def jam Archives

Ghostface Killah Releases His First Song Of The Year & He’s Shining

Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah has a long and rich history with R&B music. The Staten Island, New York legend pivoted nearly a decade ago when he released Ghostdini: Wizard Of Poetry In Emerald City. That '09 album and its cast of guests blended Hip-Hop with R&B in its guest list,... Read more

January 17, 2019 Audio, Exclusive

Ghostface Killah Shines Brightly On A Remix To The Light

Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah has a long and rich history with R&B music. The Staten Island, New York legend pivoted nearly a decade ago when he released Ghostdini: Wizard Of Poetry In Emerald City. That '09 album and its cast of guests blended Hip-Hop with R&B in its guest list,... Read more

January 15, 2019 Audio, Exclusive

What’s The Real Definition Of A Freestyle? The Great Debate Continues (Video)

Last month, Ambrosia For Heads revisited a 1997 conversation between LL Cool J, Redman, DMX, Method Man and MTV News' Abbie Kearse. The interview unpacked the varying definitions of a freestyle, pulling opinions of the MCs from some different eras and backgrounds. As can be seen and heard by the definitions... Read more

January 13, 2019 TBD, Video

This Video From Nas’ Most Recent Album Is Everything

After a mid-November short film compromised of more than half of his Kanye West-produced Nasir album, Nas continues to release the music videos a la carte. Earlier this week, the lyrical legend dropped the jarring and provocative "Cops Shot The Kid" visual, including a Slick Rick cameo. He has since... Read more

January 11, 2019 Video

Nas Throws His Hands Up In Solidarity With Those Unjustly Killed By Cops

Near the midpoint of 2018, Nas released his NASIR album, produced entirely by Kanye West. Apart from having one producer, the legendary MC's 11th album saw a different rollout than his other works. It was not until mid-November that fans got a video from the Mass Appeal/Def Jam Records release.... Read more

January 7, 2019 Video

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2018 (Battle 10): Pusha-T vs. Evidence

We have our opinions on the best releases of 2018, but rather than simply tell you our pick for #1, we thought it would be more interesting to hear what you, the readers, believe is the Best Rap Album of 2018. With that in mind, we decided to make our... Read more

December 18, 2018 Best Rap Album 2018

LL Cool J, DMX, Redman & Method Man Explain The Real Definition Of A Freestyle

Twenty-one years ago this month, LL Cool J released his "4, 3, 2, 1" single. Not unlike "I Shot Ya" two years prior, one of the most respected figures in Rap recruited a team of ferocious MCs to share the mic. In addition to Canibus, whose early career appearance and... Read more

December 16, 2018 Throwback, Throwback, Video

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2018 (Battle 3): Pusha-T vs. Westside Gunn

We have our opinions on the best releases of 2018, but rather than simply tell you our pick for #1, we thought it would be more interesting to hear what you, the readers, believe is the Best Rap Album of 2018. With that in mind, we decided to make our... Read more

December 7, 2018 Best Rap Album 2018

Ad-Rock Opens Up About The Beastie Boys’ Bitter Split From Def Jam

Last month Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz and Michael "Mike D" Diamond published The Beastie Boys Book. The memoir of the band chronicles 35 years of music-making, friendship, and being part of multiple cultural melting pots in Downtown New York City, Los Angeles, and places and spaces in between. A highlight in... Read more

November 19, 2018 Fresh, Throwback, Throwback

Do Remember When EPMD Teamed With Red & Meth For A Rap Symphony (Video)

Def Jam Records had made some of the most iconic Hip-Hop albums of all-time during the 1980s. After some sluggish years in the early 1990s, the label started by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin rebounded in a major way in 1998. That was the same year that the imprint forecast... Read more

November 15, 2018 Do Remember

Nas Demands A Second Look At His Album With A Stunning Short Film (Video)

Released this June 15, Nas' NASIR album is unique within his catalog. It is the legendary MC's shortest project, clocking in at less than 27 minutes. It is also his first solo album made entirely with a single producer at the helm. For 2018, that was Kanye West, who worked... Read more

November 15, 2018 TV/Film, Video

15 Years Later The Black Album Is Still JAY-Z’s Perfect Fadeaway (Video)

"Any time you're making an album, especially if this is your last album, every single track has to be a statement. Like, in your mind, you're thinking, I have to make the perfect album," JAY-Z said before Fade To Black cameras during 2003, when the documentary filmed. "Anybody that knows... Read more

November 14, 2018 Food for Thought, Throwback, Throwback, Video

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

November 13, 2018 Throwback, Throwback, Video

Slick Rick Shares A 30-Year-Old Song That Missed His Great Adventure (Audio)

This week, Slick Rick is celebrating the 30th-anniversary of his landmark debut album, The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick. On Def Jam/Columbia Records, the nimble storyteller offered a collection of shorts about crime, sex, stick-ups, and messages to the youth. The moment was pivotal for Hip-Hop as Rick enhanced Rap... Read more

