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Big Boi’s Forever Funky, But Check This Mash-Up That Pairs Him With Menahan Street Band (Audio)

For the next stop in his weekly mash-up series from Vicious Lies And Dangerous Rumors, Big Boi's "Tremendous Damage" is joined with The Menahan Street Band's "The World (Is Going Up In Flames)." This is Brooklyn-based super-band that laced the "Make The Road By Walking" bassline, famously repurposed for Jay... Read more

CL Smooth Returns With A Solo Track Tailor-Made For His Signature Slow Flow (Audio)

Quietly, CL Smooth has made some stellar solo material, outside of the Pete Rock & CL Smooth discography. The "money-earnin'" Mount Vernon MC released "Anything For You" this morning, featuring some smooth singing from Kier. But with an '80s R&B-inspired beat, CL's crisp vocal tone shines as he goes slow... Read more

AZ & DJ Doo Wop Make An Homage To The Late ’70s Hip-Hop Park Jams (Audio)

Two New Yorkers who thrived in the 1995-era were AZ and DJ Doo Wop. Tha Visualiza and The Bouncemaster both provided a brand of Hip-Hop, heavy on substance and presentation. Nineteen years later, the pair links for Doo Wop to drop the needle on some breaks from the likes of... Read more

Remember Ron G Blend Tapes? Marsha Ambrosius Must, As She Combines Jeru With Sade (Video)

If you're a Hip-Hop Head, one R&B singer you have to love is Marsha Ambrosius. Since her days with Floetry on into her with Dr. Dre and Aftermath Entertainment, the U.K. crooner has demonstrated elite taste in making palpable Soul music with a B-Girl's edge. Her skills lead the way,... Read more

Terrace Martin Loves Making Love-Making Music. His Valentines Day Mix Includes Chris Brown & Snoop Dogg (Mixtape)

Terrace Martin's music is always smooth enough for the car, the couch, the pool-party, and seemingly, the bedroom. The Locke High producer/saxophonist dropped off Love Music in time for the February 14th Valentines Day holiday, and he invited some high-profile homies including Snoop Dogg, Chris Brown, Tank, Problem, and James... Read more

J. Cole Continues To Tell Stories In His Videography. Check She Knows (Video)

In addition to his status as a Hip-Hop double-threat MC/producer, one of J. Cole's greatest skills is his videos. From "Crooked Smile" to "Power Trip," Colematic has given Born Sinner some visual companions that few artists can reach their whole career. Perhaps in the shadows of a crowded 2013 release... Read more

Oodles Of Downloads: De La Soul’s Whole Catalog Is Free For The Next 25 Hours!

As reported yesterday, the entire De La Soul music catalog is available for free download from just this minute (11am EST) to noon EST tomorrow (February 15). In part a Valentines Day gift, but more probably an early nod to the 25th anniversary of 3 Feet High And Rising, this... Read more

Common Has 3 Gold Albums, And He Still Freestyles Completely Off The Top (Video)

Common Sense has three Gold albums (Like Water For Chocolate, Be, and Finding Forever). Still, the major label artist and actor holds to the Hip-Hop fundamentals of freestyling. Many Comm concerts feature a freestyle where the Chicago, Illinois MC works in local street names, restaurants, and other landmarks. He brought... Read more

De La Soul Is Celebrating Their 25th Year By Giving Away Their Catalog For Free, For 25 Hours

In just over two weeks, De La Soul's groundbreaking debut album, 3 Feet High And Rising turns 25 years old. The first time Heads heard Posdnous, Trugoy, and DJ Maseo has already turned a quarter century old, as has the shapeshifting production from Prince Paul, and all the colorful artwork,... Read more

How Did Pharrell React To Watching Kanye West Rap Never Let Me Down For The First Time? Watch (Video)

With all the attention on Kanye West's College Dropout this month, one track that deserves special mention is "Never Let Me Down." The Jay Z-assisted moment, which closed with a powerful Spoken Word piece by J. Ivy was a stellar album cut on the 2004 Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam Records debut. But... Read more

Thurz Delivers Punky Brewster In Living Color (Video)

From his DIY platform, Thurz does a lot. The U-N-I co-founder continues to represent Inglewood with big concepts and bold visuals. "Punky Brewster," which premiered in audio a few months back, sees Thurzday's growing trademark of beautiful women, and in this case, a spectrum of paint. Art... Related: DJ Bizzy... Read more

Drake’s Done Talking. To Magazines Anyway.

