Fresh Archives

Daveed Diggs Won Big Awards For Hamilton. His Hip-Hop Group’s New Song Is Pure Drama

A few months after bowing out of his final Hamilton performance on Broadway in 2016, rapper Daveed Diggs released an album with his Hip-Hop group, clipping. Following previous work with King T, Gangsta Boo, and Guce, the '16 album Splendor & Misery was produced alongside his band-mates William Hutson and Jonathan... Read more

August 16, 2019 Audio, Video

This Biggie & James Brown Mashup Mix Deserves B.I.G. Playback (Audio & Video)

Biggie Smalls and James Brown are both gone. However, the music from both world-class entertainers is indelible. In the '60s and early '70s, James Brown laid out a blueprint of Funk, Soul, and Rhythm & Blues that would become a foundation for Hip-Hop. The DJs who inspired young Christopher Wallace... Read more

August 15, 2019 Audio, Mixes, Video

YBN Cordae’s Powerful Video Shows How The World Can Treat You When You’re Broke

YBN Cordae is currently enjoying his breakout success since dropping his debut solo album, The Lost Boy, late last month. The concept LP looks back at the 21-year-old's life seasons and the hardships he has overcome. In the last year and change, he processed those pains into power, now with... Read more

August 15, 2019 Video

Dave Chappelle’s New Comedy Special Is Coming Soon. Here’s The Trailer

In 2017, Dave Chappelle released four standup comedy specials. They came as part of a blockbuster deal with Netflix that returned the legend to the small screen. Dave's quartet of Deep In The Heart of Texas, The Age of Spin, Equanimity, and The Bird Revelation earned the comedian Grammy awards... Read more

August 15, 2019 Fresh, TV, TV/Film, Video

Ice Cube Explains Why He Does NOT Want To Be On The Forbes List (Video)

Ice Cube once co-wrote, produced, and starred in the film All About The Benjamins. However, the 50-year-old mogul seemingly does not live his life under that tenant. From a chart-topping music career, to becoming a power-player in film, to launching a professional three-on-three basketball league, O'Shea Jackson is at the... Read more

August 14, 2019 Food for Thought, Lifestyle, Video

The City Of Milwaukee Has Dedicated An Entire Week To Celebrating Hip-Hop

UPDATE: Brad Jordan (aka Scarface) is currently running for the office of Councilman in Houston, Texas. The Rap legend is helping lead "Hip-Hop Goes To The Polls," an event at this month's Hip-Hop Week MKE in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On August 23, from 1 to 3pm EST, Jordan will join Wisconsin Lt.... Read more

August 14, 2019 Fresh

JAY-Z Is Partnering With The NFL On Social Justice & Entertainment Initiatives

Since 2016, JAY-Z has been one of the highest-profile supporters of Colin Kaepernick in his battle against the NFL. In addition to wearing his jerseys in solidarity, Jay used his profile and art to mirror Kaep's demonstrations in support of justice for people of color. In February of this year,... Read more

August 13, 2019 Lifestyle, News

Common Takes An MC From The Streets To The Tonight Show For A True Cypher

Anybody who has ever attended a Common concert knows that the Chicago, Illinois veteran is one of the best improvisers with the mic. For years, Comm' has impressed audiences with his knowledge of local landmarks, street names, and fun facts, no matter in what city he was performing. Meanwhile, even... Read more

August 13, 2019 TV, TV/Film, Video

Missy Elliott To Receive The Video Vanguard Award At 2019 VMAs

More than 20 years after "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)," Missy Elliott will receive one of the highest honors for music videos. The Portsmouth, Virginia MC/producer has been confirmed to receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the upcoming 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. The televised ceremony will broadcast... Read more

August 13, 2019 Fresh, TV, TV/Film

Eddie Murphy Is Bringing Dolemite To Life In A New Star Studded Film (Video)

For 50 years, Rudy Ray Moore was a force in comedy. A native of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Moore learned to command audiences as both a preacher as well as a nightclub dancer. Eventually moving to comedy, Moore would begin a recording career in the late 1950s that lasted until his... Read more

