compton Archives

See The Side Of Compton That Makes Kendrick Lamar’s “Keisha’s Song” A Reality (Video)

Following the captivating first part of Noisey mini-documentary Bompton, viewers got an inside look at the city of Compton. Kendrick Lamar and 20-year best friend Lil L are among the hosts in a voyeuristic ride through the gang-controlled streets that have affected Rap music for the last 30 years. While... Read more

February 20, 2016 TV/Film, Video

Take A Look At Kendrick Lamar & High-Stakes Compton From The Inside (Video)

Last night (February 15), Kendrick Lamar closed his Grammy performance with an image of the Africa continent with the words "Compton" upon it. The parallels between the Motherland and Hub City may be strong to the 28 year-old. Both are complicated places built around Black (and Brown) Pride, cultural diversity,... Read more

February 16, 2016 Video

MC Eiht Offers Firsthand Insight Into How Tupac’s Gang Affinities Killed Him (Video)

Although they would never release a song collaboration, MC Eiht and Tupac Shakur worked together in the 1990s. The two Hip-Hop artists would tour, as well as begin production on Menace II Society in the same cast (Shakur would later be fired). Reflecting on their relationship, the Compton's Most Wanted... Read more

February 4, 2016 Video

MC Eiht Reveals How He & DJ Quik Ended One Of Hip-Hop’s Ugliest Beefs (Video)

For nearly 6 years, DJ Quik and MC Eiht were embroiled in one of Hip-Hop's most vicious feuds on record. However, around 1997, the two men ended their infamous beef with little fanfare. While Eiht has discussed their extended war of words in the past, he recently sat down with... Read more

January 21, 2016 Audio

Dr. Dre’s “Compton” Is Remixed By One Of His Chronic Collaborators (Premiere)

Chris "The Glove" Taylor is the epitome of a West Coast Hip-Hop O.G. Taylor, who appeared alongside a young Ice-T in the film (and on the soundtrack) Breakin', has been creating sounds ever since. In addition to lots of work with King T, The Firm, and Xzibit, The Glove was... Read more

January 19, 2016 Audio, Exclusive, Mixes

Fresh Out the Oven: 2 Compton Men are Preparing Gourmet Meals for the Hood.

For non-locals, Compton, California is most commonly associated with music or crime. In just the last year alone, it's become a household name, thanks to the blockbuster success of the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton and Dr. Dre's Compton album. With artists like Jay Rock, The Game, and Kendrick Lamar... Read more

January 14, 2016 Lifestyle

MC Eiht Gives The Raw & Uncut Story Of What Turned Compton Into A “War Zone” (Video)

For nearly 30 years, MC Eiht has been delivering raw and uncut stories from the streets of Compton. Whether as part of Compton's Most Wanted or solo, songs like "Growin' Up In The Hood" and "Hood Took Me Under" gave the world a look into a scene that was far... Read more

January 2, 2016 Video

Ice Cube’s Death Certificate vs. N.W.A.’s efil4zaggiN. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

November 5, 2015 Finding the GOAT

Dr. Dre’s The Chronic vs. DJ Quik’s Safe + Sound. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

October 28, 2015 Finding the GOAT

Anderson .Paak Details the Joy DJ Premier & Dr. Dre Had Working Together (Video)

When Dr. Dre released Compton, his first solo album since 1999, one of the songs that generated the most excitement was "Animals." The track featured Dre and Anderson .Paak on the vocals and they were backed by a production that was anchored by DJ Premier and fine tuned by Dre.... Read more

October 4, 2015 Video

DJ Quik Pitches In On A Rolling Skate Party In This “Fonky” DJ Set (Video)

Before he was rapping and producing, DJ Quik was a top mixmaster from Compton, California. In the nearly 30 years since getting career launched, Heads have become well acquainted with the smooth (sometimes belligerent) raps from David Blake, and his funky grooves behind the boards. What not all get access... Read more

October 3, 2015 Mixes, Video

Finding the GOAT Album: Eazy-E’s Eazy-Duz-It vs. 2 Live Crew’s 2 Live Is What We Are

