Dreamville Archives

Rapsody Announces Her New Album & Shows Why She’s A Top Rated MC (Video)

Earlier today (June 27), Rapsody endorsed a video through his social platforms. The montage visual features a series of Black women appear, including Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Grace Jones, Beyoncé, Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifah, Whoopi Goldberg, Maxine Waters, Aretha Franklin, and others. Available at Genesis320, the video features cryptic wording,... Read more

June 27, 2019 Fresh, Video

J. Cole, J.I.D. & Bas Are Out To Prove Dreamville Is The Best Crew In Hip-Hop

At the top of 2019, J. Cole and Dreamville Records hosted invitation-only studio sessions for Revenge Of The Dreamers III. For 10 days at the top of the year (January 6 to January 16), one of 2018's biggest stars and his ever-busy team that includes Bas, J.I.D., EarthGang, Lute, Cozz,... Read more

June 12, 2019 Audio

TDE vs. Dreamville: Who Wins The Battle With These 2 New Songs?

Last November, J.I.D. admitted that competition between Dreamville Records and TDE is a very real thing. During his DiCaprio 2 campaign, the Georgia MC described his primary motivation was helping his squad, started by J. Cole, outshine the team that includes Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and others. “Being... Read more

June 5, 2019 Audio

J. Cole & Ty Dolla $ign Cash In With A Modern Spin On A Classic Message (Video)

UPDATE: Ty Dolla $ign and J. Cole have released the music video for "Purple Emoji," nine days following the single. Both artists appear in the music video that also includes a variety of romantic couples: ORIGINAL MAY 20 STORY: J. Cole's collaborative spirit continues. While the platinum MC/producer's albums... Read more

May 29, 2019 Video

J.I.D.’s New Video Is Pure Misery

J.I.D. is inspired by movies. The MC named his mixtape series DiCaprio, which received its latest installment at the close of 2018. The Georgia native and Dreamville artist included a photo of the Titanic and Departed actor as that project's promotional artwork. However, the work eventually released with just an... Read more

May 1, 2019 Video

Stream J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival Live Featuring J.I.D., Rapsody, & More (Video)

2019 has been fruitful thus far for J. Cole, J.I.D., Ari Lennox, EarthGang, Omen, Lute, Bas, Cozz, and the Dreamville team. Earlier this year, the J. Cole's roster gathered in the studio to host a who's who of musical talent including Big K.R.I.T., Mike Will Made It, DJ Khaled, Swizz... Read more

April 6, 2019 Fresh, Video

J. Cole Explains Why Cancel Culture Is The Problem Not The Solution

Having spent more than the past decade polishing his craftsmanship as an MC/producer and staying true to his destined path as an uncompromising individualist, J. Cole has mastered the art of controlling one's narrative. While he admittedly isn't a fan of the "platinum, no features" memes that have become synonymous... Read more

March 29, 2019 Fresh

J. Cole Says Losing A Grammy Was A Win For His Career

At the 61st Grammy Awards, which aired in February, J. Cole was not a winner. He was nominated for his collaboration on Miguel's War & Leisure (namely for "Best R&B Song" for "Come Through and Chill." He was also nominated for "Best Rap/Sung Performance," his collaboration with 6lack on East Atlanta Love Letter ("Pretty... Read more

March 18, 2019 Fresh

J.I.D. Has Put Together The Anti-Drug Anthem Of The Year & It’s Dope

One of the highlights of J.I.D.'s late 2018 DiCaprio 2 album is "Off da Zoinkys." The Christo-produced song calls for sobriety, while focusing simply on dope deliveries and substantial bars. "Y'all ni**as need to lay off the drugs, some of y'all need to lay off the dope /My ni**as gettin'... Read more

March 6, 2019 Video

The Rap Purge Is Here & Bas Is Leading The Way (Video)

Since 2014's Last Winter, Queens, New York rapper Bas has been releasing material through Dreamville Records/Interscope, both solo albums and appearances on label compilations. He's earned a reputation for being an artist whose attention is paid closely to each facet of his image as Rap star: lyrical content, visual complements and... Read more

February 28, 2019 Video

J.I.D. & Mereba Look Out For One Another On A Soulful Soiree

In the wake of DiCaprio 2, Dreamville's J.I.D. is currently touring. But that's not stopping him from releasing new music. Last night (February 24), he promised that new music would be coming out today and he made good on his word. What fans probably weren't expecting is that he'd be... Read more

