Do Remember Archives

Kris Kross Showed They Had Much More To Offer Than Backwards Jerseys On “Tonite’s Tha Night” (Video)

May 1 marks the third anniversary of the death of Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly. One half of Kris Kross, Mac Daddy had skyrocketed as one of the 1990s' biggest Rap acts. He (with partner Daddy Mac) would reach the mainstream with multiple hits, appear in music videos with Michael Jackson, and... Read more

April 28, 2016 Do Remember

Conscious Daughters Gave Us Somethin’ To Ride To And It’s Forever Fonky (Video)

In the canon of G-Funk, several names come to mind: DJ Quik, Warren G, Snoop Dogg, Tupac and, of course, Dr. Dre. Even unexpected artists like Talib Kweli and Masta Ace have delved in the genre. However, one of the most unheralded G-Funk gems comes courtesy of a female duo... Read more

April 21, 2016 Do Remember

Smoothe Da Hustler & Trigger Had An Unbreakable Lyrical Bond In Broken Language (Video)

In 1994, when The Notorious B.I.G. began promoting Ready To Die on the road, his opening act was a fellow Brooklyn, New York MC not often associated with Biggie Smalls or Junior M.A.F.I.A. Christopher Wallace welcomed Brownsville's Smoothe Da Hustler open up, a fellow hard-nosed lyricist who seemed to enjoy... Read more

April 14, 2016 Do Remember

Remember When LL Cool J Jacked A Commercial And Made It “For Us By Us On The Low?” (Video)

Earlier this week, Ambrosia For Heads spoke with Chris Latimer, who is looking to bring back the iconic and socially-minded African American College Alliance clothing brand. Latimer, who is seeking to raise $100,000 to re-launch the company that helped fund the educations of countless students, mentioned a moment in time... Read more

April 7, 2016 Do Remember

Miilkbone Kept It Real With Something Big L, Jay Z & Logic Could Feel (Video)

Perth Amboy, New Jersey's claim to Hip-Hop fame lies in Miilkbone. Fans of 1990s Hip-Hop may recall the Naughty By Nature affiliate for his Capitol Records debut, Da' Miilkrate. With production by N.B.N.'s KayGee as well as Nick Wiz (Cella Dwellas, Rakim, Skillz), the major label album struck the Rap... Read more

March 31, 2016 Do Remember

A Tribe Called Quest Hit ’90s TV With An Amazing “Rhime” Routine (Audio)

This week, Hip-Hop and music-lovers are deeply mourning the loss of Phife Dawg. At 45 years old, the man born Malik Taylor died from complications due to diabetes on March 22. For more than 25 years, the Queens, New York MC and co-founder of A Tribe Called Quest impressed lyric... Read more

March 24, 2016 Do Remember

Lil’ Kim, Da Brat, Left Eye, & Missy Elliott Invited the World to Ladies Night Nearly 20 Years Ago (Video)

In November 1996, Lil' Kim would release her celebrated debut album, Hard Core. Nearly 20 years later, the LP still stands tall as one of the most iconic pieces of music from any MC, period. For many, her being a woman was only secondary to her talents as a performer,... Read more

March 17, 2016 Do Remember

This Electro Funk Jam Put The California Love In Tupac’s Classic (Audio)

Certain records beyond Hip-Hop are forever associated with the genre due to their influence upon it. Thanks to 1970s park jams, songs like Jimmy Castor Bunch's "It's Just Begun," Babe Ruth's "The Mexican," and Liquid Liquid's "Cavern" are indelible threads in the fabric of the sound to come. Out West,... Read more

March 10, 2016 Do Remember

Ras Kass Entered At The Top Of His Game With This Diamond D Remix (Video)

Twenty years ago, Ras Kass debuted with Soul On Ice. In the two years prior, the Carson, California MC has appeared on the Street Fighter soundtrack (alongside Ahmad and Saafir), as well as Coolio's smash album, Gangsta's Paradise. However, the public had not gotten a true dose of the dense... Read more

March 3, 2016 Do Remember

WC Is Sometimes Overlooked In Conversations About West Coast Giants. Not Tonight (Video)

For nearly 30 years, WC has been a West Coast lyrical giant. Whether in the form of Low Profile, The MaaD Circle, Westside Connection, or his impressive solo career, the South Central Los Angeles, California native MC has been able to make it work, and let the flows shine. 1995... Read more