August 12, 2019 TV/Film, Video

J. Cole, Saba, EARTHGANG & Smino Bring 1 Of Dreamville’s Most Heartfelt Songs To Video

Earlier this year, when J. Cole and his label Dreamville set out to make another entry in their Revenge Of The Dreamers compilation series, many fans and critics were ecstatic. Apart from its diverse and increasingly sprawling roster, the label sending invites to a reported 343 artists and producers to... Read more

August 12, 2019 Video

Skyzoo & Pete Rock’s Album Is Coming Soon. Here’s The 1st Single & Featured Artists

In less than six weeks, Pete Rock & Skyzoo are releasing a joint album. Retropolitan pairs the Brooklyn MC with the Mount Vernon producer, DJ and rapper. After first reported at the top of the year, new details have emerged surrounding the Mello Music Group album as well as its... Read more

August 12, 2019 Audio

Watch A Video That Details The Events Leading Up To Little Brother’s 2018 Reunion

Less than a year ago, the three members of Little Brother performed together for the first time in more than a decade. Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh, and 9th reunited at the home of the Durham Bulls in North Carolina for The Art Of Cool Festival. The setting was symbolic, as... Read more

August 12, 2019 TV/Film, Video

Wu-Tang, Pete Rock & Others Reunite To Celebrate 25+ Years Of Loud Records

Loud Records dominated the Rap music landscape in the 1990s and early 2000s. Steve Rifkind's label has some of the greatest all-time albums in the genre. To do so, Loud took chances by signing and supporting acts that defied the model at the major labels. Rifkind had been a leader... Read more

August 12, 2019 Fresh

Murs Details Making The Iliad Is Dead And The Odyssey Is Over With 9th Wonder (Video)

Over the past 15 years, Murs and 9th Wonder have made some of the best collaboration albums between an MC and a producer. These works have become standouts in their respected catalogs. In the mix of both men's careers and personal lives, they carved out time to make The Iliad... Read more

August 10, 2019 Exclusive, Interview, Video

RJ Payne Say He’s The New Def Squad As He Spits Heat Beside Erick Sermon (Video)

RJ Payne is one of the anticipated artists on Benny's Black Soprano Family imprint. From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the onetime star of the Battle Rap circuit (then known as "Reignman") has fed the masses with an onslaught of releases in his If C*caine Could Talk series. Before formally inking with Benny... Read more

August 9, 2019 Video

Mike Tyson Shares His Top 50 MCs List…And Joe Budden Is Not On It

At the top of this week, The Brew Podcast disseminated a ranked "Top 50 Greatest Rappers Of All-Time" list (embedded below) that has since captivated much of social media and the conversations around it. The Cincinnati, Ohio-based podcast dedicated to beer-making elicited some fans raising a glass, while other folks... Read more

August 7, 2019 Fresh

Snoop Dogg Celebrates Suge Knight On A Song About Forgiveness & Respect

Snoop Dogg has just released what is perhaps the most anticipated song from his upcoming I Wanna Thank Me album. Last week, the Long Beach, California veteran released a "Countdown" video with Swizz Beatz modeled after his breakthrough smash hit, 1992's "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang." With Swizzy's rendition of G-Funk,... Read more

August 7, 2019 Audio

Benny Releases The Video For His Most Autobiographical Song

In June, Benny The Butcher released one of 2019's best albums in The Plugs I Met. While late '18's Tana Talk 3 garnered acclaim, the Griselda Records artist and founder of Black Soprano Family upped the ante on his '19 affair. What's more, the hardcore MC is staked by both... Read more

August 7, 2019 Video

Benny & Westside Gunn Confirm That Griselda Has Joined Roc Nation Management

On 2018's critically-acclaimed Tana Talk 3, Benny The Butcher used JAY-Z's blueprint to showcase his outlook on "'97 Hov." Now, Benny and Westside Gunn have announced that their Griselda Records movement is taking that relationship one big step closer. This week, the two Buffalo, New Yorker artists confirmed joining the... Read more

