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Lupe Fiasco Combines A Strong Syncopated Flow With Signature Storytelling (Audio)

Lupe Fiasco's creative taps seemingly never run dry. This week, the 1st & 15th founder released "Something That I Never Had." The moment finds Lu' really waxing a fast, deeply syncopated flow as he tells a tale of relationships drifting. It's a lot to keep up with, but the moment... Read more

Adore The Soothing Soul Of Sam And Bobby? Try Leon Bridges (Video)

In nearly every genre of music, it's popular to go back to the future. Whether its the early days of Bluegrass, the Slab music of Houston, or the 1970s L.A. music scene, the past is playing an important role in informing the sensibilities of new music. Somewhere in the delta... Read more

Melanie Fiona Shoots Down An Open Relationship With Bite The Bullet (Audio)

Fresh off of a Caribbean-flared contribution to Raekwon's F.I.L.A album, Melanie Fiona (who proudly celebrates her Guyanese heritage) stays tropical for her own LP. The former SRC Records' songstress third LP, Free Love, is presumed to include this new Reggae-tinged single, "Bite The Bullet." The song about awakening is written... Read more

Raekwon & Ghostface Killah Take The Purple Tape Anniversary Celebration On The Road

On August 1, Raekwon's solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... turns 20 years old. The gold-certified RCA/Loud Records release is acclaimed for its intricate lyricism, groundbreaking lexicon, and gritty RZA production. With its "co-starring" credit going to Ghostface Killah (who followed one year later with his own acclaimed solo... Read more

Kanye West Goes From College Dropout To Graduation, As Honorary Degree Recipient

Less than a dozen years ago, Kanye West self-identified as The College Dropout. Today, the music/pop culture superstar has a higher education diploma in hand. Mr. West  received an honor doctoral degree in Fine Arts today (May 11) from the School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago. Are you looking... Read more

Raekwon & Snoop Dogg Are Still B-Boys, Celebrating Hip-Hop’s Elements (Video)

Raekwon and Snoop Dogg may be in Rap's ruling elite. However, these early 1990s alums still capture the music as they fell in love with it. "1,2 1,2" is a standout moment from The Chef's just-released F.I.L.A. (Fly International Luxurious Art). Produced by Get Busy Committee's Scoop Deville, the Isaac... Read more

From Battles To Collabos…Canibus Makes Good With Battle Rap Opponent Dizaster (Audio)

Canibus is widely considered one of Hip-Hop's most fearless figures. Fresh into his career, 'Bis challenged LL Cool J in a battle that nearly matched Tim Duncan's NBA career. Canibus has lambasted Eminem, criticized J. Cole, and even left a cult-championed career to enlist in the United States Army in... Read more

Mystikal & Mark Ronson’s New Visual is Kinda Wrong…But It Feels Right (Video)

In the days when networks were still havens for the music video, it took a lot to command rotation. These days, visuals live online—where they also live forever. In that school of thought, artists often tend to favor quantity over quality, knowing that a view is a view. Mark Ronson,... Read more

Blueprint’s Writing & His Range Are Why He Is A King Without A Crown (Video)

Columbus, Ohio MC/producer Blueprint just released King, No Crown on his own Weightless label. The Soul Position/Greenhouse member is one of the enduring figures of the late '90s, early 2000s Underground Hip-Hop glory days. Still, while some of 'Print's close associates (RJD2, Slug) have garnered mainstream recognition and strong commercial... Read more

Breakbeat Lou Is A Digging Pioneer. He Spins Run-DMC, James Brown & Snoop Dogg (Mix)

Long before Heads could go digging in the crates with two tabs of YouTube, Louis "Breakbeat Lou" Flores was a trusted source of dusty-sonic knowledge. One of the creators of the Ultimate Breaks & Beats compilation series, the New York City native helped take deep cuts by Dennis Coffey, ESG,... Read more

Fashawn Takes An Above The Law Classic & Hits Freestyle Switches (Video)

Fashawn stopped by Tim Westwood's crib to freestyle. The mainstay British DJ knew just what to hit Fash' with. Beginning with Above The Law's "Black Superman," the Mass Appeal Records artist gets to work. Finding his own G-Funk lyrics, the Fresno, California MC seems to come off the dome in... Read more

Prince’s Guitar Cries For Baltimore, With A Retro Sound & Current Issues (Audio)

Gearing up for tomorrow's (May 10) Rally 4 Peace in Baltimore, Maryland, Prince has released the song he made in response to the city's social unrest. The Paisley Park founder joined his band 3rd Eye Girl for a song that gives focus to the value of art and expression amidst... Read more

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Claim They Are Often Misunderstood In New Single (Video)