February 25, 2016 Do Remember

Outkast & Goodie Mob Had Some Great Collabos But 1 Of The Best Was Pure Soul Food (Video)

In 1997, Outkast were riding high. Big Boi and Andre 3000 had taken not only the South, but the entire Hip-Hop world by storm, in 1994, with their debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, and had avoided the dreaded sophomore slump with their acclaimed album Atliens. Their success propelled not only themselves, but... Read more

February 18, 2016 Do Remember

Kool Moe Dee & Melle Mel Brought the Block Party to the World in 1990 (Video)

With just a few days until the 58th annual Grammy Awards, there may not be a more fitting time for a retrospective on a particularly noteworthy Grammy moment in Hip-Hop history. The year was 1989, and as the world was still getting acquainted with the blossoming New York City youth... Read more

February 11, 2016 Do Remember

E-40, Too Short & K-Ci Sprinkled Game In 1996 That Holds True In 2016 (Video)

In 1996, E-40's movement was going strong. 40 Water had successfully launched The Click, established his Sick Wid It Records imprint, and had carved out a respectable solo career. In the year before his third album, the Vallejo, California MC made high-profile appearances on platinum albums by Tupac and Coolio.... Read more

February 5, 2016 Do Remember

The Ultimate N.W.A./Ruthless Records Posse Cut Belongs To The D.O.C. (Audio)

In the last year, N.W.A. and Ruthless Records have been in strong focus thanks to the film Straight Outta Compton. In the movie, the label launched by Eric "Eazy-E" Wright is seen from its beginnings around N.W.A., to the 1990s, where the Los Angeles, California-based imprint would develop some key... Read more

January 28, 2016 Do Remember

Natural Elements Took The Torch From BDP Into The Late 90s and Beyond (Audio)

In the realm of 1990s New York City Underground Hip-Hop, the Natural Elements are often, and wrongfully overlooked. With later members including Brownsville Ka and producer-turned-fam Charlemagne (Jay Z, Talib Kweli, Capone-N-Noreaga), the group still permeates the sound today. In 1998, however, the crew was less than five years old.... Read more

January 21, 2016 Do Remember

Quasimoto’s Song About Tired Feet Still Gets Heads Moving To The Beat (Video)

Today, vocal effects are commonplace with rappers and MCs. Future, Kanye West, and Nicki Minaj are all artists who have used special effects. Fifteen years ago, this trend—in Hip-Hop, was not so prevalent. In the summer of 2000, Quasimoto came forward with a full-length album. After making an appearance on... Read more

January 14, 2016 Do Remember

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

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

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth’s 2004 Reunion Is Something We All Can Still Appreciate (Audio)

Twenty years ago, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth formally called it quits. After 1994's The Main Ingredient, the pair from Mount Vernon and New Rochelle, New York, respectively, split due to personal differences. Whereas Pete would churn out tracks, and build a strong solo career, C.L. Smooth would be slower... Read more

December 24, 2015 Do Remember

MC Eiht Hit The Mic Like A Menace In 1993. This Low-Key Remix Dodged The Jackers (Audio)

In 1993, MC Eiht's career was riding high, and in style. Like KRS-One with Boogie Down Productions, "the Compton Psycho" was stepping beyond Compton's Most Wanted and getting his solo name popping. Signed to Epic Records, Eiht never lost sight of his band-mates after Music To Driveby, but went full... Read more

December 17, 2015 Do Remember

The Boot Camp Clik Brought Hip-Hop to Daytime TV & Tore Down the “Jenny Jones Show” (Video)

The mid- to late '90s into the early aughts were the heyday for daytime talk shows hosted by folks like Ricki Lake, Montel Williams, Sally Jesse Raphael, and Jenny Jones. Most of them dealt with issues relating to family, health, sex, and scandal but only one was a frequent (albeit... Read more

December 10, 2015 Do Remember

Kendrick Lamar Was Making Great Music Long Before “Section.80.” Remember “Vanity Slaves” (Audio)

By now, Kendrick Lamar is a household name. Considered by many to be one of today's most talented Hip-Hop stars, his appeal has extended beyond the realm of Rap into pop culture and politics, thanks in part to his work with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. and his... Read more

December 3, 2015 Do Remember

The Fat Boys Had The Thanksgiving Spirit In This Unforgettable Music Video

While the Thanksgiving holiday means many things to many different cultures and people, most observers can agree that at the heart of it, is togetherness. Ambrosia For Heads wishes our readers, friends, and families a safe, happy holiday and time together. Beyond the spirit of family and togetherness, Thanksgiving is... Read more

