Bonita

Vic Mensa Vows To Make Change In The Booth…The Voting Booth (Video)

"I'm Vic Mensa. I'm 22 and affecting change in the hood is why I vote." That's the closing statement in a video produced by Vevo's Why I Vote Campaign featuring the celebrated MC. Hailing from Chicago, Illinois Vic Mensa is a young man whose outspoken lyrics and involvement in sociopolitical... Read more

September 27, 2016 Lifestyle

A New Documentary Examines How American Prisoners Are the New Slaves (Video)

"The 13th Amendment to the Constitution makes it unconstitutional for someone to be held as a slave. There are exceptions, including criminals." That is but one of the many powerful statements shared in the trailer for a forthcoming documentary called "13th." Directed by Selma's critically acclaimed director Ava DuVernay, it... Read more

September 26, 2016 Lifestyle

Redman’s 1000-Volt Flow Keeps Microphones Lit (Audio)

Earlier this year, Redman released a record unlike any other in his past discography, the EDM-inspired "Lights Out." It was the debut single from 1000volts, his newly formed musical partnership with Los Angeles producer Jayceeoh. Also a world-renowned DJ, Jayceeoh's relationship with an industry veteran like Reggie Noble is the... Read more

September 26, 2016 Audio

Lloyd Banks Releases A Hot New Mixtape ft Joe Budden, Prodigy & More (Audio Stream)

Last week, Lloyd Banks released "Reap What You Sow," the lead single from his latest project and one of the strongest lyrical barrages of his career. Prior to the song's release, the Queens, New York MC tweeted of the new EP arriving today (September 26), "time to show these fools... Read more

September 26, 2016 Audio

Pharoahe Monch, J.Period & More Will Help Open Historic New Museum

This weekend, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture located in Washington, D.C., will open its doors to the public, making it the first institution of its kind in the United States. As part of its grand opening celebration, some of Hip-Hop's most beloved artists will join... Read more

September 23, 2016 News

Could All Diseases Be Cured by 2099? A Bold New Initiative Says It’s Possible (Video)

By the end of the 21st century, many of the diseases plaguing the human race could be cured. At least, that's what Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan are hoping to achieve through a $3 billion offensive plan the husband and wife are jumpstarting. The audacious healthcare plan is... Read more

September 23, 2016 Lifestyle

T.I.’s New EP Is His Most Political Work Yet. It’s Us Or Else (Audio)

With the release of "Warzone," T.I. shared with the world his most powerful video to date. By visualizing an America in which innocent victims of police shootings are White and the officers Black, the multi-platinum rapper made the boldest political statement of his career and added his voice to the... Read more

September 23, 2016 Audio

20 Years Later, The Roots Continue to Do What They Do Best: Shine For Hip-Hop (Video)

With content ranging from the ethereal "The Hypnotic" to the aggressive "Clones," September 1996's Illadelph Halflife was a bold look from the Roots. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania group's third album, it took the musical concepts established on Jazz and improv-heavy formulas found on 1993's Organix and 1995's Do You Want More?!!!??!... Read more

September 22, 2016 Do Remember

Common & Stevie Wonder’s Snapshot of Black America Is Raw & Uncut (Video)

Common's 2014 album Nobody's Smiling not only signified a reforged musical partnership with producer No I.D., but also a concept record inspired by Chicago. The MC's hometown continues to be plagued by skyrocketing rates of gun violence, and while it manages to be a hotbed for vibrant talent including Chance... Read more

September 22, 2016 Video

Here’s What Nas Would Say If He Could Go Back in Time to Stop Tupac & Biggie’s Beef (Video)

Celebrated sports columnist Bill Simmons recently hosted Nas on his weekly HBO talk-show series, the cleverly titled "Any Given Wednesday." In their discussions, the two discussed far more than the rapper's interest in sports and the host's interest in Rap, and along with fellow guests Kevin Durant and Vince Staples,... Read more

