Bonita

Flint, Michigan Was Poisoned & An Investigation Points to the Government (Video)

The ongoing crisis in Flint, Michigan is one at the nexus of economics, health, politics, and potentially criminal activity. Over the course of the last several weeks, mainstream media has been focusing more and more on a story that, despite sounding hyperlocalized to one specific community, potentially has similarities to conditions... Read more

January 25, 2016 Lifestyle

The Oscars’ Voting Body May Have Twice the Women & Minorities by 2020

Since announcing its list of nominees for this year's Academy Awards, the Association behind the Oscars event has been forced to face some loud criticisms for its lack of diversity. With not a single minority nominated for any lead or supporting roles (and a paltry few among those nominated in... Read more

January 22, 2016 News

Lecrae Says He’s a Jacked-Up Person & Needs a Savior (Video)

In today's world, religion and politics are two subjects that are often kept separate. However, there are some who feel that their faith and their political views are intrinsically linked. Christian leadership speaker Kurt Uhlir is one of those individuals who believes that one's spiritual beliefs should inform their political... Read more

January 22, 2016 Video

Snoop Dogg Revisits Donny Hathaway’s “Little Ghetto Boy,” With His Daughter, Lalah (Video)

A recent match-up between Snoop Dogg, Lalah Hathaway, Terrace Martin, and Robert Glasper is a glorious collaboration which in many ways was thought of years ago. Hathaway, the daughter of the late Soul icon Donny, has released an updated version of her dad's 1972 classic, "Little Ghetto Boy." However, it's... Read more

January 22, 2016 The Bridge, Video

Macklemore Releases a New Song About White Privilege And It’s a Powder Keg (Audio)

Recent events have made it exceptionally clear that we are living in a modern-day Civil Rights Era. Despite all the progress American society has made in many ways - a Black President, LGBTQ rights, allowing women to serve in the military, and so forth - there is still an untenable... Read more

January 22, 2016 Audio

Jamila Woods Makes an Anthem for Black Girls Everywhere (Audio)

Chicago-based singer Jamila Woods first turned Heads on a major level through her work on Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment's 2015 Surf album on "Sunday Candy." Currently gearing up for the release of her debut solo project, she has announced her signing to the Closed Sessions label, and has... Read more

January 21, 2016 Audio

NBA All-Star Damian Lillard Invokes Powerful Imagery in a Message of Hope (Video)

As a point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard has been proving his skills off the court, as well, over the last year. On the mic, he's established himself as a thoughtful, poetic MC. Under the name Dame D.O.L.L.A., he previously dropped a serious freestyle at Shade 45,... Read more

January 21, 2016 Video

Mobb Deep’s Prodigy To Perform At The Interactive Play “The Illuminati Ball”

Hip-Hop and the theater are continuing to merge in unexpected ways. With the astronomical success of Hamilton on Broadway and Kurtis Blow's stint in the Hip-Hop Nutcracker, a legacy that began back in the '90s with productions of So! What Happens Now? and Jam on the Groove is blossoming. Today, it's... Read more

January 21, 2016 Lifestyle

Pusha T Narrates His Inspiring Life Story. It All Began With His Brother. (Video)

Pusha T has had what are arguably the best several months of his career lately. After being named the President of Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music imprint, the Virginia Beach MC is now riding the wave of critical acclaim left in the wake of King Push: Darkest Before Dawn: the Prelude,... Read more

January 20, 2016 Video

Taggers Played an Integral Role in Graffiti’s Rise. A New Film Tells Their Story (Video)

In some form or another, graffiti has been around for millennia. Inscriptions, carvings, frescas, and a host of other places where art meets the streets can be found in nearly every civilization, but something particularly influential happened right here, in the United States. The place which birthed Hip-Hop culture served... Read more

January 20, 2016 TV/Film

Peanut Butter Wolf Nearly Stopped Making Music After Meeting Madlib (Video)