On "F*ckin' Problems," Drake reminded listeners that he's not "for the long-talking." Communication will be at a premium with all formats it seems, for Drizzy. After there was a media hailstorm yesterday, surrounding Drake's Rolling Stone magazine comments about Macklemore's "wack as fuck" decision to text message Kendrick Lamar after... Read more

Gil Scott Heron’s Poetic & Musical Accomplishments May Be Unsung, But They’re Timeless (Video)

The late poet/musician Gil Scott Heron is arguably one of those figures that was rapping before Hip-Hop even came to form. The Harlem, New York luminary warned Heads everywhere that "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," and then he made an assortment of other powerful pieces on the subject of... Read more

John Singleton Is Taking Over The Tupac Shakur Biopic

Director/writer John Singleton has been reported as the latest visionary at the helm of Tupac Shakur's biopic. After years in pre-production, the film, which is partially in the hands of veteran Hip-Hop producer L.T. Hutton (Eazy-E/Snoop Dogg) now goes to the director of Boyz N The Hood. John will re-write... Read more

Capone-N-Noreaga Are Back In Business. They Recorded An EP In One Night

EPMD loved the break-up to make-up approach. Erick Sermon & Parish Smith made (and make) incredible music together, but the Brentwood, Long Island B-Boys can never seem to sustain as a bond. A walk-through EPMD's discography shows more grand openings and not-so-grand closings than Flava Flav's fast-food chicken franchise. Are... Read more

Juvenile Is Signed To Rap-A-Lot Records Now. Get A Glimpse Of What His New Album Sounds Like (Audio)

What a long, strange trip it's been for Juvenile. One of Bounce music's breakthrough stars came up with Warlock Records, which Heads may remember from late '80s releases by The Jungle Brothers, as well as early Trick Daddy/Slip-N-Slip material. Shortly thereafter, Juvy inked with Cash Money Records, where he became... Read more

Although The Vid Is Big On Body Shots, Is Nicki Minaj Back To Bars? (Video)

In 2009 and 2010, Nicki Minaj took Hip-Hop by force with hardbody raps, while showing a lot of body. The Queens MC even took this approach to radio in 2012 with the 2 Chainz-assisted "Beez In The Trap," from her Pink Friday II album. In the time since, besides a... Read more

Common’s Nobody Smiling Shows Its Teeth With An Ab-Soul Feature On A No ID Jam (Audio)

Fresh off of Rick Ross' Mastermind listening session and album preview, 2014's album landscape is looking quite fertile. Coming up soon is Common's Nobody Smiling, a Chicago-themed conversation piece about the youth violence epidemic. Late today, the L.A. Leakers dropped the digital needle on "Made In Black America." The song,... Read more

Drake Thinks Macklemore’s Post-Grammy Text To Kendrick Lamar Was “Wack As F*ck”

Throughout the last five years, Drake has artfully dodged controversy. Even when seemingly playing back and forth with Rap contenders and foes, the polished Toronto actor-turned-MC knows when to hold 'em, and rarely folds 'em. However, in the young 2014, he picked an odd time to step out of character.... Read more

Mayhem Lauren Is An Outdoorsmen Member With Bars That Need Hunting Fatigues (Audio)

Mayhem Lauren is one mean MC with the mic. The Outdoorsmen member (Action Bronson, AD Da Coroner, J-Love) doesn't mess around, and brings that no-nonsense persona to his music. After going quietly for some weeks, 'Hem hems up "Egyptian Musk" for a throwback-feeling cut that has a bullymouth delivery and... Read more

