legendary they'd be. Sometimes though, disheartening news will emerge when the greats do recall their musical past. RZA's studio was flooded multiple times, which caused the creation... Read more

In 1989, Kwamé Rocked Polka Dots With Style & Rhythm (Video)

Back in 1989, just 16 years old and just at the peak of his adolescence, Kwamé released his debut album titled Kwamé The Boy Genius Featuring A New Beginning. The new Atlantic Records artist found himself a hit on the Rap and R&B Charts with the aptly-titled second single, "The Rhythm."... Read more

9th Wonder Has Been Working With Smif-N-Wessun & The Album Is Done

Thirteen years ago, Buckshot and his Duck Down Music released three albums that would ultimately change the label's course for years to come. Between June and September of 2005, Sean Price released Monkey Barz, Buckshot & 9th Wonder dropped Chemistry, and General Steele and Tek returned to their original stage... Read more

Scott Storch’s Documentary Covers The Highs & Lows Of 1 Of Dr. Dre’s Muses (Video)

Many Hip-Hop fans may know Scott Storch from his beats. During the late 1990s, 2000s, and even current day, the former Roots member has been responsible for the sounds of some of Rap's chart-topping hits. From the keyboard line on Dr. Dre's "Still D.R.E." to Beyonce's "Me, Myself And I,"... Read more

When Stakes Were High For Hip-Hop, De La Soul, Common & Mos Def Got Down To Bizness (Video)

De La Soul has always stood for raising the musical bar. Celebrating its 22nd birthday this week (July 2), the trio's 1996 album Stakes Is High parlayed the group into its second era of prominence. Three years since their last LP, the work also proved that they were able to... Read more

Rhymefest Rates Kanye’s Rhymes & Identifies The Beginning Of His Downfall (Video)

Che "Rhymefest" Smith and Kanye West had a bit of a public falling out recently. Well, actually, it was more like the two longtime friends and collaborators ending up at odds, with Kim Kardashian West in the middle. For those that may have missed or not followed, 'Fest had publicly... Read more

DOOM Is On A Tear. He Drops Another Bomb Verse (Audio)

Some years DOOM is in the shadows. Other years, the Metal Face villain stays incredibly busy. 2018 seems to be the latter. Already this young year, DOOM teamed with Inspectah Deck, DJ 7L, and MC Esoteric on CZARFACE Meets Metal Face. Outside of that, the KMD co-founder thematically divided the... Read more

Charlamagne Explains Why We Should Not Abandon Kanye West (Video)

Kanye West's recent words and actions have pushed some of his biggest fans and supporters to the breaking point. The superstar rapper/producer's ongoing support of Donald Trump, conservative personality Candace Owens, and other comments made recently have some people questioning if this is all a stunt, or has 'Ye broken... Read more

J. Cole Gives A Verbal Beat Down With A Lesson. But Who Is The Target? (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

Nas, Rakim, Pete Rock & More Break Down Why AZ Is 1 Of Hip-Hop’s Best Visualizers (Video)

Twenty years ago this month, AZ released his sophomore album, Pieces Of A Man. The Brooklyn, New York MC, author, and co-founder of The Firm has a decorated career that is still very much in swing. Previously, BET released portions of their #20YrsLtr: Doe or Die documentary featuring AZ, but... Read more

Donald Glover’s Deadpool Script Takes Down Racism, Police Violence, Gossip & More

Donald Glover co-created the most-watched comedy on FX during its 23 years as a network. In addition to Atlanta, which is currently in the midst of broadcasting its second season, the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning Glover (and his TV partner/brother Stephen) were working on an animated Deadpool series for the... Read more

Heather B. Told The Rap Game To Put Down The Guns Decades Ago (Video)

In light of the gun violence that has plagued our nation and culture, Ambrosia For Heads is in the midst of a pledge to not play any music that glorifies gun violence for one week (beginning the past Monday, March 5). Today, March 8, is International Women’s Day, and in the... Read more

Jean Grae Knocked With The Hardest Bars & The Industry Opened The Door (Audio)

Jean Grae was a refreshingly honest and forthright MC when she first emerged out of the New York City underground scene in the late 1990s. Previously known as What? What?, Jean made it abundantly clear to all within an earshot that she was bringing that raw spit. Known to share... Read more