February 25, 2019 Audio

J. Cole Is Hunting Rappers & Keeping Their Heads As Trophies (Video)

One month ago, J. Cole opened his 2019 with "Middle Child." After some cryptic messaging leading into the T-Minus-produced song, Cole delivered on January 23 with some words aimed at those who doubt him. “Ni**as been countin’ me out, I’m countin’ my bullets / I’m loadin’ my clips / I’m... Read more

February 25, 2019 Video

Buddy May Be One Of The Best Singing MCs. A New Song Shows Both Talents

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 8, 2019 Audio

Boogie & J.I.D. Reject Industry Gimmicks In Favor Of Real Rap

Last Friday, Compton's Boogie released his first album since signing with Eminem's Shady Records. The record is one of the better offerings so far in a young year, following a versatile—often humorous MC who looks at a dynamic life coming out of Hub City. Besides Marshall Mathers, the most notable... Read more

January 28, 2019 Video

J. Cole Claps Back At All The Haters Who Counted Him Out

Moments ago, J. Cole released his latest single "Middle Child." Produced by Toronto's T-Minus (Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Ludacris, Lil Wayne), the record marks the Dreamville leader's first song of 2019. He released his fifth solo studio album, KOD, less than one year ago. Cole also spent some time blessing other... Read more

January 23, 2019 Audio

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2018 (Battle 14): J. Cole 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 27, 2018 Best Rap Album 2018

You Have Decided The Final 4 Best Albums Of 2018. Here They Are.

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 21, 2018 Best Rap Album 2018

J. Cole Calls Out Rappers For Faking Their Streaming Numbers On A Savage Verse

In a year that J. Cole dominated, he's not quite done. If KOD, its incredible videos, and a plethora of high-powered guest verses were not enough to set the table, Cole refuses to let 2018 end without at least one more stunner. It comes courtesy of the opening song from... Read more

December 21, 2018 Audio

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2018 (Battle 11): J. Cole vs. Mac Miller

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 19, 2018 Best Rap Album 2018

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2018 (Battle 4): J. Cole vs. Phonte

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 10, 2018 Best Rap Album 2018

J. Cole’s KOD May Be The Year’s Best Album & It Was Snubbed By The Grammys

This morning (December 7), the 2019 Grammy Awards nominations were announced. For fans of Kendrick Lamar and the Top Dawg Entertainment family, it was another exciting development. Even in a year when K-Dot did not release a solo album, he received eight nominations. SZA and Jay Rock joined him with... Read more

December 7, 2018 News

Which Of These Albums Deserves To Compete For Best Of 2018? You Decide.

Earlier today, Ambrosia For Heads announced our picks for the 15 Best Albums Of 2018. As we did last year, we are having you decide which one of these albums (or any one that we missed) is the album of the year, based on your votes in an NCAA-style tournament... Read more

December 4, 2018 Best Rap Album 2018

J.I.D & J. Cole Are Out To Prove Dreamville Is The Most Lyrical Crew In Hip-Hop

Today (December 4), Dreamville's J.I.D announced the first leg of his "Catch Me If You Can Tour." It's the latest development in what has been a milestone of a year for the Atlanta, Georgia artist. On November 26, he released his second solo album, DiCaprio 2, a follow-up to 2017's The Never... Read more

December 4, 2018 Video

J.I.D. Confirms That Dreamville’s Competition With TDE Is Real

2018 has been a monumental year for J. Cole's Dreamville label. In the last 12 months, Cole released one of the front-runners for the year's best in K.O.D. That was a few months after Los Angeles, California's Cozz dropped an impressive Effected. At the end of summer, Bas released Milky Way, an... Read more

November 26, 2018 Fresh, Popular, Video

Method Man, Joey Bada$$ & J.I.D. Go Nuts On One Of The Year’s Best Collabos

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

November 26, 2018 Audio

J.I.D. Pushes J. Cole To His Limits On A Fast & Furious Collabo (Audio)

In 20 days, Dreamville's J.I.D. will drop his DiCaprio 2 project. The follow-up effort to 2017's exceptional The Never Story (named one of Ambrosia For Heads' top LPs of the year) may be the most anticipated body of work from the East Atlanta, Georgia lyricist with shape-shifting flows. Following September's... Read more

November 6, 2018 Audio

J. Cole Explains Why He Stopped Doing Interviews For Almost 4 Years

J. Cole released a record-breaking 2018 album in the form of KOD. The MC/producer has become a superstar in recent years. He has also assembled one of the most talented record labels, built of hungry rappers and singers. While speaking with Dee Lockett in a Billboard cover story, Cole reveals that... Read more