Jadakiss & Sheek Louch Make More Funeral Music, D-Block Affiliate Syp Life (Audio)

The Lox are cooking back up lately. The material as of late is really dark, eerie, and from that wave that some purists say left NYC albums in the early 2000s, to be relegated to mix tapes. "Closed Casket" lives up to its name, with D-Block affiliate Snyp Life. Styles... Read more

Nature & Black Rob Are Telling Us That Brighter Days Are Coming (Audio)

In the late 1990s, Nature and Black Rob had a lot in common. Both street-certified rappers got nods from lyrical circles, while still securing major label deals. Nature, taking Cormega's spot in The Firm, also had a solo deal with Poke & Tone's Trackmasters Entertainment at Columbia Records. Meanwhile, Rob,... Read more

Nas’ Street Dreams Take Shape In The Form Of An Episodic Series In Development At XBox Studios

Nasir Jones is making unfathomable moves for the MC who once "waved automatic guns at nuns." Queensbridge's finest has a Harvard University Fellowship. He has a stake in Mass Appeal magazine and digital. The veteran lyricist is enjoying the latest in a long catalog of originally-shelved and tribute material, in... Read more

Phife Dawg Honors Dilla In This Endearing Visual To His Jay Dee Tribute (Video)

Just before the 2014 Dilla Day Detroit lineup was announced, Phife Dawg released "Dear Dilla," a touching tribute. After all, in his solo career and earlier, with A Tribe Called Quest, the 5 Foot Assassin was instrumental to getting Jay Dee placements. Since the event last week, Phife Diggy drops... Read more

How Deep Did J Dilla’s Crates Go? Deep As The Abyss & House Shoes Reminds You (Audio)

From Daft Punk to Steve Miller Band to Aretha Franklin, J Dilla's ears were scanning through a lot of music when it came time to craft his own compositions. That's why, even in his death, Heads are still finding stashes of Dilla's vinyl collection in storage units, stores, and elsewhere.... Read more

This Portrait Of Rakim Will Give You Goosebumps With Hip-Hop Pride (Video)

The lyrical giants of Hip-Hop's mid-'80s aren't the type of guys to always appreciate a camera up in their world. KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim (as well as Kool G Rap, Kool Keith, Ice Cube, and Scarface) are big on their privacy. Rakim's not a Twitter guy, and he's never... Read more

Isaiah Rashad Reveals What His Life Would Have Been Had He Not Signed With TDE (Video)

Unlike so many of his contemporaries, Isaiah Rashad is not an artist looking for interviews and ways to constantly tell his story, off the mic. Instead, the Chattanooga, Tennessee native quietly signed with the biggest new label in Hip-Hop (Top Dawg Entertainment) and focused on his craft and product. Fresh... Read more

Vado Puts On The Fedora For Sinatra, With Production By Scott Storch, Cool & Dre, Plus Heatmakerz (Mixtape)

Despite a burning buzz, Vado's never been big on charging fans for music. Now backed by DJ Khaled's We The Best imprint, the Diplomats' second-generation artist comes forth with Sinatra. The project, an EP, is free to listeners, despite high production values from multi-platinum producers like Scott Storch, Cool &... Read more

Ice Cube Says He’s Reverting Back To The Old Days On Sic Them Youngins On ‘Em (Video)

Approaching the release of Everythang's Corrupt on May 13th, Ice Cube unloads some more new music. "Sic Them Youngins On 'Em" sports a new, sped-up flow by Cube. Moreover, on this song, Cube says a few really curious things, from "trying to go ham on Porky Pig" in a way... Read more

Crooked I May Be Rapping Around Top Dollar Toys, But It’s Beatboxing & Bars (Video)

Crooked I is one of those artists who clearly enjoys life's finer things, but those close listeners to his bars over the years know that he grew up dirt poor, and relived struggled throughout the high's and low's of his extensive career. From last year's Apex Predator, Crook tells all... Read more