15 Years Ago, 50 Cent Plotted A Pathway From Underdog To Superstar

Fifteen years ago today (February 6, 2003), Queens, New York's 50 Cent took the world by storm with his debut album, Get Rich Or Die Tryin'. When Curtis Jackson burst onto the mainstream scene with a survivalist story, vendetta vocals, and Eminem and Dr. Dre in his corner, the industry... Read more

Phonte Spits An MVP Verse For Domo Genesis’ “Shaq Carried Kobe” (Audio)

Sports analogies in Hip-Hop are nothing new. Such references can be the lifeblood of a musical genre that often likens itself to a "game” and thrives on competition. Phife Dawg, Chuck D, Kool Keith, and Ice Cube are just some of the masters of sports metaphor and simile. Domo Genesis'... Read more

Joey Bada$$ Says His Rhymes Leave MFs Doomed…(Audio)

Joey Bada$$ is taking no days off thus far in 2018. Earlier this month, he earned his first platinum certification, for All-AmeriKKKan Bada$$' "Devastated." Yesterday (January 18), the Brooklyn rapper's bold Prince cover made waves and now, on the eve of his birthday, he's shared new single. "King to a God"... Read more

Master P’s Documentary Tells The Real Story Of No Limit. Here’s The Trailer (Video)

In March of 1998, No Limit Records purchased the contract of Snoop Dogg from Death Row Records. It was a landmark move in a time when veteran Hip-Hop stars like LL Cool J, Run-D.M.C., A Tribe Called Quest, Scarface, and Cypress Hill were franchise artists that stayed attached to the... Read more

Timbaland Describes His Near Fatal Overdose With Oxycontin

Timbaland has been tied to some of Hip-Hop's most beloved songs. Besides his sprawling solo catalog and work with Magoo, Timothy Mosley has supplied unforgettable sounds for JAY-Z, Missy Elliott, Ludacris, Petey Pablo, and Bubba Sparxxx. The Virginia producer/rapper who now calls Miami, Florida his home is in the midst... Read more

By All Means Necessary: How Boogie Down Productions Was Formed Against All Odds (Video)

"You could call a man a bum with disgust on your morning run. 'Cause he lives outside in the street, you don't know this, but you've failed to realize that the one you so despise reflects yourself  'cause every Black man is homeless." KRS-One has never hidden the fact that... Read more

Large Professor Remixes Masta Ace’s Trip Down Memory Lane (Audio)

Nostalgia and looking back on teenage years is a recurring theme in Hip-Hop, inspiring some of the best work of artists such as Nas and Black Milk and now Masta Ace and Large Professor on this "Extra P Remix" of UK production collective, Son of Sam’s “Come A Long Way.”... Read more

Tha Dogg Pound’s First Death Row Release Was Poetic And Hard AF (Audio)

On Halloween of 1995, Tha Dogg Pound opened up their can of Dogg Food. Kurupt and Daz Dillinger were the third artists with an album released by Death Row Records. Following their mentors, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, this Long Beach—rooted duo was much rougher than its teammates. Like the... Read more

DOOM, Method Man & Prodigy Appear On Sean Price’s Imperius Rex Tracklist

Sean Price's posthumous Imperius Rex album is nearly two weeks away. The August 8 Duck Down Music release is the project that the Heltah Skeltah co-founder and longstanding Boot Camp Clik MC was working on at the time of his death, two Augusts prior. Earlier this month, a video was... Read more

2 Years After PumpkinHead Passed, A New Video Highlights His Undying Wisdom

On June 9, 2015 Robert "PumpkinHead" Diaz died. The Brooklyn, New Yorker had risen the ranks as a battle MC and was well underway into a discography that showed personal depth and creativity. His Rawkus Records-involved Orange Moon Over Brooklyn album with producer Marco Polo was a tremendous late entry... Read more

20 Years Later, Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Aaliyah & Magoo Still Boogie Down (Video)

With their platinum-selling 1997 debut LP Welcome to Our World, Timbaland & Magoo invited millions of music fans into their native Norfolk, Virginia, a city (not to mention, a state) that had not made the kind of splash in the culture as had other Southern cities. With Timbo's innovative, electronic style... Read more