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Heads know that the Cleveland, Ohio collective began as B.O.N.E. Enterpri$e. One of Rap music's greatest ears for talent, Eazy-E, suggested a name-change somewhere before 1994's Creepin' On Ah Come Up. Somehow, even in the 20 years since Eric Wright's death, "Bone Thugs-N-Harmony" seems to be the perfect... Read more

Black Sheep’s Mista Lawnge Remixes Pink Floyd, Pat Benatar & Diana Ross 80s Classics (Audio)

Mista Lawnge (f/k/a Mr. Long) is one of Hip-Hop's figures who does not seem to get his just due. One-half of the founding team in Black Sheep, William McLean was responsible, in part, for supplying Queens, New York duo with a sticking sound unlike no other entity in the space.... Read more

Eddie Murphy Returns With Protest Reggae, Inspired By Difficult Headlines (Video)

Eddie Murphy may have avoided the spotlight to humor the masses during this spring's "SNL40" special appearance. However, the iconic comedian/actor wastes no time getting back to one of his other loves, music. The former Columbia and Motown Records singer continues his journey into Reggae with "Oh Jah Jah." The... Read more

Prince is Hosting a “Rally 4 Peace” in Baltimore This Weekend

Affected by the murder of Freddie Gray, and moved by the protests of the people in Baltimore, Maryland, Prince has announced "Rally 4 Peace." The Minnesota musical icon will host a performance for Sunday May 10 at Royal Farms Arena. Joined by his band 3rd Eye Girl, Prince publicized the... Read more

The eMC Take It To Brazilian Streets With Diamond D Funk (Video)

If you listened to the theme of 2008's The Show, you know that The eMC is worldwide. Masta Ace, Wordsworth, and Stricklin are well-received overseas, given their energetic live shows and slick routines. For "The Monologue," the trio strolls up the narrow streets of Favela do Sussego, Grajau, São Paulo,... Read more

Finding The GOAT (Round 6): Nas vs. Tupac…Who You Got?

UPDATE: Due to attempts to tamper with the voting, this post has been updated with a new poll, which can be found here. With now only 5 MCs remaining, Round 6 is well under-way in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). The second of... Read more

A$AP Rocky, Miguel, Mark Ronson & Rod Stewart on a Song Together? You Don’t Hear That Everyday (Audio)

A$AP Rocky's sophomore studio album, At.Long.Last.A$AP is less than a month away (June 2). Aiming to follow-up his platinum RCA/Polo Grounds debut from several years back, it's only the big guns for the Harlem, New Yorker. That's exactly what "Everyday" aims to be. Produced by the limitless Mark Ronson, the... Read more

Jadakiss Is Out To Top Everybody On The Throwback Freestyle Circuit (Audio)

Jadakiss continues to light up Fridays, handing Heads more than a paycheck with his freestyles. As L.O.X./D-Block partner Styles P is in the thick of it, Jada' clearly is out to shine in a classic of throw-back minded players including Fabolous (who recently tackled a LOX joint), Tony Yayo, and... Read more

Chuck Chillout Spins De La Soul, Gang Starr, MC Lyte & EPMD in a 1988 Mix (Audio)

The late Mr. Magic is widely considered one of Hip-Hop's greatest radio mix-masters. DJ Marley Marl's mentor dropped the needle on seminal records in the late 1970s, throughout the 1980s, and the early 1990s, helping give many Heads would-be classic songs that he personally deemed important. The same week boogieknight... Read more

Dynas Gets Busy On ‘Em, Putting His Skills Above All Else (Premiere)

Following his stellar, storytelling collaboration with Slick Rick ("Who U?"), South Florida's Dynas returns with his sophomore single from his EMPIRE-distributed Big and Tall, with producer Tony Galvin. "Busy" welcomes DJ Klassik's aggressive scratching, and Tony's Bomb Squad-influenced beat. Over-top, Dynas uses the moment to describe where he fits within... Read more

Do Remember: The Nonce’s Mix Tapes (Video)

2015's Los Angeles, California Hip-Hop scene includes a plethora of colorful figures. It is now cool (and accepted) to be unconventional. Whether Kendrick Lamar, Earl Sweatshirt, or Blu, plenty of MCs from Southern Cali have come to creative forks in the road, and blazed trails by simply going straight. In... Read more

Emilio Rojas Nods To Nas & Kurtis Blow, Imagining If He Ruled The World (Audio)

"If I Ruled The World" is a powerful idea. That is precisely why Kurtis Blow made a hit out of it. Nas followed, honoring Kurtis and the America single 11 years later, on 1996's It Was Written. Now, 19 years later, Emilio Rojas takes the underlying makings of both songs,... Read more

CyHi The Prynce Makes A 2-Song Tape That Rocks ‘Til The Tape Pops (Audio)

Even with only mixtapes available, CyHi The Prynce continues to deliver great album-quality music. The G.O.O.D. Music sensation is also among the 2010s' best freestyle performers, making many consider him a total package talent. Teaming with SMH Records (which includes Wake Up Show co-founder King Tech), CyHi unveiled a cool... Read more

Time is Almost Up for Biggie or Tupac. Who Will Go Forward In Finding The GOAT?