Earlier this week, the Beat Konducta himself, Madlib, was introduced to even more new fans thanks to his contributions on Kanye West's "No More Parties in L.A." Longtime Heads have been following the Oxnard, California producer and part-time MC for several decades and many incarnations. The man behind projects released... Read more

January 20, 2016 Video

Questlove’s Trip to a Prince Concert Went from Near Disaster to Epic Win (Video)

For most of us, being able to see the one and only Prince live in concert will likely never happen. Even less likely is being able to hit the show on a first date. For Questlove, it's a bit less far-fetched of a possibility, and in a wonderfully creative animated... Read more

January 20, 2016 Video

2015 Was Hottest Year on Record & Now Sea Levels May Wipe Our Cities Away (Video)

2015 was the hottest year in recorded climate history. In our world of hyperbole, unsubstantiated political discourse, and general laissez-faire attitudes about problems with no immediate effect on our wellbeing, hearing such news doesn't necessarily incite a knee-jerk reaction. Generally speaking, the issues of global warming and climate change don't elicit... Read more

January 20, 2016 Lifestyle

This Video Shows Why You Used to Love Hip-Hop…And Still Should (Video)

In the video for "Still Love Her," Albuquerque, New Mexico MC Wake Self incorporates touchstones that any Head will appreciate. With a beautiful visual homage to A Tribe Called Quest's The Low End Theory album cover, a conceptual foundation built on the artwork for Common's Resurrection, a nod to De... Read more

January 19, 2016 Video

Isaiah Rashad Can’t Be Bothered. He Smiles Past the Haters (Video)

Come January 28, it will have been two years since Isaiah Rashad dropped his debut E.P. The Chattanooga, Tennessee spitter and TDE roster member showcased his Southern flavor all over Cilvia Demo, which earned him nearly universal acclaim and a spot in XXL's freshman class. In 2015, he mostly kept... Read more

January 15, 2016 Video

Lecrae Goes As Hard As Any MC Out, Spiritual Or Otherwise (Video)

By now, it's no secret that Lecrae has managed to topple preconceived notions of what Christian Hip-Hop is "supposed" to sound like on their head. The Houston, Texas native has already released an impressive arsenal of seven solo albums, with 2014's Anomaly peaking at the top of the Billboard 200... Read more

January 15, 2016 Video

Virtual Sex May Help Pedophiles Fight Their Urges. Should We Allow It?

Pedophilia is one of society's greatest taboos. It's a topic not easily broached for obvious reasons, but for those suffering from it, that taboo nature makes it increasingly difficult to seek treatment and support. While preying on children is certainly a behavior that is never acceptable, those coping with pedophilia require... Read more

January 15, 2016 Lifestyle

Fresh Out the Oven: 2 Compton Men are Preparing Gourmet Meals for the Hood.

For non-locals, Compton, California is most commonly associated with music or crime. In just the last year alone, it's become a household name, thanks to the blockbuster success of the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton and Dr. Dre's Compton album. With artists like Jay Rock, The Game, and Kendrick Lamar... Read more

January 14, 2016 Lifestyle

Talib Kweli Debuts an Unheard Song. Is a New Album Coming Soon? (Video)

With all of the Talib Kweli releases of late, it's hard to fathom that the Brooklyn MC is still working on releasing Radio Silence, an album he first began promoting around this time last year. In the months since, he's been involved with an impressive collection of projects, including his... Read more

January 14, 2016 Video

Spike Lee’s Latest Documentary Looks at Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall” (Video)

Spike Lee has had a very busy few months, promoting and celebrating the release of his most recent film, Chi-Raq. The satirical comedy explored some heavy topics, namely the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in Chicago, where the murder rate is so high, the city has drawn comparisons to war-torn places... Read more

January 14, 2016 TV/Film, Video

Ab-Soul Recounts His Travels on the Dark Side on Unreleased Track (Audio)