Mac Miller Freaks A Classic Jazz Piano Loop For Some Stream Of Consciousness (Audio)

Mac Miller, now fully independent, has been really vibing out and defying convention. Larry Fisherman (Mac's behind-the-boards alter-ego) looped and altered some Duke Ellington & John Coltrane for "Diablo." On what appears to be a stream of consciousness cut, Most Dope's most dope speaks out against superficial parties, stresses, and... Read more

More Marvin Gaye & Mos Def Mash-Ups, This Time Tackling A Complicated Thing Called Love (Audio)

After the strong reaction to "Inner City Travelin' Man" last week, the Yasiin Gaye (Mos Def + Marvin Gaye) blend, another track is unveiled. This time it's (Marvin's deeply personal) "Anna's Love," a combination of Marvin's "Anna's Song" (from Here, My Dear), and Yasiin Bey's "Love." Besides urban living and... Read more

Big Boi Gets All Mixed Up With B.o.B., Third World & Wavves (Audio & Video)

Big Boi's mash-up's continue, as anticipated in the weekly series. The Outkast MC has tapped into Phantogram, Blue Oyster Cult, Big K.R.I.T., Sade, and UGK, and now he goes runs to the Wavves for an Electronic raw sound, while running a line into Third World, for some Reggae in "Run... Read more

Lauryn Hill Covers A Beatles Classic With Grace & Style (Video)

If you were near a television or radio in the last week, you relived Beatlemania. It's been 50 years since The Beatles, Liverpool, England's Fab 4, rocked American audiences, and shaped music as we know it ever since. In the midst of it all, Miss Lauryn Hill hit David Letterman's... Read more

Shut ‘Em Down: DMX & George Zimmerman Boxing Match Canceled After Protest

Last week, it was announced that acquitted murderer George Zimmerman would battle rapper/actor DMX in the boxing ring for a three-round, refereed fight. X immediately hyped the event, forecasting that he would not only beat up the former Florida resident, but would urinate on the man responsible for the death... Read more

Action Bronson Stage-Tossing Continues. This Time With A Little Person (Video)

Great Hip-Hop artists have stage-show conventions. Public Enemy has the SW1s. Method Man has a reputation for climbing to the top of speaker towers to deliver his verses. Common freestyles, usually incorporating street names and venues local to whatever city he's in. Jay-Z has Memphis Bleek. Is Action Bronson the... Read more

Ask Edo G About His Skills, He’ll Tell You Of Course I’m Fresh (Video)

For a guy approaching 25 years in Hip-Hop, Edo G (aka Ed O.G.) has a gift for balancing style and substance. On "Of Course I'm Fresh," produced by Confidence, you get a veteran who raps about his skills, but mixes in some views on life, labor, and what grown men... Read more

Want To See The Roots Of Big Pun? Check Out This Slept-On Documentary Featuring DMX & Redman (Video)

Because his time in the spotlight was so brief, there's often times a lot left out in the representation of Big Pun in the mainstream media. He's a Bronx, New Yorker, a protege of Fat Joe, who is the first Latin solo Hip-Hop artist to go platinum, and his Capital... Read more

What Would Michael Jackson Sound Like On A J Dilla Beat? J Rocc Got The Answers (Audio)

Years ago, J Rocc, the third member of JayLib, and Dilla's label-mate at Stones Throw Records made "Dill Jackson." The mash-up mixes meshed the worlds of Michael Jackson with Jay Dee. It's not designed to rock a party, or be cute. Rather, The Beat Junkies member took two artists who... Read more

The Indie Rap Titans Form Like Voltron. Murs Signs With Tech N9ne’s Strange Music (Video)

This afternoon (February 7th), Murs announced that he's inked a new deal with Tech N9ne's Strange Music imprint. It makes sense in a lot of ways, as both of these artists rock the sales charts and fill out venues, despite limited (read: scarce video and radio support). Highly respected among... Read more

Is Theophilus London One Of The Most Original Hip-Hop Artists Of The Moment? Take A Look (Audio)

Some Heads aren't sure what quite to make of Theophilus London. This is an artist who isn't quite a MC, isn't quite a singer, but fits uniquely in the changing landscape of what a rapper might be in 2014. He's a fashion icon (it is New York City Fashion Week... Read more

Rick Ross & Diddy Bring Some Star Power To Mastermind. Did You Really Expect Any Different From This Tracklist?