September 27, 2018 Fresh

J.I.D. Is A Top-Shelf MC With Flow, Substance & Wordplay All In One (Audio)

Dreamville's J.I.D. has been on a tear since early 2017. The Georgia native delivered one of last year's best albums courtesy of The Never Story. Now, the Spillage Village affiliate is gearing up for another project, DiCaprio 2. Back in 2015, a few years before J. Cole took interest and... Read more

September 19, 2018 Audio

An Argument For Why J. Cole’s KOD Is Already The Album Of The Year (Video)

There are three and a half months left in 2018. However, one album has proven to rise from the pack with time, less than six months since its release. J. Cole's KOD is a compelling body of work that stands to be among the best art from a consistent source.... Read more

September 15, 2018 Exclusive, TBD, Video

J. Cole & Bas Are From A Hip-Hop Tribe Where Being Able To RAP Still Matters (Video)

For Hip-Hop Heads, especially Dreamville fans, Friday (August 24) is an exciting day. Longtime label artist Bas will release his third album, Milky Way. The Queens representative who appeared on J. Cole's "New York Times" alongside 50 Cent more than five years ago has steadily built a following of his... Read more

August 22, 2018 Video

J. Cole Says He Has The Best Flow Since Biggie On A Devastating New Freestyle (Video)

J. Cole is about to embark on his KOD Tour, hitting 36 cities across North America, and has been strategically building anticipation as the days get closer to the kickoff in Miami (August 9, 2018). Having previously tweeted out "Feed me beats. Everything gettin murdered.," Cole has now dropped a... Read more

August 7, 2018 Video

J.I.D. Makes J. Cole Proud By Demolishing This XXL Cypher (Video)

It has been a busy 2018 for Dreamville Records. J. Cole's K.O.D. set new streaming records upon release, in addition to garnering critical acclaim (including appearing on Ambrosia For Heads' midyear best-of list). Cozz released a strong sophomore in Effected, which features Kendrick Lamar, Curren$y, and Cole. Meanwhile, EarthGang released... Read more

July 10, 2018 Video

J. Cole’s Passionate Performance Calls For Meditation Instead Of Medication (Video)

Tonight (June 24), J. Cole performed at the 2018 BET Awards. Cole used the televised stage to lead with the introduction to April's K.O.D album. Wale was the first person that viewers saw, sitting on a stage chair, staring at a television. The moment comes a year and a half... Read more

June 24, 2018 Video

The 14 Best Hip-Hop Releases So Far In 2018 (Audio & Video)

Approaching 2018’s midpoint, the year has been absolutely incredible for Hip-Hop and Rap music. For many artists, the album is now shorter than it has ever been. Releases are more concentrated and digestible than they have been been in decades. Moreover, the MC/producer double-threat is winning, as is the chemistry... Read more

June 21, 2018 Food for Thought

Jay Rock Gets His Redemption Alongside J. Cole. Nothing Can Stop Him Now (Audio)

Jay Rock has just released his third album Redemption. In addition to his Black Hippy and TDE label-mates, the LP includes highly anticipated collaborative single, "OSOM (Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind)" featuring J. Cole. The song examines Johnny's rise to fame, which began a dozen years ago with a... Read more

June 15, 2018 Audio

Bas Uses His Near-Death Experiences To Come Back To Life (Video)

Dreamville's Bas is an artist whose visual content is given as much attention as the words he spits in the booth. Seventy-five percent of 2016's Too High to Riot was given visual treatments, with nine out of twelve tracks turned into inventive and arresting mini-films. In the past, the Paris-born MC has... Read more

June 5, 2018 Video

DJ Premier Takes J. Cole’s Lil Rapper Diss & Makes It Even More O.G. (Audio)

One of the focal points of J. Cole's chart-topping 2018 gold album, KOD, is "1985 - Intro To 'The Falloff.'" The song is a wisdom-drenched reply to Lil Pump, Smokepurrp, and others who had defamed Cole's name in recent years. While Jermaine's issues with Pump now appear to be squashed... Read more

May 29, 2018 Audio

J. Cole & Lil Pump End Childish Beef With A Grown Man Conversation (Video)

Five weeks ago, J. Cole released KOD. The now gold-certified #1 album featured Cole responding to his critics. Those critics were not journalists or fans, but rather, peers. Lil Pump and Smokepurrp, two Miami, Florida-based Rap artists had condemned Cole for some time on social media and in songs, most... Read more