November 2, 2018 Audio, Throwback

The Beastie Boys Explain Why They Were Nearly Done After Licensed To Ill

The Beastie Boys are a Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inducted group recognized for fusing Hip-Hop, Punk Rock, and Electronic music. Between the early 1980s and the early 2010s, the trio of Adam "MCA" Yauch, Michael "Mike D" Diamond, and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz released eight studio albums. Exactly half... Read more

October 22, 2018 Throwback

ONYX Rates The Bars. Sticky Fingaz & Fredro Starr Slam A Few Peers (Video)

The group ONYX is known for its no-nonsense persona. Sticky Fingaz and Fredro Starr have built 25-plus-year careers off of confrontational music and attitudes to match. The crosstown Queens and Brooklyn cousins are the perfect guests for Rate The Bars. Whether you agree with them or not, these MCs aren't... Read more

October 8, 2018 Video

Finding The GOAT Group: A Tribe Called Quest vs. Public Enemy. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry (which has been determined), including the possibility... Read more

September 18, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Rap Pioneer Jimmy Spicer Is Fighting Cancer & Needs Hip-Hop’s Help

Jimmy Spicer (born James Bromley Spicer) is one of the first Hip-Hop artists to release a record when “Adventures of Super Rhymes” dropped in 1980. This 15-plus-minute song is full of playful raps and zany storytelling, much of which has been interpolated or sampled over the decades. Not to mention,... Read more

September 9, 2018 News

Kanye West Confirms That Watch The Throne 2 Is Coming Soon

Seven years and one month ago, JAY-Z and Kanye West released their joint album Watch The Throne. The Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam Records release arrived at a time when the mentor and onetime pupil were at the top of the Rap game. The 2011 release scored Jay and 'Ye seven Grammy nominations,... Read more

September 8, 2018 Fresh, News

Logic Says He Is The Greatest MC Of All-Time & He’s Serious (Audio)

In 2017, Logic reached a new plateau with his career. The Gaithersburg, Maryland MC/producer released his first #1 album in EVERYBODY and then dropped a corresponding #3 single to match. Recognized for his personal songwriting, Sir Robert Hall, III used his fourth project since partnering with Def Jam Records to... Read more

September 7, 2018 Audio

Finding The GOAT Group: N.W.A. vs. Public Enemy. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry (which has been determined), including the possibility... Read more

September 6, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Finding The GOAT Group: The Roots vs. Wu-Tang Clan. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry (which has been determined), including the possibility... Read more

September 4, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Logic Freestyles Over Method Man’s Beat & Brings Even More Pain (Video)

These days, Logic may be known for his chart-topping projects and Grammy nominations, but it was his come-up in the mixtape scene that got the Maryland MC/producer to this plateau. With a dynamic flow that can be rapid fire one moment and subdued the next, his manic personality has always... Read more

August 28, 2018 Video

Finding The GOAT Group: Public Enemy vs. Boogie Down Productions. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry (which has been determined), including the possibility for... Read more

August 16, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Finding The GOAT Group: Black Star vs. The Roots. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry (which has been determined), including the possibility for... Read more

August 9, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Finding The GOAT Group: Public Enemy vs. Brand Nubian. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry (which has been determined), including the possibility for... Read more

August 2, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Nas Has Another Album Coming & RZA And Swizz Beatz Are Involved (Video)

Six weeks ago, Nas released his twelfth solo album, NASIR. Produced by Kanye West, the seven-track effort is part of the five albums recorded in Wyoming over the last year. Rolling with the G.O.O.D. Music team of producers marked a distinct creative moment for the Queens, New York legend. It... Read more

July 27, 2018 News, Video

Finding The GOAT Group: The Roots vs. Atmosphere. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry (which has been determined), including the possibility for... Read more

July 25, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Finding The GOAT Group: Method Man & Redman vs. Gang Starr. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry (which has been determined), including the possibility for... Read more

July 20, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Finding The GOAT Group: EPMD vs. Eric B. & Rakim. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry (which has been determined), including the possibility... Read more

July 13, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Pusha-T’s Jarring Video Shows The Brutality & Force That Some Of Us Know Too Well

Pusha-T has released the full version of the "If You Know You Know" music video. The visual accompaniment to the opening Daytona track began as a series of vertical shorts on streaming platforms. Now fully-produced, the first full visual from the Kanye West-produced G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam Records release raises the... Read more

June 20, 2018 Video

Pusha-T Shows The Danger Of Driving While Black In His Latest Video

UPDATE: Pusha-T has released the full version of the "If You Know You Know" music video. The visual accompaniment to the opening Daytona track began as a series of vertical shorts on streaming platforms. Now fully-produced, the first full visual from the Kanye West-produced G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam Records release raises... Read more

June 13, 2018 Video

J. Prince Says Drake Had A Diss Response That Would Have Ended Pusha-T’s Career (Video)

J. Prince has officially intervened in the ongoing beef between Pusha-T and Drake. The owner of Rap-A-Lot Records has served as an advisor to Drake for nearly a decade. As a multi-millionaire 30-year-exec with a reputation for no-nonsense "Geto Boy" tactics and street wisdom, the man also known as Lil... Read more