Six Years After His Passing, We Still Have Much Love For Nate Dogg (Video)

Six years ago today, music lost a true talent in Nathaniel Hale. The singer better known as Nate Dogg has one of the richest voices of the last 25 years. Alongside Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Ludacris, Fabolous, Pharoahe Monch, Eminem, and his right-hand-man Warren G, the crooner within Tha Dogg... Read more

R.A. The Rugged Man Remembers Watching Biggie Write Rhymes In The Studio (Video)

Early on in his career, R.A. The Rugged Man worked alongside The Notorious B.I.G., but the musical partnership was cut short when Biggie was killed in 1997. However, the Long Island, New York MC was around early enough to witness Christopher Wallace before, during, and after he became Big Poppa,... Read more

Remember Rap-A-Lot Mainstay Mr. 3-2 Through This Golden 1989 Single (Audio)

Last November 10, rapper Mr. 3-2 (aka Christopher Barriere) was killed at a Houston gas station. As a member of The Convicts, Blac Monks, and Screwed Up Click, 3-2 played a pivotal role in Texas Hip-Hop throughout the 1990s and 2000s, especially J. Prince's Rap-A-Lot Records. In that time, he... Read more

Janelle Monáe Says “Choose Freedom Over Fear” In Her Powerful Women’s March Speech (Video)

On the heels of her critically acclaimed appearances in the hugely successful films Hidden Figures and Moonlight, Janelle Monáe made an appearance at this weekend's historic Women's March in Washington, D.C. and made a powerful speech. In it, she urged the importance of embracing immigrants, the LGBTQ community, and all... Read more

This Rare 1986 Documentary Is An Amazing Hip-Hop History Lesson (Video)

In 1986, one of the earliest documentaries on Hip-Hop was made by a Dutch TV company. Big Fun In The Big Town, directed by Bram van Splunteren, featured on air Belgian host, Marcel Vanthilt, traveling the streets of New York City to gain a better understanding of the burgeoning culture.... Read more

Snoop Dogg’s Dippin’ From Death Row To No Limit May Have Saved His Career & Life (Audio)

In early 1998, Snoop Dogg left Death Row Records for No Limit. In a reported $4 million deal brokered by Priority Records, the Long Beach, California MC went from the breakout star signed by Dr. Dre at the top of the decade to the key acquisition of the reigning independent... Read more

Can You Spot DOOM In This Graffiti-Inspired Company Flow Video?

El-P joined forces with Killer Mike to produce his album R.A.P. Music in 2012, officially forming their group Run The Jewels the following year. They have since released three studio albums, rocked a few late night talk shows, made some bold political statements, toured extensively, inspired some amazing graffiti, landed... Read more

Snoop Dogg’s Santa Brought His Gifts In A ’64 Impala Sleigh (Video)

What do you get when you mix Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg's soaring vocals, an iconic Isaac Hayes sample and a nod to the Godfather of Soul? Christmas Rap, G-Funk style. Titled after the James Brown classic, “Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto” is the first track and lead single... Read more

15 Years Ago, Mystikal Told Us To Bounce Back Up When Knocked Down (Video)

Fifteen years ago this Sunday (December 18), New Orleans, Louisiana native Mystikal dropped Tarantula, his fifth and final studio album to date. Its lead single, “Bouncin’ Back (Bumpin’ Me Against The Wall),” is like an early-2000s time capsule, from Mystikal’s erratic flow to the track’s bouncy Neptunes beat. It was... Read more

Atmosphere’s Slug Breaks Down The Real Meaning Of “Lucy Ford.” (Audio)

In year 2000, Minneapolis, Minnesota Hip-Hop duo Atmosphere released two seminal EPs, Ford One and Ford Two. Produced by group member Ant, as well as Anticon's Jel, Moodswing 9, and others, these Rhymesayers Entertainment releases (later released together as Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EPs) helped pivot a Midwest Underground Hip-Hop... Read more

Rapsody Is Going For The Crown & She Doesn’t Care Who’s Mad (Audio)