November 26, 2015 Do Remember

Nearly 25 Years Ago, KRS-One & Friends Urged Us to Heal Ourselves. Have We? (Video)

It was the early '90s and KRS-One had spearheaded the formation of H.E.A.L., a group of artists whose ideologies promoted knowledge, self-awareness, political involvement, and truth seeking. In fact, H.E.A.L. stood for Human Education Against Lies, and as KRS shared with Vibe back in 2012, the inspiration for H.E.A.L.'s formation... Read more

November 19, 2015 Do Remember

Diamond D’s Forgotten Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop Video Features Bars & Quality Cameos

In 1992, Diamond D & The Psychotic Neurotics released debut album Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop. The Chemistry/Mercury Records effort is remembered as a Rap classic, not only for its stellar production, but elite MC'ing. The album featured involvement from Brand Nubian, Large Professor, and Q-Tip, as well as Fatman... Read more

November 12, 2015 Do Remember

The Poor Righteous Teachers’ Final Word Celebrated Earthly Life, Both Good & Bad (Video)

Hailing from Trenton, New Jersey, Poor Righteous Teachers belonged to a school of thought within Hip-Hop that drew heavy inspiration from spiritual and religious tenets. As self-proclaimed members of the Five-Percent Nation (also known as the Nation of Gods and Earths), PRT used much of their music to emphasize the... Read more

November 5, 2015 Do Remember

Pete Rock’s Rhymes & Beats Faked No Jax Alongside His 1996 I.n.I. Side Project (Video)

After releasing the sophomore Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth album, 1994's The Main Ingredient, the mighty P.R. went to work expanding his platform. Just as Gang Starr had introduced Jeru The Damaja and Group Home, and D.I.T.C. was delivering Big L and O.C., one of Hip-Hop's other highly-esteemed producers wanted... Read more

October 29, 2015 Do Remember

Dungeon Family Was At Full Strength On This Outkast, Goodie Mob & Cool Breeze Collabo

At the end of the 1990s, the Dungeon Family's meteoric rise was fully in stride. Outkast had three platinum, critically-acclaimed albums. Goodie Mob was close behind, with two gold LPs of a similar pedigree, and late '99's World Party closely in tow. Labels wanted in on the magic happening in... Read more

October 22, 2015 Do Remember

Little Brother Has 1990s Roots. Revisit The First Phonte & 9th Wonder Recording (Audio)

Last month, Little Brother's sophomore studio album, The Minstrel Show celebrated its 10th anniversary. While the game-changing Durham, North Carolina Hip-Hop trio is not currently touring or recording as a unit, Phonte, 9th Wonder, Rapper Big Pooh, and other former Justus League affiliates all reflected to Watch Loud on the... Read more

October 15, 2015 Do Remember

MC Breed & D.F.C.’s Anthem Against Frontin’ Had A Message That Resonates Into The Future (Videos)

By the early 1990s, Rap music thrived when it surrounded itself with themes of hard times. Flint, Michigan was an epicenter for a changing economy, addiction, poverty, and crime. Independently, Flint's MC Breed & DFC stepped forth with a self-titled album that had lots to say. 1991's Ichiban-distributed MC Breed... Read more

October 8, 2015 Do Remember

The Coup’s Fat Cats, Bigga Fish Made Sense Of The Jungle, Never Goin’ Under (Video)

By the early 1990s, Wild Pitch Records was home to a spectrum of East Coast Hip-Hop luminaries. This included Main Source, Lord Finesse, O.C., The UMC's, Ultramagnetic MC's, Chill Rob G, and others. However, the Manhattan-based label also had The Coup. The Oakland, California then-trio had already struck a chord... Read more

October 1, 2015 Do Remember

Zhané Was More Than 20 Years Ahead Of Their Time, Evident In This ‘Naughty’ Hit (Video)

Released in May of 1994, "Sending My Love" was the third single from Pronounced Jah-Nay, the Platinum-selling debut album from R&B duo Zhané. Listed as being produced by Naughty by Nature, the soulful, uptempo ballad was the result of a collaboration between singers Renee Neufville and Jean Norris-Baylor and Kay Gee, NBN's... Read more