August 7, 2019 Fresh, News

Big K.R.I.T. Explains How Platinum Rappers Can Be Broke In A Complex Freestyle

Big K.R.I.T. released his latest solo studio album K.R.I.T. IZ HERE last month. The campaign began with a title track video that put the MC/producer's former major label in the cross-hairs, visually equating artist bidding wars to slave auctions. K.R.I.T. has done it on his own, and never relied on... Read more

August 5, 2019 Video

Dreamville’s Bas Sets Off A Big Week By Rocking The Tiny Desk With His Band (Video)

Bas, who reps the Dreamville camp, has been busy adding to his already quite respectable discography. He was a prominent voice on the chart-topping Return Of The Dreamers III compilation. He also recently hinted that he has a new album in the works titled Spilled Milk Vol. 1, consisting of collaborations... Read more

August 5, 2019 Video

The Game Channels Mad Max & Shows California Love (Video)

Almost twenty-four years ago, Tupac and Dr. Dre took "California Love" to the very top of the charts. While the two men did not get to work together much after, the two music videos complemented the song's two popular mixes. Together, this created an unforgettable moment for Rap fans. A... Read more

August 2, 2019 Video

Rapsody, GZA & D’Angelo Revisit Liquid Swords On A 9th Wonder Produced Song

UPDATE: The same day as Rapsody releases "IBTIHAJ," she and GZA drop the video. Mary J. Blige and Roxanne Shanté (who is shouted out in the lyrics) appear, with clear visual connections to this song's title and inspiration, described below: ORIGINAL STORY: Following 2017's Grammy-nomination run with Laila's Wisdom, Rapsody... Read more

August 2, 2019 Audio, The Bridge, Video

Earl Sweatshirt’s Production Brings Out The Best In Tha God Fahim (Video)

Professional Rap and Hip-Hop artists once spent months and years preparing their projects. However, in this new epoch, many acts are dropping releases with a shocking frequency. Some respected artists are giving fans new material at a monthly or even weekly clip. Enter Tha God Fahim, a conduit in this... Read more

August 2, 2019 Video

Spice 1 Recalls Discussing Heaven’s Ghettos With Tupac (Video)

Less than a week ago, Spice 1 released his latest album, Platinum O.G. For this collection of songs, the East Bay lyricist works with Kurupt, MC Eiht, Devin The Dude, and his mentor, Too Short. Notably, the Elder Entertainment release also features some fallen comrades, including UGK's Pimp C, Outlawz... Read more

August 1, 2019 Exclusive, Interview, Video

YBN Cordae Freestyles Over 3 Generations Of Beats To Show He’s 1 Of A Kind

YBN Cordae has one of the most talked-about albums of the summer. The Lost Boy released less than a week and features Pusha-T, Anderson .Paak, and Chance The Rapper. Cordae realizes that he is still taking his sound new places. He stopped by Funkmaster Flex's freestyle platform to drop one... Read more

August 1, 2019 Video

YBN Cordae Recites Nas & JAY-Z Verses Word For Word (Video)

Last week, Suitland, Maryland MC YBN Cordae released his solo debut, The Lost Boy. The YBN band-mate of Alabama's Nahmir and Texas' Almighty Jay has a largely different sound and message than his crew, especially on this album. With involvement from J. Cole, Pusha-T, and Chance The Rapper, The Lost... Read more

July 31, 2019 Video

Ghostface Gets The Party Started With A Banger From His Upcoming Album (Video)

Tomorrow makes it August. Currently on the release calendar, that month has albums from Common, Rick Ross, and Joell Ortiz planned. It is also expected to see the release of GhostfaceKillahs, the straightforward-titled upcoming LP from the Wu-Tang Clan O.G. Ghost' has been on a prolific tear in the last... Read more

July 31, 2019 Video

E-40 & Scarface Are Making An Album. Their 1st Ever Collabo Is A Preview

After nearly 60 combined years in the game, E-40 and Scarface just released a landmark collaboration less than a week ago. From 40 Water's brand-new 26-track Practice Makes Paperalbum, "Watch The Homies" offers O.G. wisdom from the breakout stars of The Click and The Geto Boys, respectively. The 2019 Vallejo,... Read more