September 22, 2016 Video

Marshawn Lynch Makes A Profound Statement in Support of Colin Kaepernick (Video)

"I'd rather see him take a knee than stand up with his hands up and get murdered." With just those few words, spoken on last night's (September 19) episode of "Conan," Marshawn Lynch made a powerful statement in support of his NFL brethren Colin Kaepernick and other players who have... Read more

September 21, 2016 Lifestyle

Apollo Brown & Skyzoo Paint a Vivid Picture With Help From Westside Gunn & Conway (Audio)

Ten days from now, Apollo Brown and Skyzoo will bestow upon Heads a collaborative album, The Easy Truth. The two are arguably some of the best artists in their crafts, each capable of bringing vivid elements to their music through production and MCing, respectively. Arriving courtesy of Mello Music Group,... Read more

September 20, 2016 Audio

Discrimination Is Costing Black Americans 27% In Potential Income (Video)

In April, Ambrosia for Heads reported on the expanding rate of income inequality along racial lines in the United States, an economic trend which has led to families of color being consistently paid less than their White counterparts. The statistics suggest that, despite the Civil Rights Era of the 1950s... Read more

September 20, 2016 Lifestyle

Lloyd Banks Is Releasing A New Mixtape This Week. Here’s The 1st Single (Audio)

Lloyd Banks hasn't released a studio album since 2010's H.F.M. 2 (The Hunger for More 2), but the Queens, New York MC has been far from quiet. In addition to a handful of mixtapes he's dropped in the last six years, he spent much of 2015 delivering a series of... Read more

September 20, 2016 Audio

Lupe Fiasco Serves Up an Oral History of “Food & Liquor” 10 Years Later (Audio)

For Lupe Fiasco fans, September 19, 2006 marked the arrival of one of the best debut albums from an MC in the 21st century. With Food & Liquor, the Chicago, Illinois storyteller was extending a discography he'd launched a year prior with his Fahrenheit 1/15 Part I: The Truth Is... Read more

September 19, 2016 Audio

Sneakerheads Are Lacing the Homeless With Designer Kicks (Video)

Just two days ago, Sneaker Con (which touts itself as "the greatest sneaker show on Earth") marched through Atlanta, Georgia, where thousands of designer kicks were on display for those who admire, create, and collect designer sneakers. With stints in both Washington, D.C. and New York City coming up this... Read more

September 19, 2016 Lifestyle

Chance The Rapper Is Giving Fans The Opportunity To Register To Vote At His Shows

Currently on the road for his Magnificent Coloring World Tour, Chicago, Illinois's Chance the Rapper is using the cross-country opportunities to get directly involved in the upcoming election. Along with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the superstar MC has launched the #StayWokeAndVote campaign, which will... Read more

September 16, 2016 Lifestyle

Patriotism For Pay: NFL Teams Were Paid by the Military to Salute the Flag (Video)

There are times - particularly in the internet era, when a story's shelf life sometimes lasts only a few hours - when news in the recent past resurfaces because it coincides perfectly with real-time events. We see it often on social media, when a years-old tweet from Donald Trump suddenly... Read more

September 16, 2016 Lifestyle

Master P Has Advice For Lil Wayne & Birdman And Says He & Wayne Have A New Record (Video)

On August 27, Lil Wayne organized and performed at the second annual Lil' Weezyana Festival in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. Embraced by an adoring crowd, he made his ongoing dispute with former music and business partner Birdman known, saying "fuck Cash Money," resulting in an uproarious response from... Read more

September 16, 2016 Video

Isaiah Rashad Can’t Be Stopped, Even When In Park (Video)

Isaiah Rashad is steadily becoming an artist whose body of visual work is becoming as consistently compelling as his lyrical content. Just two weeks ago, the Top Dawg Entertainment MC dropped his long-awaited LP, The Sun's Tirade. He introduced the project with "Free Lunch," a lead single whose music video... Read more

