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ScHoolboy Q Depicts His Grim Coming of Age Story in Hoover St (Video)

There have been a number of stories over the years detailing survival tactics in Southern California, from Compton's Most Wanted's "Growing Up in the Hood" to Ice Cube's "How to Survive in South Central" and many others. Recently, Kendrick Lamar's entire good kid, m.A.A.d. city album was dedicated to the... Read more

Travel Back To A Different NYC Hip-Hop Climate In Rast RFC’s Across West 3rd Street (Mixtape)

Heads may not know of Rast RFC immediately. However, the Downtown swinger's name means much more in the graffiti world than immediately to most Rap listeners. A member of the RFC crew, Rast represents that late '90s, early 2000s-era New York City youth that made panel vans cringe in horror,... Read more

J. Rawls & Masta Ace Bemoan The Bills That We All Get (Audio)

As we collectively approach a new first of the month, leave it to Lone Catalysts' J. Rawls & The eMC's Masta Ace to make a funky explanation about how those "Bills" run our lives. Ace, who regularly externalizes his rhymes when he's being self-deprecating, waxes some Everyman poetic. Rawls laces... Read more

Pharrell Makes An Open-Letter Visual To All The G I R L S He’s Loved Before (Video)

From "Rump Shaker" to "Excuse Me Miss," Pharrell Williams has over 20 years of celebrating the female form through music. In the wake of his G I R L album, complete with its artwork and complementary visuals, Skateboard P continues to salute the fairer sex. "Dear G I R L" is... Read more

Questlove & Black Thought Talk 25 Years Of The Roots, Where The Last 5 Albums Fit In With The First 6 (Video)

Late last week, Heads saw Black Thought freestyle over a Questlove beat, with the funky drummer on the cut, no less. From that same interview, Tariq and Amir sat down with Sway Calloway on his Hip Hop Nation show, to talk about 25 years of the crew. In this hour-plus... Read more

Feel The Wrath Of Bodega Bamz & Raekwon’s Lyrical Assault (Audio)

Just a few short days after Raekwon and Bodega Bamz dropped their infectious Scram Jones-produced track, the New York-bred artists release another winner sporting heavy bass lines, a captivating vocal loop, and an anthemic hook to accentuate Rae and Bamz' lyrical carnage. Catch this and more on Bamz's upcoming collaborative... Read more

Cormega Calls Out The Industry Over A Smooth Large Professor Beat (Audio)

If anybody can be skeptical of record industry tactics, it's Queens veteran Cormega. "'Mega Montana" famously turned down a management offer from Steve Stoute, costing him a founder's spot in The Firm. When Nas, AZ, and Foxy Brown inked a mid-90s deal with Interscope/Aftermath, Cormega was abruptly replaced by The... Read more

Join Lupe Fiasco On A Mission To Fight Cancer (Audio)

Lupe Fiasco has been well known for his spirited involvement in humanitarian ideologies. For instance, his 2011 project, L.A.S.E.R.S., called for the "end of the glamorization of negativity in media" and for "the invisible walls that separate by wealth, race & class to be torn down." In a similar light,... Read more

T.I. Might Be About The Money, But He’s Still Got His Skills In Making Great Rap Music (Audio)

Few Rap stars have the ability to find the kind of balance that T.I. does. The ATL trap veteran is able to seemingly always appease his core audience, while growing the circle through catchy production, out of genre guest-work, and Euro-Dance samples. Gearing up for Paperwork, Tip continues what he... Read more

Witness a Taste of The Roots “First Opera” (Video)

The Legendary Roots Crew took the stage last week at NYC's Public Theater and did a live rendition of their forthcoming album "...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin." Rather than a straight performance, they presented the work as a high art project, calling it their "first opera." Here's a trailer... Read more

Look Back To An Ill 1998 Future Flavas Freestyle From The Last Days Of A Tribe Called Quest (Audio)

Heads may remember the late '90s, early 2000s HOT 97 "Future Flavas" radio show hosted by Marley Marl and Pete Rock. In the glory days of underground Hip-Hop, this show bridged the gap between old school and emerging greats, with two legends on the boards, transmitting to the tri-state. This... Read more

New DJ Quik, Cam’ron, Talib Kweli, ONYX, The Roots…Here’s The Week in Hip-Hop Video (Video Playlist)

This week in Hip-Hop video brought new music videos from DJ Quik, The Roots, Cam'ron, Talib Kweli & Raekwon, unbelievable freestyles from Black Thought and Prevail, a stylized faux trailer from Jay Z & Beyonce and more. See it all in the video playlist below. Related: Last Week in Hip-Hop... Read more

Here’s a Mix of Some of the Brilliant British Soul From the 80’s & 90’s (Audio)

It's been called Acid Jazz, British Soul and other names. Whatever the description, it was fresh. Here's a mix of the many artists from the 80's and 90's who brought the funk from across the pond. You'll hear music from Soul II Soul, Loose Ends, Jamiroquai, Terrence Trent D'Arby, Incognito,... Read more