June 4, 2018 Fresh, News, Video

Finding The GOAT Group: Public Enemy vs. Stetsasonic. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to... Read more

May 30, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Pusha-T Compares Drake To Trump In An Infrared Diss (Audio)

UPDATE: Less than 24 hours after "Infrared," Drake responded in a BIG way. ORIGINAL STORY: 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... Read more

May 25, 2018 Audio

Pusha-T Confirms Nas’ Album Is Coming Next Month & Reveals What To Expect (Video)

In less than 11 hours from now, Pusha-T (as he currently stylizes it) will unveil a long-awaited project. He publicly stated the seven-song collection "is for my family...high taste level, luxury, drug raps fans." Details have emerged that an EP titled Daytona will feature Rick Ross and Kanye West, plus... Read more

May 24, 2018 Fresh, News, Video

Pusha T’s Guest Verse Shows His New Album Is About To Be Flames (Video)

According to Kanye West's words last month, Hip-Hop Heads are just nine days away from Pusha T's third solo album (May 25). Reports from Push' and 'Ye suggest that G.O.O.D. Music's founder is producing the beats on the album for its label president, who also happens to be one of... Read more

May 16, 2018 Video

Royce 5’9, Jadakiss, Fabolous & Pusha T Put The Summer On Lock With A Hot Collabo (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

May 4, 2018 Audio

Kanye West Says He Produced Nas’ Next Album & Shares The Release Date

Last week, Kanye West used his rediscovered enjoyment for tweeting to announce four albums. The G.O.O.D. Music founder revealed his next release (an apparent EP), a collaboration with Kid Cudi, and new label releases from Pusha T and Teyana Taylor. Tonight (April 22), West provided some more detail on his... Read more

April 22, 2018 News

Finding The GOAT Group: ONYX vs. M.O.P. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to... Read more

April 20, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Kanye West Is Releasing A New Solo Project & A Joint Album With Kid Cudi

It has been two big years since Kanye West released an album. Since The Life Of Pablo, the life of 'Ye has been a wild ride ever since. The period marked one of West's most private periods since abruptly canceling his 2016 tour and reportedly receiving medical treatment. For months,... Read more

April 19, 2018 News

Method Man Explains Wu-Tang Clan’s Tiered Pay Scale & The Rationale Behind It

Wu-Tang Clan is a diverse collective. In addition to an assembly of MCs from different sections of New York City, the Wu brothers signed to different labels and reached varying levels of success. The members of the Clan also split their money differently. When it comes to touring and other... Read more

April 16, 2018 Fresh

Bobby Sessions Takes Back His Identity In A Jarring & Symbolic Video

Bobby Sessions is a veteran product of the Dallas, Texas Hip-Hop scene. He has been spitting verses with raw social commentary since the turn of the decade. Meanwhile, Bobby has repped the HIGH STANDARDz family since his debut album LOA (Law Of Attraction) launched the label in 2016. That impressive... Read more

April 15, 2018 Video

Finding The GOAT Group: EPMD vs. Beastie Boys. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to... Read more

April 11, 2018 Best Hip-Hop Group, Finding the GOAT

Rakim Hilariously Details His High Stakes Slap-Boxing Match With LL Cool J (Video)

Being a legendary MC comes with a lot of praise, pressure, and stories. Rakim's faced or experienced a lot of all three, and when it comes to interviews over the years, "the God MC" has treated Heads to a lot of great tales. For example, one of those stories was... Read more

April 6, 2018 Throwback, Video

Court Documents Allege Fabolous Beat His Girlfriend Emily B & Threatened Her Family

Fabolous was arrested this week. On Wednesday evening (March 28), the Brooklyn, New York MC turned himself into the Englewood Police Department, the town of his New Jersey residence. According to Us Weekly (who spoke with authorities), Fab's arrest took place approximately 30 minutes later for felony aggravated assault and... Read more

March 30, 2018 News

DMX Plays “Slippin'” For Judge Ahead Of Receiving 1-Year Prison Sentence

DMX has a long history of courtroom appearances and legal battles. Today (March 28) likely set a precedent, even for the Yonkers, New York MC. Upon sentencing in a New York City courtroom, X's legal team wanted U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff to understand the life and times of defendant... Read more

March 28, 2018 News

Vince Staples’ CrowdFunding Campaign Is Doomed To Fail & That’s The Best Thing For Hip-Hop

The Hip-Hop industry is adapting to the times. A-list rappers release albums through cellphone carriers, cryptocurrency is accepted as a form of payment by artists, and the idea of a project being for sale is being challenged by some of the genre’s top earners. One of the tech trends that... Read more

March 7, 2018 Food for Thought, News, Video

Dave East Sets It Off With A Single That Rings The Alarm (Audio)

Dave East has become one of the most prolific artists of the last five years, especially on the level he has reached. After last year's Def Jam debut Paranoia: A True Story, Dave kept the momentum going by linking up with DJ Holiday and dropping his Karma mixtape a few... Read more

February 27, 2018 Audio

Logic Declares Himself A Rap Champion & He Takes A 44-Bar Victory Lap (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

February 23, 2018 Audio