September 15, 2016 Video

Big K.R.I.T. Raps Like He Never Has Before In a Chilling Cry For Justice (Audio)

2016 has been a watershed year for protest records in Hip-Hop, from Mistah F.A.B.'s "6 Shots" to T.I.'s "Warzone" and countless powerful anthems in between. Police brutality and the broader system of injustice in this country continues to inspire songs that are both triumphant but also forlorn and tinged with... Read more

September 15, 2016 Audio

Jay Z Explains How The War On Drugs Really Is A War On People Of Color (Video)

Jay Z, one of the world's most successful artists and businessmen, made his way into the Rap game in part by spinning true-to-life tales about hustling in the streets, spending a considerable amount of his time coming up as a self-proclaimed D-Boy. Far from an unfamiliar trope in Hip-Hop music,... Read more

September 15, 2016 Lifestyle

T.I.’s New Video Re-Creates Police Killings, Making The Officers Black & The Victims White

As an MC, T.I. has had one of the most successful mainstream career trajectories. His sophomore album, 2001's Trap Musik, set the tone for the rest of the decade, and by 2010 he had the double-platinum Paper Trail under his belt. The Grammy winner's most successful singles have been largely... Read more

September 14, 2016 Lifestyle

The NCAA Is Playing Offense & Moving Its Games Out Of North Carolina

Less than two months after the National Basketball Association announced it would be moving its 2017 All-Star Game and all related festivities out of North Carolina, the National Collegiate Athletic Association is taking a similar stand. The N.C.A.A. will be relocating all of the sports events scheduled to take place... Read more

September 13, 2016 Lifestyle

This Fall, TV Will Make History By Truly Being Presented In Living Color

Just six days ago (September 6), the Fall 2016 television season debuted "Atlanta," a Hip-Hop centered FX series created by and starring Donald Glover. The dramedy is but one of the many offerings making this year one of the most diverse in television history, thanks to the inclusion of many... Read more

September 12, 2016 Lifestyle

Thousand of Prisoners Are Going On Strike to Protest “Slave Labor” (Video)

45 years ago today, Attica Prison in New York State became the unwitting headquarters of a days-long uprising which became a watershed moment in the broader movement for prisoner rights. At the heart of the uprising was a desire on the part of prisoners to be provided with better conditions,... Read more

September 9, 2016 Lifestyle

Cyhi The Prynce & Matt Citron Show Lyricism Is Far From Trapped, In Atlanta (Audio)

Covering Atlanta, Georgia and many of its suburbs, the area code 404 has lent itself to the title of the latest single from Matt Citron, a local MC whose bold take on Jay Electronica's “Exhibit C” caught the attention of Heads earlier this year. At the time, he told Ambrosia... Read more

September 9, 2016 Audio

The Entire Seattle Seahawks Team Could Be Protesting the National Anthem

There are times in modern history when things seem to be happening at a clip never before seen, with intensity that leaves many questioning when the fight began and why it only seems to be happening today, in the here and now. Most would argue that it's technology's presence in... Read more

September 8, 2016 Lifestyle

Childish Gambino Is Now The Man & He’s Calling The Shots For His Own Show (Video)

In a year when diversity in Hollywood has been a major point of discussion, creators like Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, Nate Parker, Viola Davis, and others have helped present projects which incorporate the nuanced and varied experiences of Black Americans in mainstream popular culture. Donald Glover (also known as rapper... Read more

September 8, 2016 Lifestyle

Chill Moody Has Rakim’s Attention. He Should Have Yours Too (Audio)

Hailing from the same part of Philadelphia made famous by Will Smith on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," Chill Moody has amassed a list of accomplishments that make him a hometown hero. Having performed with veteran MCs like Freeway, been named "Best Rapper" by Philadelphia magazine, and his current status... Read more