July 30, 2019 Audio, News

Big Daddy Kane For President. He Rocks Russia With R.A.W. Not WAR (Video)

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, Big Daddy Kane became a global Hip-Hop ambassador. From his roots in New York City rap battles, Antonio Hardy's brilliant rhyme schemes, supreme confidence, and rich subject matter reached the world, and it left a mark. Across color lines and language barriers, so... Read more

July 30, 2019 Video

Marlon Craft Says He’s Mos Def, Talib Kweli & Nas Combined In A Fiery Freestyle

Marlon Craft is out to uphold a rich tradition of New York City Hip-Hop. From Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen, this MC put in work on last year's exceptional A Breukelen Story album from Masta Ace & Marco Polo—named one of Ambrosia For Heads' best of '18. Previously, Marlon has been behind... Read more

July 29, 2019 Video

Snoop Dogg Teams Up With Swizz Beatz. It’s Nuthin’ But A G-Funk Thang (Video)

Snoop Dogg is gearing up for his 17th solo album amidst one of Rap's busiest and most extensive careers. Reportedly titled I Wanna Thank Me, the upcoming release is said to feature a song about one of Dogg's mentors, Suge Knight. While Snoop famously clapped back at verbal attacks and... Read more

July 29, 2019 Video

ScHoolboy Q Talks Greasy To Impatient Fans On A Smooth Alchemist Beat (Audio)

Thanks to the way music is made and released, artists can easily drop multiple projects in a single year. In the underground, some artists release whole efforts in consecutive weeks. Others create daily, weekly, and monthly series of songs to engage fans. This culture can often leave fans focused on... Read more

July 29, 2019 Audio

Ever Hear Kurupt’s Debut? He Rapped With The S.O.S. Band Before The Chronic (Audio)

The S.O.S. Band bridged the gap between Disco and Electro Funk. Formed a few years earlier, the Atlanta, Georgia outfit made a splash with their debut 1980 single "Take Your Time (Do It Right)." The breakthrough hit for Clarence Avant's burgeoning Tabu Records topped the R&B and Dance charts on... Read more

July 28, 2019 Audio, Throwback, Throwback

Freddie Gibbs Freestyles Holding His Baby & Crowns Himself The Best Rapper Alive

Freddie Gibbs is not playing. Just under one month after releasing Bandana with Madlib, the veteran MC from Gary, Indiana is in a very confident stride. After more than a dozen years on the grind, the lyricist appears on The L.A. Leakers' show to freestyle, with his baby on his... Read more

July 27, 2019 Video

DJ Muggs Puts A Full-Length Spotlight On Underground Phenom CRIMEAPPLE (Audio)

DJ Muggs is the definition of longevity in Hip-Hop. From his early days with 7A3 in the late 1980s, to Cypress Hill’s epic run that started in the 1990s, to his cult-lauded Vs. series throughout the 2000s, this California-based producer/DJ has continued to serve up quality music for more than... Read more

July 26, 2019 Audio

The Wu-Tang Clan Series Will Be A Raw & Uncut Look At The Group’s Origins (Video)

Earlier this month, Heads got a 66-second trailer for the upcoming dramatic series, Wu-Tang: An American Saga. The 10-part biographical account of Wu-Tang Clan's beginnings is slated to premiere on Hulu on September 4. The trailer was a first look at Dave East (playing "Method Man") and Joey Bada$$ (portraying... Read more

July 26, 2019 TV, TV/Film, Video

Drake References Kevin Durant’s Injury In A Line As Cold As His City

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So…let Ambrosia For Heads fight through it for you and only supply you with that great stuff. Despite the reports, Hip-Hop is alive and well and, in many ways, is better than it’s ever been. Not only are we able to... Read more

July 26, 2019 Audio, Exclusive, Interview, Video

Nas Explains How Prince Rejected & Schooled Him At The Same Time (Video)

Nas is one of Prince's biggest fans. The Queens, New York MC has made his admiration of the late icon public for years, referencing him in lyrics, interviews and his social media. The two even appeared on President Barack Obama's 2016 summer playlist, a fitting place for two artists who... Read more