May 25, 2018 Video

J. Cole Explains Why He Made His 1985 Diss Record Of Lil Rappers (Video)

When J. Cole speaks, it is not to be taken lightly. In recent years, the North Carolina superstar MC/producer and Dreamville label founder has shunned the public eye, or at least many of their questions. After decidedly not allowing interviews altogether for late 2016's 4 Your Eyez Only, Cole posted... Read more

May 16, 2018 Video

J. Cole Is King Of The Charts With 2018’s Best Opening Week

Ten days after KOD released, J. Cole topped the charts as many fans anticipated. The lead marks Cole's fifth consecutive album to reach #1. For the third straight time, the Dreamville Records founder and Roc Nation MC/produced achieved this feat without any guests on his album. KOD, an acronym for Kids... Read more

April 30, 2018 News

J. Cole Reveals Who Kill Edward Is And It’s Deeper Than Rap

On J. Cole's newly-released KOD, there is one guest by the name of kiLL edward. The character appears on two songs: "The Cut Off" and "FRIENDS." These are two powerful cuts on an album that carries three titles: Kids On Drugs, Kill Our Demons, and King Overdose. For an artist... Read more

April 25, 2018 Food for Thought

Miguel & J. Cole Build On Their Musical Chemistry With A Seductive Video

In an act of phenomenal timing, Miguel dropped a crisp new video to accompany the single, “Come Through And Chill” featuring J. Cole. The track is off the singer’s fourth album, War & Leisure which dropped last December. It also features producer Salaam Remi (Nas, Amy Winehouse, No Panty). Cole’s... Read more

April 25, 2018 Video

J. Cole Has Broken The Record For Most First Day Album Streams Ever

On Friday (April 20), J. Cole released his fifth solo album, KOD. The Dreamville/Roc Nation release has people talking, from its thematic "4/20" commentary on drug use to its lesson-filled attack on unnamed peers who have criticized the Fayetteville, North Carolina MC/producer. As chart watchers see if J. Cole will... Read more

April 23, 2018 News

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

April 21, 2018 Audio

J. Cole Cashes In With One Of The Most Creative Videos Of The Year

Historically, April 20 is an unofficial holiday celebration for mental relaxation and controlled substances. J. Cole's just-released 4/20 album frames that conversation differently. Songs address deadly recreational drug use, such as pill-popping, without any glorification. Instead, on the LP reported to partly mean Kidz On Drugz and King Overdose (in... Read more

April 20, 2018 Video

J. Cole Has Just Released His New Album. Listen To All Of KOD (Audio)

Mere moments ago, the five time Grammy award nominated-J. Cole dropped K.O.D., his fifth full-length album. Once again approaching his project roll-out in perplexing and unpredictable fashion, Cole shook the Hip-Hop community with an abrupt announcement just four days prior to K.O.D.’s unveiling. With 16 months between his last release (4 Your Eyez Only) and... Read more

April 20, 2018 Audio

J. Cole Is Dropping His Fifth Album Later This Week

J. Cole is one of Hip-Hop's biggest stars. He is also one of the genre's most unpredictable figures. Less than a year and a half after releasing #1 LP 4 Your Eyez Only, the Dreamville founder and Roc Nation artist has announced his fifth album—and it will release this week.... Read more

April 16, 2018 News

Bas Is More Proof That J. Cole Has Assembled One Of The Best Rosters In Hip-Hop (Audio)

With 2016's Too High to Riot, Bas released a gem of an album that was as much of a visual triumph as it was sonic. He released music videos for nine of the LP's 12 tracks and produced documentaries following his expansive world tours in support of the album. The Dreamville... Read more

April 10, 2018 Video

Kendrick Lamar & J. Cole Stand With Cozz On An Album That Shows He’s In Full Effect (Audio)

Top Dawg Entertainment and Dreamville Records are two of the most talent-packed rosters in Hip-Hop. Both labels have taken chances on lesser known MCs and provided them the resources to make cohesive, highly-conceptual albums with major label distribution, marketing, and touring. In an industry often chasing buzz, Top Dawg and... Read more

February 13, 2018 Audio

Cozz Reverses Roles And Arrests The Cops In His New Video

Only days after dropping his new single, “Questions,” the Dreamville MC, Cozz delivered the accompanying visuals. The simple premise doesn’t offer the usual imagery to a song. Instead, "Questions" weaves a loose story-line that will inspire fans to ask additional questions. In the video, Cozz turns his inquiries into an... Read more

January 8, 2018 Video