September 8, 2016 Spotlight

Why Shaq Is the Greatest Rapper Ever to Enter the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Later this week, Shaquille O'Neal will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a venue which holds tributes to not only players, but also coaches, teams, and others who have made "significant contributions to the game of basketball." O'Neal will join celebrated players such as Bill Russell,... Read more

September 7, 2016 Fresh

A Mini-Documentary Shows How Jay Z’s Blueprint Laid The Plans For A New Era In Hip-Hop

On September 11, Jay Z's The Blueprint will celebrate its 15th anniversary. Its release on what is now an infamous date in American history for other, tragic reasons, marked a time in the Roc-A-Fella leader's career when criminal allegations and frequent diss tracks surrounded his image. However, it has proven... Read more

September 7, 2016 Video

Cormega Enrolls Sizzla For a Dose of Street Knowledge (Audio)

Queensbridge icon Cormega is celebrating the 15th anniversary of his debut solo album, The Realness this year, giving his fans an opportunity to reflect on its importance in the cultivation of his prowess as an MC. 2014's Mega Philosophy, a collaborative LP with fellow QB representative Large Professor, was touted... Read more

September 2, 2016 Audio

Marc Lamont Hill Wants to Build a Society Without Police & Prisons (Video)

Marc Lamont Hill, one of the pre-eminent scholars and media personalities of his generation, arrived in Ferguson, Missouri one day after the killing of Mike Brown. It was 2014, and the 18-year-old was fatally shot by police and left in the middle of the street for more than four hours,... Read more

September 2, 2016 Lifestyle

Kendrick Lamar’s Verse on Isaiah Rashad’s Latest Shows Wat’s Wrong With Other MCs (Audio)

In Isaiah Rashad's latest single, singer and MC Zacari laments the feeling of running in circles when getting ahead of ourselves. "Wat's Wrong" is both a query and its response, with Kendrick Lamar and his T.D.E. cohort reflecting on everything from taxes to self-preservation, with the former attacking his verse... Read more

September 1, 2016 Audio

Georgetown Is Making Amends To The Descendants Of Slaves From Whom It Profited

In a speech that will go down in history as one of the greatest examples of political oratory, Michelle Obama referenced the building of the White House by slaves. It was a potent point, and one that is often forgotten when Americans are swept up in patriotism and pride. Slaves... Read more

September 1, 2016 Lifestyle

In A World Filled With Hate Audio Push Spread Love (Video)

Next month, Audio Push will be releasing their first studio album after releasing more than ten mixtapes. Representing Southern California's Inland Empire (a region which houses, among others, the cities Ontario, Riverside, and San Bernardino), the duo comprised of Oktane and Price has given its September 23 LP the title... Read more

August 31, 2016 Video

Crazy Legs Reminds All That Latinos Were Also “At the Root” of Hip-Hop (Video)

Last week, the globally respected breakdancing icon Crazy Legs took to his Instagram page to express his opinion about "The Getdown," a new series which documents the 1970s New York City street culture in which Hip-Hop was first developed. In his video statement, the Bronx native shared that he felt... Read more

August 31, 2016 Video

A Computer Inside The Mind? Here’s Why That’s Not Insane In the Brain.

The notion of technology possessing human-like cognitive abilities has been around since antiquity; one need look no further than origin myths of countless cultures in which an omnipotent presence constructs beings possessing consciousness. But in 2016, artificial intelligence is not only a familiar concept, but one that can be seen... Read more

August 31, 2016 Lifestyle

A Debate About Law Enforcement & Social Media Is Redefining Policing In the Internet Age

The deaths of Philando Castile and Korryn Gaines brought into sharp focus a national conversation about social media's real-time capabilities and their relationship to operations of law enforcement. In each case, video of a police-involved incident was made available for mass consumption, effectively turning what would otherwise be reported into... Read more

August 30, 2016 Lifestyle

Apollo Brown, Skyzoo & Joell Ortiz Spare More Than a Couple Dollars’ Worth of Inspiration (Audio)