July 25, 2019 Video

Tyler, The Creator Repeatedly Flirts With Funkmaster Flex In An Insane Freestyle

From the inception of his career, Tyler, The Creator has been nothing, if not controversial. The enigmatic and charismatic leader of the Odd Future collective has relished in stirring people up, whether it be through outlandishly homophobic jokes or references to being the son of the devil. Though his first... Read more

July 25, 2019 Video

Big Sean Absolutely Blacks Out On 1 Of The Best Verses Of The Year (Audio)

Big Sean's last solo album was his second-consecutive chart-topper. I Decided achieved platinum status, and was named among Ambrosia For Heads' "Best Albums Of 2017." The veteran Detroit, Michigan lyricist continued a journey in making personal, cohesive albums that addressed a life in the spotlight. Approaching his upcoming Don Life,... Read more

July 25, 2019 Audio

J. Cole’s Production Brings Out The Best In Anderson .Paak’s Rap Flow (Audio)

Late last year J. Cole and Anderson .Paak collaborated on Oxnard, care of the song "Trippy." That chemistry builds in a significant way thanks to a song Cole produced for YBN Cordae's upcoming The Lost Boy album (July 26). "RNP (Rich Ni**a Problems)" features an especially bouncy beat, with the... Read more

July 24, 2019 Audio

De La Soul Rock A DJ Shadow Beat Like An ’80s Park Jam (Audio)

Although formed in the late 1980s, De La Soul has always paid tribute to Hip-Hop's pioneers. The presentation of Posdnuos, Dave, and Maseo often honor the tight routines, slang, and style that came out of New York City in the '70s and early '80s. Many of the Native Tongues groups... Read more

July 24, 2019 Audio

Blimes Tells One Of The Best Method Man Stories Ever (Video)

San Francisco, California's Blimes (fka Blimes Brixton) and Seattle, Washington's Gifted Gab have only known each other for five years, but they have established the kind of bond that is much deeper than Rap. As B.A.G. (Blimes And Gab), the two recently performed at 2019 Soundset, one of their biggest... Read more

July 23, 2019 Exclusive, Interview, Video

Joell Ortiz Is The Captain Of His Destiny & He’s On A Course For Greatness (Audio)

Joell Ortiz has been on a tear in the last nine months. He fed fans a beloved album alongside producer Apollo Brown in the form of late 2018's Mona Lisa. The Brooklyn, New York veteran opened 2019 with a joint effort, Gorilla Glue, with Fred The Godson and longtime production affiliates,... Read more

July 23, 2019 Audio

T.I. Says Blacks Should Celebrate Veterans Day For Surviving The Drug War

T.I. is the latest guest on People's Party With Talib Kweli. In a nearly one-hour conversation that also involves co-host Jasmin Leigh, Tip discusses how his cult-lauded debut album, I'm Serious, lit a path to Rap superstardom. The three-time Grammy winner also explains the risks (and rewards) of putting his... Read more

July 23, 2019 Lifestyle, Video

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib’s New Video Shows There’s Truly No Way Out Of The Game

Late last month, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib released one of 2019's best albums so far, Bandana. Made under dire circumstances in real-life, the Keep Cool/RCA Records album's visuals have been documenting "Freddie Caine" trying to exit the dope game. In late May, "Crime Pays" presented Gibbs trying to maintain a... Read more

July 22, 2019 Video

Mahershala Ali Will Be The Star Of Marvel’s New Blade Franchise

Mahershala Ali is one of Hollywood's top power players of the last five years. However, the two-time Oscar winner in "The Best Supporting Actor" category is seeking leading roles, coming off his The Green Book win earlier this year. The 45-year-old Hayward, California native is taking his work into his... Read more

July 22, 2019 TV/Film

Eddie Murphy Is Reportedly In Talks For His 1st Standup Special In 30 Years

This weekend, Netflix released the latest season of Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. With the new batch of episodes, Eddie Murphy appeared as a guest. The two comedians who helped make NBC a destination network for comedy in the 1980s and 1990s, respectively, share memories of their trade... Read more

July 21, 2019 Fresh, Lifestyle, TV, TV/Film, Video