It's been more than a year and a half since Ab-Soul released his third and most recent solo LP, These Days..., and while his TDE cohorts Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock both had major releases in 2015, many are missing the self-described "black-lipped bastard"'s presence in the Rap game. Appearances... Read more

January 13, 2016 Audio

Raunch Rap Pioneer Blowfly Reveals Terminal Cancer Diagnosis, Plans Final Album

He may not be a household name to many Heads, but he should be. Blowfly is a true originator, one whose raunchy and outlandish personalities have earned him a permanent place in the annals of music history. The 76-year-old Georgia native has been an undeniably influential character in the formation... Read more

January 13, 2016 News

Wale Made History as the First MC to Open State of the Union Event (Video)

Last night, President Obama delivered his seventh and final State of the Union Address to congress, marking a symbolic end to his tenure as Commander in Chief. Remarkably optimistic in its tone, the Address covered the economy's recent upswing, the current state of American healthcare infrastructure, the hope of finding... Read more

January 13, 2016 Video

Raekwon Flexes on a Hot Reggae Track & the Result is Straight Fire (Audio)

On his 46th birthday, Raekwon can be heard destroying the mic on a track that doesn't sound like much else that he's released over the course of his prolific career. The Wu-Tang Clan's resident Chef was last heard on Busta Rhyme's Christmas-Day mixtape, The Return Of The Dragon (The Abstract... Read more

January 12, 2016 Audio

Ras Kass is Making the Search for Lyrical Hip-Hop Easy with “The Chase” (Video Premiere)

In 2006, Nas dropped Hip-Hop Is Dead, an album which reflected his thoughts on the music industry's failure to promote high-quality, concept-driven, and lyrically centered music. Its release re-ignited a longstanding conversation about what "real" Hip-Hop is, a conversation that continues to permeate the culture. One artist who has never... Read more

January 12, 2016 Exclusive, Video

TDE’s Resident Engineer Ali Has Compiled 2 Epic Mixes of Their Throwback Music (Audio)

"Let it run, Ali" is a familiar-sounding phrase for Top Dawg Entertainment Heads. The crew featuring Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul (as well as their collective group, Black Hippy), SZA, and Isaiah Rashad was founded back in 2004 before any of their roster members were making it big,... Read more

January 12, 2016 Audio

“Rubble Kings” Album Features Ghostface Killah, Run The Jewels, Bun B & More (Stream & Download)

Back in June, Heads got a serious history lesson with the release of Rubble Kings, a documentary exposing the real-life events in '70s New York City that led to the formation of what we now recognize as Hip-Hop culture. Now, the highly acclaimed film has an official soundtrack, featuring new... Read more

January 11, 2016 News

The Harlem Globetrotters Literally Changed the Game Nearly 90 Years Ago

On January 7, 1927, the game of basketball was forever altered when the Harlem Globetrotters played their first game. Known as an "exhibition" team, their unique style of play incorporates comedy and theater into a uniquely American creation, one that has allowed the entity to remain beloved for more than... Read more

January 11, 2016 Lifestyle

After Being Re-Captured In Mexico, Is El Chapo On His Way To The U.S.? (Video)

Possibly the world's most notorious wanted man, Mexican drug kingpin El Chapo, has been arrested and will likely face extradition charges by the United States. Born Joaquín Archivaldo Guzman Leora, El Chapo (Spanish for "the short one") took on Pablo Escobar-esque notoriety in 2015 after escaping from prison for the... Read more

January 11, 2016 Lifestyle

Kanye West Releases His Best Song In Years. This Is Vintage Yeezy

Kanye West is back, reinvigorating the G.O.O.D. Friday weekly release campaign with "Real Friends" and a snippet "No More Parties in L.A." Featuring Ty Dolla $ign, the former is five-plus minutes of unbridled emotion, the rawest since West became a father, which gives Heads a sense of a brand-new Kanye,... Read more

January 8, 2016 News

Petition Seeks to Exonerate “Making a Murderer” Subject. The White House Responds.