On September 30, Skyzoo and Apollo Brown will be releasing a collaborative album, The Easy Truth. The Brooklyn, New York MC and Detroit, Michigan-based producer dropped its debut single earlier this month in the form of "One In the Same," which features Patty Crash, whose name will be familiar to... Read more

August 30, 2016 Audio

Black Thought & Rahzel Made Us Want More With This 1994 Freestyle (Audio)

It was 1994, and The Roots had delivered their first offering via the previous year's Organix. Released independently, it was stripped-down yet fully developed, and helped land the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania crew a place alongside artists like G. Love & Special Sauce in providing the City of Brotherly Love with a... Read more

August 29, 2016 Audio

Two MCs Try To Eat Chris Rivers’ Lunch In A Cypher Turned Raw Battle (Video)

Celebrants of lyricism in Hip-Hop, particularly in the current generation of artists, have much to tout in Chris Rivers. The son of one of the Greats (Big Pun) has by-and-large forgone the glossy, radio-friendly career path for one built on freestyles and collaborations with like-minded MCs like Joell Ortiz and... Read more

August 29, 2016 Video

Celebrate the Beats, Rhymes, and Life of A Tribe Called Quest With This Mix (Audio)

Last month, A Tribe Called Quest's Beats, Rhymes, Life celebrated its 20th anniversary. The group's platinum-selling fourth LP was released July 30, 1996, and it signaled a sonic departure from its predecessor, Midnight Marauders. Featuring production from the Ummah (Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jay Dee), it served as many... Read more

August 26, 2016 Audio

The Legend of Capital STEEZ Remains Alive In A Colorful New Video

Today (August 26), Pro Era has released a visual treatment for "Herban Legend," a song by the late Brooklyn, New York rapper Capital STEEZ. The song itself was released in 2012, but in a move that helps keep his memory alive, the team he helped found and lead opted to... Read more

August 26, 2016 Video

15 Years Since Her Death, We’ve Still Got To Give It Up To Aaliyah – & Slick Rick (Video)

On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah Haughton and eight others were lost in a fatal plane crash. In the years since, the singer's influence on not only music but also fashion continues to be seen and heard. Today, on the 15th anniversary of her death, scores of fans are taking to... Read more

August 25, 2016 Do Remember

Leslie Jones’ Second Online Attack Points to Anti-Black Woman Sentiment in the U.S.

Leslie Jones is a survivor of one of some of the most vicious civil rights violations, and it was all done in front of millions. In July, the celebrated comedian and star of the rebooted "Ghostbusters" was victimized by a mob of racist, sexist, and verbally violent Twitter users who... Read more

August 24, 2016 Lifestyle

J Dilla Pieced Together Some Of His Musical Influences In This Mixtape (Audio)

August 22 marked the tenth anniversary of The Shining, the J Dilla album released only a few months after his passing in 2006. Tributes to the LP could be seen across social media and elsewhere online, proving that even after death, the iconic Detroit producer continues to delight and inspire.... Read more

August 24, 2016 Mixes, Throwback

Frank Ocean’s Blond(e) Gets Bleached To Its Roots By !llmind (Audio)

It's safe to say that with the release of Blond(e), Frank Ocean has delivered one of the year's most sought-after musical content of 2016. His inclusion of Andre 3000 only added to the fervor, with music fans justifiably clamoring over any new material from the Outkast MC who has never... Read more

August 24, 2016 Audio

Questlove Is Bringing His Supreme Knowledge To His Own Internet Radio Station

The cultural icon who has quite possibly the most impressive résumé in music today is adding another job to the list: internet radio host. Questlove (born Ahmir Thompson), founding member of the Legendary Roots Crew, NYU professor, "Tonight Show" bandleader, New York Times bestselling author, international DJ, Grammy winner, "Hamilton"... Read more

August 24, 2016 News