September 24, 2015 Do Remember

Mary J. Blige & Grand Puba Shut Down YO! MTV Raps. That’s The 411. (Video)

Mary J. Blige's Hip-Hop collaborations may as well be a genre of their own. The Queen Of Hip-Hop Soul has worked on heralded albums such as Ghostface Killah's Ironman, Jay Z's Reasonable Doubt, Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation..., and Nas' Life Is Good, among many, many others. However, when it comes... Read more

September 17, 2015 Do Remember

For Ice Cube, It Was A Big Step In Small Time From C.I.A. To N.W.A. (Audio)

Straight Outta Compton viewers had a glimpse of what Ice Cube did in his days after school in circa 1987. Before it was Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and DJ Yella he surrounded himself with, it was Sir Jinx and K-Dee (a/k/a Kid Disaster) that O'Shea Jackson favored. They were... Read more

September 10, 2015 Do Remember, Throwback

Royal Flush Iced Down New York City’s Late ’90s Run Alongside N.O.R.E. (Video)

1997 was one of Rap's most transitional years. In the settling dust of the East Coast vs. West Coast feud, both shorelines produced some standout Hip-Hop albums. Not all of the material necessarily made the charts, but it was in this resettling that movements such as Rawkus, No Limit, Cash... Read more

September 3, 2015 Do Remember, Throwback

Kev Brown’s Take On Jay Z’s Black Album Was An Unauthorized Remix That Surely Is Official (Album Stream)

Upon its November, 2003 release, Jay Z's The Black Album beckoned an onslaught of remixes. Ironically, the Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam Records LP is heralded for its star-studded production (Kanye West, Eminem, Just Blaze, Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, 9th Wonder, DJ Quik, etc.). Still, in his ever-innovative foresight, Jay encouraged the masses of... Read more

August 27, 2015 Do Remember, Throwback

Jungle Brothers Are Often The Forgotten Tongues Who Helped Teach The Native Lingo (Video)

For a collective that never made an album, and rarely performed under their decided moniker, the Native Tongues' relevancy has never waned. Despite the fact that A Tribe Called Quest has exclusively (and sporadically) been a touring group since The Love Movement, De La Soul existed without formal releases for... Read more

August 20, 2015 Do Remember, Throwback

Special Ed’s I Got It Made Remains Ahead Of Its Time In Flow & Style (Video)

One of the forefathers in Brooklyn, Hip-Hop is Special Ed. More than five years before he joined the inaugural lineup of the Crooklyn Dodgers, the Flatbush native Edward Archer made one of Hip-Hop's most enduring opening verses in "I Got It Made." Part of Ed's 1989 debut album, Youngest In... Read more

August 13, 2015 Do Remember, Video

Dr. Dre, Nas, KRS-One, B-Real, Scarface & RBX Came Together In The Aftermath Of Coastal Conflict (Video)

Tomorrow (August 7), Dr. Dre is slated to drop his first album in 16 years. Compton, as it is called, follows 2001 in a career that has emphasized quality over quantity. In conjunction with next week's Straight Outta Compton biopic (August 14), Dre returned to his studios and invited friends... Read more

August 6, 2015 Do Remember, Throwback

Do Remember: Run DMC vs. Kool Moe Dee on “Graffiti Rock” (Video)

It was 1984 and New York City was home to a youth culture that was piquing the interest of not only its residents, but also the press. Hip-Hop was steadily becoming an identifiable culture to outsiders, and its unique styles of dance, fashion, music, and language was infectious. Its appeal... Read more

July 30, 2015 Do Remember, Throwback

Remember When Jayo Felony, Method Man & DMX Made A Cross-Country Def Jam Hit Together? (Video)

While ONYX and 50 Cent are two of Jam Master Jay's star proteges—even if the latter found his success beyond JMJ Records, there is another artist he ushered in that is often overlooked. Jayo Felony became one of San Diego, California's first national Rap stars. Signed amidst the height of... Read more

July 23, 2015 Do Remember, Throwback

Hussein Fatal’s Range & Versatility Remembered In A Successful Career, Below The Radar (Audio)

Less than one week ago (July 10), Outlawz member Hussein Fatal died in a Gainesville, Georgia car accident. The 38 year-old born Bruce Edward Washington, Jr. had nearly 20 years invested in a Rap career at the time of his death, with nearly two dozen releases, including albums, collaborative projects... Read more

July 16, 2015 Do Remember, Throwback