Less than two days after Diddy's co-executive producer role (with DJ Khaled) was announced to Rick Ross' sixth solo album, Mastermind, Heads find out just what that means. With the tracklist to the Def Jam/Slip-N-Slide/Maybach Music Group album, you see the guests. Known for attracting veteran superstar peers since his... Read more

SPOTLIGHT: SneakerBoxChock Makes A Powerful Opening Statement In Elephants (Audio)

If one of Hip-Hop's great roles is to educate each other on what's going on, Heads should take a close listen to Camden, New Jersey's SneakerBoxChock. Also known simply as Chock, this MC does not mince his words at all. Speaking from real life experience, the artist just over the... Read more

Diddy To Executive Produce Rick Ross’ Mastermind Album (Video)

There was a time in Hip-Hop when executive production from different moguls was all the rage. Jay Z co-executive produced Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor, Suge Knight co-executive produced DJ Quik's Safe + Sound, 50 Cent co-executive produced Freeway's Free At Last album, Diddy & The Hitmen were associate executive... Read more

Prince Po Lets Off On A Steam-Powered Oh No Beat In Machine Rage (Video)

Heads ought to know: this Animal Serum album released by Prince Po & Oh No is one of the most impressive listens as we start to really settle into 2014. Released on Brooklyn's Nature Sounds Records (Havoc, Durag Dynasty, Blu, Pete Rock, etc.), the LP features the likes of O.C.,... Read more

Souls Of Mischief’s 93 ‘Til Infinity Deluxe Reissues, With A Light Box, Bonus CD & Music Book

In a month that's already announced a deluxe reissue of Mobb Deep's 1995 album, The Infamous, as well fellow Queens native/collaborator Nas' 1994 debut, Illmatic, next up is the Souls Of Mischief's debut, 93 'til Infinity. The Jive Records album by Tajai, Phesto, Opio, and A-Plus featured the breakthrough single... Read more

Childish Gambino Covers…P.M. Dawn? And It Sounds Really Good (Audio & Video)

Sometimes Hip-Hop history can be a bit revisionist. While KRS-One, Just-Ice, and the rest of the Boogie Down Productions posse didn't help P.M. Dawn's cool-factor with the alleged stage-tossing, no one can deny that in the late '80s and early '90s, the Brothers Cordes had hits that in some ways,... Read more

During East Coast Ice Storms, Black Milk Makes A Cold Day (Audio)

Black Milk has this uncanny ability to take a '70s Children's song chorus vibe and make it so Hip-Hop that it hurts. After 2013's shiver-inducing "Sunday's Best" / "Monday's Worst" tandem about G vs. E, B.M. returns with "Cold Day." Hard beats and a very juxtaposed Saturday morning television feel... Read more

What Underground Veteran Is DJ Premier Making A Full Album With Next? (Video)

From Charli Baltimore to Vinnie Paz to Roscoe P. Coldchain, DJ Premier has some strong Philly ties. The Gang Starr producer/DJ and the City Of Brotherly Love go way, way back like Just-Ice. Today, a surprising announcement was made as Premo links with a true Philly veteran. Jakk Frost might... Read more

Pusha T Says His Verses On The Clipse’s Hell Hath No Fury Were A Bit Too Real (Video)

Montreality interviews are cool because they're often outside of the box. Hearing Pusha T talk about working as a parking attendant as a teenager, or buying his mother a Jaguar before the first record deal may bring a smile, but when Pusha Ton's eyes light up about the level of... Read more