“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 ensure no deserving band of MCs and DJs is neglected. The 2018 contest consists of seven rounds, NCAA basketball-tournament style, leading to a Top 32, then the Sweet 16 and so on, until one winner is determined. For each battle, two groups are pitted against one another with a ballot to decide which one advances to the next round. Though there will be an enormous amount of debate in comments, on social media, in barbershops and text messages, which we encourage, only votes cast in the official ballot or those using the official hashtags on social media count.

This battle is between two hit-making outfits that gave Hip-Hop fans plenty of def jams. EPMD takes on the Beastie Boys as two groups with 30 years of history. Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith hope to house the votes, while the Beasties aim to sabotage all opposition. Your vote may be the ultimate ticket to Round 2.

EPMD

For more than 30 years, Erick Sermon and PMD have given Hip-Hop Heads the business. These Long Island legends are innovators of rhyming and production alike, as two double-threats in one crew. Few duos have the balance of EPMD, with each half seemingly pull equal weight on the mic and the boards. The pair’s heralded catalog includes aggressive anthems, stylishly funky hits, and plenty of slow flows over melodic beats. Down to one of Rap’s oldest song series (“Jane”), EPMD’s formula is often emulated, but never antiquated. The group’s roots sprouted Redman, Das-EFX, Keith Murray, K-Solo, and DJ Scratch. Even with some ugly hiatuses and emphasis on solo and side ventures, these two brothers from Brentwood, L.I. maintain a family bond that is active and strong 30 years after Strictly Business.

Beastie Boys

First a Punk Rock band, the Beasties soon applied their air-tight chemistry to making Hip-Hop. Adam “MCA” Yauch, Michael “Mike D” Diamond, and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz allowed their discography to advance with their interests and maturity. The New York City collective evolved from Bud-swilling, girl-chasing urban cowboys into husbands, fathers, and social activists, without ever stopping their musical party. Never leaving their instruments or Punk energy far behind, the collective delivered the interplay, and short, braggadocious bars of Hip-Hop’s early years to the MTV generation. The three MCs did so with deliveries that defied the Hip-Hop norm, and sounds (often self-produced) that stood apart. Nearly six years after MCA’s passing, the Beastie Boys leave behind an immortal legacy and dazzling discography (down to their final LP).

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So who is the better Hip-Hop group? Make sure you vote above.