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

September 23, 2015 Finding the GOAT

Anderson .Paak Is On A Tear. He Transitions From Dr. Dre To Asher Roth Seamlessly (Audio)

Dr. Dre's Compton formally introduces a number of new artists with an array of talents. Along with longtime independent artist King Mez and Dallas, Texas' Justus, Anderson .Paak may be the biggest standout. With a versatile ability to rap, sing, and play multiple instruments, Anderson—who hails from the same Oxnard,... Read more

September 16, 2015 Audio

DJ Quik Goes Back In His Bag Of Funk Grooves For Game’s Documentary 2 (Audio)

A decade ago, when Game (as The Game) hit the mainstream with The Documentary, he worked with a dream team of guest MCs, singers, and producers. Brandishing Compton like early 1990s, Jayceon Taylor did not work with DJ Quik on the LP, despite the fact that the CPT pioneer was... Read more

August 24, 2015 Audio

DJ Premier Details the Inside Story on Working With Dr. Dre & Names His Top 5 Producers (Interview)

DJ Premier and Dr. Dre are widely considered to be two of Hip-Hip's greatest producers of all-time. While the two have worked on the same projects occasionally over the last two decades, and maintained a friendship along the way, they had not had released a full collaboration, until now. The... Read more

August 7, 2015 Food for Thought

Dr. Dre Put Compton On The Map. Now He’s Immortalizing Its Legacy (Album Stream)

Announced just days ago, Dr. Dre's third studio album, Compton, has released as planned. The N.W.A. co-founder named his first LP in nearly 16 years after the Hub City that he hails from. Now, the Beats By Dre namesake drops off the deeply-anticipated work to Apple Music for an exclusive... Read more

August 6, 2015 Audio, Fresh

It’s Official. Dr. Dre’s First Album in 16 Years Will Be Released Friday.

As we reported earlier today, Dr. Dre announced the release of his first album since 1999's 2001 today on his The Pharmacy show on Apple Music. The album is titled Compton: The Soundtrack and will hit stores on August 7. He confirmed the album is completely different than the infamous... Read more

August 1, 2015 News

DJ Quik Truly Is Unsung. Watch An Incredibly In-Depth Look At His Career (Video)

From his reportedly uncredited assistance with Dr. Dre in the 2000s to his days on Death Row Records working under his government pseudonym (David Blake), DJ Quik epitomizes "unsung." For the television series "Unsung," the Compton, California star MC/producer/DJ is chronicled. Quik's days of underground tapes, assisting other would-be sensations... Read more

June 26, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Vince Staples’ Atypical Long Beach Upbringing Comes To Life In A Mini-Documentary (Video)

In the latest episode of "The Neighborhood," Complex zooms in on Long Beach, California lyricist Vincent Staples. The video takes the viewers on a casual stroll through the young MC's old stomping grounds and let's us get up close and personal with some of his childhood friends and family members.... Read more

April 7, 2015 Video

Kendrick Lamar Speaks On The Spiritual Mindstate Behind To Pimp A Butterfly

With the surprise release of To Pimp A Butterfly earlier this week, Kendrick Lamar sat down with The New York Times to give some insight on the album. Rather than presenting the interview in a Q & A format, The New York Times article tells the story of the man... Read more

March 17, 2015 News

Problem Waves The Compton Flag Bigtime In 2015 (Audio)

Along with YG and Kendrick Lamar, Problem has been one of the 2010's laureates of the Compton class. With Hub City again living up to its reputation for the unpredictable, Problem makes "Compton." The record takes the eerie vocal from Eazy E's "Real Muthaphukkin' G'z," and flips it for 22... Read more

February 5, 2015 Audio

Suge Knight Involved in Hit and Run That Kills a Man; Possibly Facing Murder Charges

UPDATE #3: Less than one week since the January 29 hit-and-run incident, killing Terry Carter and injuring Cle "Bone" Sloan, Marion "Suge" Knight has been formally charged with one count of murder, and one count of attempted murder. ABC7.com reports the breaking news. Additionally, the Compton native was charged with... Read more

January 29, 2015 News

Kendrick Lamar Explains Who He is Through Verse and Visuals (Video)