Netflix's continued dominance in the streaming media market is no longer news to anybody, but nevertheless the company's growing list of accomplishments is hard to ignore, even to the most jaded media aficionado. Earlier this week, it was announced that Netflix is expanding its market to 190 countries, setting the... Read more

January 8, 2016 Lifestyle

Bahamadia’s “Uknowhowwedu” Remains an Undeniably Groovy Jam, More Than 20 Years Later (Video)

Nearly twenty years ago - on April 2, 1996 - Philadelphia MC Bahamadia dropped her debut album Kollage, an oft-overlooked classic by a uniquely feminine artist whose lyrical style and tonality were unlike anything else her contemporaries were releasing. With DJ Premier production credits on five of its tracks, Her... Read more

January 7, 2016 Do Remember

Kendrick Lamar Brings Two of “T.P.A.B.”‘s Deepest Cuts to Life on Stage (Videos)

As the one-year anniversary of Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly inches closer and closer, the Compton MC is still dominating conversations about the best in the game. Tonight (January 7), he will be a guest and performer on The Tonight Show, where he will likely provide viewers with a... Read more

January 7, 2016 Video

Ice Cube, Kevin Hart & Conan Go for a Ride Along With a Student Driver (Video)

Ice Cube and Kevin Hart are on a media blitz, promoting their upcoming film, Ride Along 2. Arriving in theatres on January 15, it serves as a sequel its very successful 2014 predecessor, Ride Along. In promoting that film, the legendary MC and megawatt star comedian visited Conan O'Brien's self-titled... Read more

January 6, 2016 TV/Film, Video

Murs & 9th Wonder Cover Pharcyde’s “Otha Fish” with Beachy Sensuality (Video)

Murs and 9th Wonder, longtime collaborators who have forged one of the most enduring musical partnerships in Hip-Hop, surprised Heads with a New Year's Eve release. Brighter Daze arrived at midnight on January 1, 2016, and kicking off the year correctly is an understatement. The free LP stars Rapsody, Mac... Read more

January 6, 2016 Video

Killer Mike Schools Stephen Colbert on Systemic Racism in America & How To End It (Video)

On last night's episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Killer Mike (born Michael Render) dropped some knowledge on the state of race relations in this country, something he's been doing for years through his music but which has only recently become something that mainstream media have begun to acknowledge.... Read more

January 6, 2016 TV/Film

Watch Phonte & Antoine Harris Perform Their Battle Raps From “The Breaks” (Videos)

Last night, Vh1 aired The Breaks, a Hip-Hop inspired film set in 1990s New York City. Featuring DJ Premier as music supervisor, Phonte Coleman as lyrical ghostwriter, actor Wood Harris, MC Torae, and many others, the movie serves as an homage to the formative years of Hip-Hop's rise to pop-culture... Read more

January 5, 2016 Video

“12 Years a Slave” Writer John Ridley Is Turning Real-Life Tragedy Into Powerful Forms of Art (Audio)

John Ridley is an award-winning screenwriter whose celebrated works in film include 12 Years a Slave, a powerful film for which he won the 2013 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Longtime fans of his love him for the writing he did on iconic television shows like The Fresh Prince... Read more

January 5, 2016 Audio

President Obama Is Taking Gun Control Seriously With New Regulations. Hear Them In His Own Tearful Words (Video)

Earlier today, President Obama outlined his new executive actions on gun control, putting into motion one of the most aggressive plans to curb the frequency with which Americans are killed by gun violence in recent memory. In his speech, he stated his explicit support for the 2nd amendment, which gives... Read more

January 5, 2016 Lifestyle

One Year Later The World Misses Stuart Scott, But No One More Than His Daughters (Video)

It's been one year since the world lost Stuart Scott, a trailblazing sportscaster whose love for his industry was trumped only by the love of his fans. He became a household name and a personality with whom millions shared countless hours, thanks to his many years as an integral part... Read more

January 4, 2016 Video

Why Are Armed Whites Getting Treated Better than Unarmed Black & Brown Americans?