Rapsody is in a whole new atmosphere since she last checked in with Beauty and the Beast. Rap' now carries a Grammy award, thanks to her appearance on Kendrick Lamar's T.P.A.B. In addition to mentor 9th Wonder, she is also now backed by Jay Z's Roc Nation. She's been to... Read more

Rakim & DJ Premier’s Song Has A Message Of Wisdom, Strength & Moving Forward (Audio)

In 1999, the world was gearing up for Y2K with great angst and uncertainty. Going by the numbers this week, approximately half of the American voters are feeling angst and uncertainty in an upcoming change of offices, from the White House, to Congress, and at state levels. In a week... Read more

Killer Mike Explained Donald Trump’s Victory Before It Happened (Video)

Just minutes ago, Hillary Clinton delivered her concession speech after losing the presidential election to Donald Trump. There is no doubt that today, November 9, 2016, will go down in history as a clearly marked moment in time when, years from now, we will all remember where we were the... Read more

Mac Miller Has Taken His Music To A New Place. This Music Video Does The Same.

In terms of 2016's artistic strides, Mac Miller's The Divine Feminine may be one of the biggest. Having already reinvented his persona, and enriched his skills between 2011's Blue Slide Park and 2013's Watching Movies With The Sound Off, Miller made an album that basks in love, sex, and one... Read more

Questlove & Yasiin Bey Praise Bad Brains’ H.R. In An Upcoming Documentary (Video)

Since the late 1970s, Bad Brains changed the face of Punk Rock music. The Washington, D.C. collective was an all-Black band that blended the hard sounds of early Punk with messages associated with their Rastafarian beliefs. Songs like "Banned In D.C.," "Pay To Cum" and "Sailin' On" (all from their... Read more

Tupac Approved The Artwork For Makaveli’s Don Killuminati A Day Before He Was Shot (Audio)

Twenty years ago this month, Tupac Shakur was confirmed dead seven days after a Las Vegas, Nevada drive-by shooting. At the time, Shakur had released one of the biggest albums of 1996 care of double LP All Eyez On Me. However, the Death Row Records artist had recently completed an... Read more

20 Years Later, The Roots Continue to Do What They Do Best: Shine For Hip-Hop (Video)

With content ranging from the ethereal "The Hypnotic" to the aggressive "Clones," September 1996's Illadelph Halflife was a bold look from the Roots. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania group's third album, it took the musical concepts established on Jazz and improv-heavy formulas found on 1993's Organix and 1995's Do You Want More?!!!??!... Read more

Lost Boyz, Tha Dogg Pound & Canibus Had Heads High On The Music (Video)

In 1996, Queens, New York's Lost Boyz burst onto the scene with vibe-driven Hip-Hop like no other act out. Mr. Cheeks, Freaky Tah, Pretty Lou, and Spigg Nice were welcomed distractions to the heated coastal rivalry perceived in Hip-Hop. Like the neighboring Boot Camp Clik, the LB Fam was able... Read more

On The Anniversary Of His Death, Sean Price Is Remembered In A Collaboration With Ras Kass & Steele (Video)

One year ago today (August 8), Sean Price passed away. Two of his collaborators have not forgotten the Brooklyn, New Yorker's incredible impact on Hip-Hop, especially in the modern era. From Ras Kass' upcoming Intellectual Property: S.O.I.2 album (September 9), the West Coast veteran releases the video to single "Paypal... Read more

Andre 3000, Snoop Dogg & Devin The Dude Got The Job Done & Then Some (Audio)

Nearly a decade after going solo, Devin the Dude released his fourth studio album, Waitin' to Inhale. The LP's title was a perfect combination of the Houston, Texas rapper's lyrical cheekiness and appreciation for cannabis and all of its properties, medicinal and otherwise. By the time his André 3000 and... Read more

15 Years Ago MF DOOM & Aesop Rock Shined Light Upon The “Black List” (Audio)

Earlier this year, Aesop Rock released The Impossible Kid. Down with the Rhymesayers crew, the LP marked the New Yorker's fourth consecutive solo work to appear on the Top 200. In this particular case, the album was the Hail Mary Mallon front-man's second straight Top 30 entry. This is a... Read more