Unless you grew up in or regularly visited Southern California, most Heads have not been to the city of Compton. Kendrick Lamar's rise in Hip-Hop brought renewed attention to Hub-City, making it quite different in some ways, and quite the same in others, as portrayed by N.W.A., DJ Quik, MC... Read more

December 10, 2014 Fresh, Video

Bishop Lamont Invites DJ Quik & Quik’s Son To His Party (Audio)

Bishop Lamont's The Reformation is coming. The album—thee album, a first studio effort from the Carson, California MC once billed as a Dr. Dre protege. For "B-I-T-C-H," the MC who was reportedly managed by Dame Dash for a brief stint in the 2000s links with another Compton, Cali super-producer. DJ... Read more

September 9, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Problem & Childish Gambino Freestyle Over Quik’s CPT Classic (Audio)

Problem joins Kendrick Lamar, YG and YG Hootie in keeping Compton's Hip-Hop legacy strong in the 2010s. Early in his career, Prob' got some prime, multi-track real estate on DJ Quik & Kurupt's 2009 BlaQKout album. Now perceived protege hops on a David Blake classic released on Murder Was The... Read more

August 28, 2014 Audio, Fresh

If You Aren’t Up On YG, This Kendrick Lamar-Assisted Track Will Put Your Attention In A Chokehold (Audio)

Although he's still a relatively new face in Hip-Hop, Kendrick Lamar has fast found the ability to knight other artists into the spotlight. While K.Dot has many pockets of fans, some Heads gravitate towards the Compton MC for his unpredictable flows, honesty, and eloquent wordplay that align him with the... Read more

March 12, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Kendrick Lamar Says He Was Once Scared To Say He’s From Compton. Here’s Why (Video)

Like he does in his verses, Kendrick Lamar can do a lot in two minutes of video. In a new Pepsi-sponsored series leading up the Grammy Awards, "Day In The Life." While on the Yeezus Tour, K-Dot runs people through his tireless schedule, as he explains that most of his... Read more

January 15, 2014 Video

Kendrick Lamar Has a Compton Reunion with YG Hootie on Two Presidents (Audio)

Kendrick Lamar teams up with YG Hootie, who went to Centennial High with K. Dot in Compton, on Two Presidents. Check it out below. Related: Kendrick Lamar Performs Swimming Pools / Poetic Justice Medley At 2013 AMAs (Video)... Read more

November 30, 2013 Audio

Kendrick Lamar Speaks on the First Time He Worked With Dr. Dre (Video)

Kendrick Lamar speaks on the first time he met Dr. Dre and gives the behind the scenes story on the recording session for their collabo, Compton. Check out the video. Related: Kendrick Lamar Speaks on His Earliest Experiences with Hip-Hop (Video)... Read more

August 26, 2013 Video

Hood Life: A Hip Hop Guided Tour Of Compton (Video)

If you've been a fan of hip-hop at any time over the last 25 years, you know the significance of Compton to the culture. Here's a video of a guided tour of South Central LA that is conducted by Game's stepfather. It includes stops at Eazy-E's home (where the first... Read more

January 7, 2013 Throwback

Kendrick Lamar & Dr. Dre perform in Los Angeles (Video)

To commemorate the end of his BET Music Matters tour, Kendrick Lamar brought Dr. Dre to perform Compton & The Recipe with him. The roar from the crowd when the Good Doctor hit the stage says it all. Check out the video. Related: Kendrick Lamar – Backseat Freestyle (Prod. Hit-Boy)... Read more

October 18, 2012 Video

Kendrick Lamar. Dr. Dre. Just Blaze. Compton. You are not ready. Check out Kendrick’s latest collabo with Dr. Dre, as well as the full tracklist for good kid, m.A.A.d. city, below (Audio)

Related: A recap of the NYC listening session for Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d. city Here's the tracklist for good kid, m.A.A.d. city: 1. Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter's Daughter 2. Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe 3. Backseat Freestyle 4. The Art of Peer Pressure 5. Money Trees feat. Jay Rock... Read more

October 2, 2012 Audio