Tuesday (May 5) kicked off Round 6 for "Finding The GOAT" with a monstrous showdown. Tupac vs. The Notorious B.I.G. is a battle of epic proportions, as these Rap martyrs were constantly compared in life as they are in death. In less than 48 hours, this Round 6 match-up garnered... Read more

Capone-N-Noreaga, Tragedy Khadafi & The LOX Play 3-On-3 On The Rhyme Court (Audio)

Fresh off of the news that Capone-N-Noreaga was reuniting with mentor Tragedy Khadafi, Capone and N.O.R.E. recruit their War Report special ops role-player for a worthy cause. "3 On 3" is some MC ish, as The L.O.X. trio joins C-N-N and Trag' for a little showmanship with the mic. All... Read more

Think Suicide Doors Are Rap Lyric Cliche? Skyzoo Unlocks The Freshness (Audio)

Skyzoo Heads know that the Brooklyn, New Yorker lives in two worlds. On one hand, the onetime Jamla/Duck Down Records MC is a product of the underground. Sky' has a grassroots career that was built off of hot 12" singles, circulating his name through mixtapes, and working with a vast... Read more

Redman Reflects On MTV Cribs and What It Said About Who He Is

Whether you're a Def Squad Head or a lover of pranksters, Redman's episode of "MTV: Cribs" is that of legend. At a time when celebrities—especially rappers were showing gold-leaf wallpaper, infinity pools, personal chefs and garages that looked like Italian car dealerships, Reggie Noble was the antithesis. In year 2001,... Read more

Finding The GOAT (Round 6): Tupac vs. The Notorious B.I.G.…Who You Got?

With now only 6 MCs remaining, we have entered Round 6 in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). Now, only two match-up’s—both running this week—remain until the final 4 are revealed. Since the elimination, bracket-style tournament was launched in September of 2014, including more... Read more

25 Years Ago, Pete Rock Was DJ’ing On Airwaves. Listen In (Mix)

On May 20, 1989, Pete Rock was just 18 years old. The Mount Vernon, New Yorker was Marley Marl's right-hand-man on WBLS' "In Control" show. Two years before he would be making hits alongside CL Smooth for Elektra Records, Pete Rock was a heralded sound-selector, moving New York City and... Read more

Finding the GOAT: The Final 6 MCs Have Been Decided By YOU. Who Will Be The 1?

Round 5's polls have closed today (May 4). Although there was a late push, the definitive margins (and projected winners) held, by and large. With that, Ambrosia For Heads' "Finding The GOAT" series has its final 6 MCs. The Round 5 bye (Big Daddy Kane) returns to competitive combat for... Read more

Q-Tip & The Chemical Brothers Still Know How to Make the Party Get Up and GO (Video)

As an MC, a DJ, and as a producer, Q-Tip knows how to inject the rhythm into the people. The Abstract is quite concrete in his ability to exterminate wallflowers, making grooves, melodies, and choruses that send everybody to the dance-floor. Tip was called upon by The Chemical Brothers for... Read more

Vic Mensa’s Down On My Luck Gets Chuck Inglish’s Groovy Reconsideration (Audio)

Almost to the week, it's been a year since Vic Mensa brought out some modern-day Hip-House with "Down On My Luck." Complete with a psychedelic video, the Chicago, Illinois MC touched on pain, release, sadness, and catharsis in a song that was more R&B and Deep House than traditional Rap... Read more

Ever Been a Sucker for Love? Jill Scott’s Done Chasing Fool’s Gold (Audio)

Jill Scott's new music has a ton of punch to it. Following up March's pained "You Don't Know" video, Jilly From Philly reflects on mistakes with more pep to her step. "Fools Gold" looks back at chasing the wrong situations, even when the writing was on the wall. Moreover, the... Read more

Camp Lo Re-Team With Luchini Producer Ski Beatz on Black Jesus (Audio)

Camp Lo is in tact with their original mentor/producer Ski Beatz. However, the upcoming Ragtime Hightimes (May 19) is not a regurgitation of that Uptown Saturday Night sound. Instead, "Black Jesus" is just the latest example of Sonny Cheeba and Geechie Suede's ability to flex new styles. The 20-plus-year pair... Read more

Capone-N-Noreaga Reunite With Tragedy Khadafi, Penalty Records For 5th Album

In 2010, Capone-N-Noreaga were out to recapture the magic of their 1997 debut, The War Report. '10's The War Report 2: Report The War boasted Raekwon's executive production (and Ice H20 label backing), along with beats by Alchemist, and appearances by Busta Rhymes. However, five years later, it seems that... Read more