Over the weekend, news broke of an unusual event taking place in Oregon, a state most commonly associated with nature, liberalism, and the television series Portlandia. As such, the revelation that armed ranchers had quite literally taken a federal building hostage on Saturday, January 2, struck an odd chord for most... Read more

January 4, 2016 Lifestyle

20 Years Ago, Busta Rhymes Invited Us to Celebrate. What Better Time Than Tonight? (Video)

In June of 1996, Busta Rhymes was knee-deep in celebrations, having released his debut solo album only three months prior. The Coming was Busta's arrival onto the scene as a graduate of the Leaders of the New School, and in fact the LP housed the crew's final recording as a... Read more

December 31, 2015 Do Remember

Mobb Deep Revisted a Classic Eminem Track to Show Off a Different Flow (Audio)

For 21 weeks, DJ Absolut has been dropping heat for his ongoing Mixtape Mondays series and today's installment features infamous Queensbridge duo Mobb Deep. Havoc and Prodigy can be heard delivering some serious freestyle measures over Eminem's 2000 sinister single, "The Way I Am." In its original form, the song... Read more

December 28, 2015 Audio

Obama is Overturning Life Sentences to Combat the War on Drugs.

President Obama has been proactive in addressing some of the major concerns of Americans, many of which were issues he campaigned on before his inauguration into the White House. One of those issues was that of incarceration, namely the exceedingly high rates of imprisonment of Americans, the overwhelming majority of... Read more

December 28, 2015 News, Throwback

Why Many Black Radio Stations Refused to Play Hip-Hop in the ’90s

Dan Charnas is a celebrated author whose book The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop is a masterful road map to the people, places, and events that helped contribute to the culture's emergence into mainstream and financial dominance, both behind-the-scenes and in headlines. Part of his tome... Read more

December 23, 2015 Lifestyle

These New Socks Will Pause Netflix If You Chill Too Much (Video)

One major takeaway from 2015's internet culture is "Netflix & Chill," a phrase that took on a life of its own in the form of memes, Vines, jokes, and more. For those not in the know, it refers to that all-too-frequent occurrence when two (or more, depending on what kind... Read more

December 22, 2015 Lifestyle

Forget Kris Kringle. Santa Claus is from Harlem & His Name is Cam’ron (Video)

Earlier this year, Comedy Central's The Nightly Show brought in an unexpected Human Resources professional in a sketch responding to the summertime report that Amazon's work conditions were horrible. Host Larry Wilmore introduced the sketch by explaining their desire to make sure the show's offices weren't committing the egregiously awful... Read more

December 22, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Killer Mike & Big Boi Are Helping Bring Hip-Hop’s First Amendment Rights to the Supreme Court (Audio)

On Monday (December 21), the Supreme Court received a plea for justice involving a Mississippi high-school student who in 2011 faced charges relating to an alleged threat he made against another, a threat law enforcement argued he delivered in the form of Rap lyrics. Taylor Bell was a senior when... Read more

December 22, 2015 Lifestyle

38 Hours of Hip-Hop Playlists Map Out Hip-Hop’s Early Phases. Was Anything Left Out? (Audio)

The web has made it possible for anyone with the interest, time, and energy to create individual worlds which can then be shared with the masses. Perhaps nowhere is this most evidently displayed than in the world of playlists, which dominate much of the streaming digital landscape of today. From... Read more

December 21, 2015 Audio

Buying Votes is Nothing New, But Now the Website We Use the Most Might Also Be Guilty

It's no secret that over its history, American politics has often been accused of being easily influenced by lobbying, that insidious form of influence which allows members of an organization to sway votes in Washington by contributing millions of dollars to campaigns and then expecting the favor to be returned... Read more

December 21, 2015 Lifestyle