Black Thought & J.Period Honor James Brown Making A Tape, LIVE! (Mixtape)

When it comes to showmanship in Hip-Hop, The Roots' Black Thought is one of the greatest to ever do it. The South Philadelphia MC can rap, he can sing, and he can play with an ensemble—and he does it all, nightly on television. So much of Tariq Trotter's on-stage persona,... Read more

Yasiin Bey Explains His New Creative Process and Worldview in Detail (Video)

Yasiin Bey is a true creative anomaly. The artist formerly known as Mos Def spent the late 1990s and early 2000s churning out material, basking in the collaborative spirit, and touring relentlessly. The world responded, and the onetime Brooklyn, New York underground MC garnered gold plaques, Top 5 debuts, and... Read more

Ever Hear This Extra-Large 1995 Method Man Freestyle? (Audio)

In 1995, things were reaching a boil for Method Man. The Wu-Tang Clan MC had a hit solo album in Tical, and an onslaught of classic verses with his band-mates. However, even with the presumed millions rolling in, the Iron Lung MC was not at all above ripping up bars... Read more

These MCs Are Nearing Elimination in the Finding The GOAT Competition. Round 5 Ends Tomorrow.

Ambrosia For Heads’ Finding The GOAT series, the search for the Greatest Of All Time MC (as determined by you), began in September, 2014 and is soon down to its final 6 contestants. At 4:59pm EST on Monday May 4, Round 5 polls will close, and Round 6 will kick... Read more

Mac Miller Strikes Back, With Bars That Slash His Recent Silence (Audio)

For nearly six months, Mac Miller has been unusually quiet. The Most Dope front man has a new label home, production work, recording responsibilities, and plenty of material to let marinate on the minds of Hip-Hop Heads. "Boo (Interlude)" emerges from this quiet, reminding the world that the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania... Read more

N.O.R.E. Speaks For the First Time on Squashing His Beef With Nas (Video)

While being known as one Rap's lighter personalities, N.O.R.E. (f/k/a Noreaga) has had his share of rifts. From Nas to Prodigy, Cormega to partner Capone, the Lefrak City, Queens MC has had cold periods with several of his closest associates. Speaking with Doggie Diamonds TV, the onetime Def Jam Records... Read more

Jadakiss & Styles P Rock A Rhyme Routine For The Block (Audio)

For recent weeks, Jadakiss and Styles P have set the weekend off with borrowed beats and venerable verses. This time, holding Cam'ron and Prodigy's "Losin' Weight" for a second, they take on the task together. "Block Work" is street-focused, using images from the hustle to show the kind of strength... Read more

Lupe Fiasco’s Visual Is 9 Years Late, But Right On Time (Video)

Part of what made Lupe Fiasco's 2006 Food & Liquor debut such a captivating album was its insightfulness. Although never an official single, "Just Might Be Okay" was a grabbing album cut. The Gemstones-assisted (t/k/a Gemini) joint was an examination of where Lu' was at with his career in the... Read more

Finding The GOAT (Round 5): KRS-One vs. Nas…Who You Got?

With just 11 MCs remaining we have reached the critical Round 5 in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). Now, only five match-up’s—all running this week—separate Round 5 from the final six MCs, including Round 4 bye winner Big Daddy Kane. Since the elimination,... Read more

Wale Marches With Baltimore High School, Urges Media To Look Closer (Video)

This week has brought global news out of Baltimore, Maryland. The April 19, 2015 death of Freddie Gray, a 25 year-old local man who suffered a severed spinal cord while in police custody, before dying one week later has raised great concern, outcry, and debate surrounding the Baltimore Police Department. Gray’s... Read more

Do Remember: AZ’s S.O.S.A. (Save Our Streets AZ) Album (Audio)

Like sports, what a musician does as a free agent often determines his or her future. Some artists privately seek out their next label home, and get right to work. Others use the event as a combine of sorts, publicly postulating where they would like to be, and what it... Read more

Finding The GOAT (Round 5): The Notorious B.I.G. vs. Redman…Who You Got?

With just 11 MCs remaining we have reached the critical Round 5 in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). Now, only five match-up’s—all running this week—separate Round 5 from the final six MCs, including Round 4 bye winner Big Daddy Kane. Since the elimination,... Read more

ONYX’s Latest Protest Song Advocates “No Justice, No Peace” (Audio)

ONYX (Sticky Fingaz and Fredro Starr) recently released "Against All Authorities," an outcry against the agencies that are not protecting nor serving all people. The New York City vets rallied up the troops and pointed fingers at law enforcement, courts, and legislators. Now, the stripped-down lineup of the 100 Mad... Read more