Jay Z And Beyoncé Reinvent ’03 Bonnie & Clyde In A Blockbuster Trailer (Video)

Are you ready for 2014's biggest summer blockbuster never to hit theaters? Guns ablaze, Jay Z and Beyoncé go paper chasing, robbing, and stealing through the Brooklyn city streets in a faux trailer boasting a star studded cast including Sean Penn, Don Cheadle, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Blake Lively. The video,... Read more

Boot Camp Clicks On Ruste Juxx & Rockness Monstah’s Off The Hinges (Video)

Sean Price's onetime understudy Ruste Juxx has broken out and built a nice career for himself. The raspy Brooklyn MC is a no-nonsense street MC, who celebrates the roots of Hip-Hop. In "Off The Hinges," Ruste teams with Sean's Heltah Skeltah partner Rockness Monstah, who together, amidst cuttin' and scratchin',... Read more

Project Blowed’s Open Mike Eagle Channels All Of The The Cosby Show Intros (Video)

From that Freestyle Fellowship-launched Project Blowed camp (Aceyalone, Myka 9, Volume 10, Ganjha K, Abstract Rude, Skee-Lo, etc.), Open Mike Eagle is one of the newer artists. Down with Busdriver and 2Mex, California's O.M.E. (who hails from Chicago originally) is known for bombastic deliveries, precise technical flows, and a sardonic... Read more

Cormega’s Releases Raekwon-Assisted Honorable, Mega Philosophy Album To Be Produced Entirely By Large Professor (Audio)

With the release of "Honorable" (embedded below), it's been confirmed that Cormega's upcoming album, Mega Philosophy, will release on July 22. The Queens MC, and former late '90s Def Jam Records hopeful confirmed the news this week, with sites including Ambrosia For Heads. Black Rob, Nature, AZ, Redman, Styles P, Raekwon,... Read more

Take a Trip Back to the G-Funk Era With This Video Playlist (Video)

Here's a video playlist to transport you back to the G-Funk era. You'll see vintage clips from Dr. Dre, Snoop, Tha Dogg Pound, Warren G, 2Pac, Spice 1, The Luniz, DJ Quik and more. Check it out. Related: Here’s a playlist celebrating the 21+ year career of the legendary DJ... Read more

Skyzoo & Torae Release a Mix From The Barrel Brothers’ Chamber (Audio)

Skyzoo & Torae, The Barrel Brothers, are releasing their joint album on 5/27. Until then, they've released a mix stacked full of some of the heat they've fired off previously. Check out Pre-Loaded: The Best of The Barrel Brothers, mixed by DJ E-Holla, below. Related: Here's a Sampler From The... Read more

Curren$y & Le$ Roll Out Over a Soulful OutKast Track (Audio)

Curren$y and Le$ put their spin on OutKast's Ova Da Wudz track, and they added a little Warren G and Snoop. Check out The Roll Out. Related: Curren$y & Le$ Tell Us It’s Over With A Thumping Cardo Beat (Audio)... Read more

Keep on Movin’: The Story of Soul II Soul

25 years ago, the U.K. collective Soul II Soul released Keep On Movin' and changed the sonic landscape. Wax Poetic caught up with Jazzie B and Caron Wheeler to discuss the making of the album. Check out an excerpt and link to the full article below. Here's an excerpt from... Read more

Exclusive: Here’s the Real Story About Jay Z And Solange

If you have just clicked this to hear more about the Jay Z and Solange rift that recently exploded all over the Internet, then you have come to the right place but for reasons that may differ from your expectations (but keep reading). Before we begin, ask yourself, "Why did... Read more

Alex Trebek Recites Cypress Hill & The Beastie Boys. He Will Keep the Day Job…(Video)

Earlier in the year, a clip of Jeopardy's Alex Trebek reciting lyrics from Biggie, Dr. Dre, The Beastie Boys and Public Enemy provided a minute and change of comic relief. Apparently, the show's producers have a dark sense of humor because they've once again given him a Rap category, forcing... Read more

Here is One of the Best Freestyles You’ve Heard in Weeks. GUARANTEED (Video)

Time and time again, Sway's Five Fingers of Death has been the vehicle that separates the MC's from the wannabes. Prevail, from Swollen Members, has firmly established himself as the former. The elite MC tackled 5 random tracks, of different BPMs and genres, and destroyed them...OFF THE TOP. Many are... Read more

Want To Better Understand? Stop And Listen To The Roots In Stop Motion (Video)

The Roots are just a few days away from the release of their eleventh studio album and anticipation is permeating across the internet. The character-driven conceptual album ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin is molded in the same light as their previous release, Undun, except that it features multiple characters satirizing stereotypes in... Read more

Nas Confirms The Lost Tapes 2, Said To Have Signed Fashawn & Bishop Nehru

A new Billboard report expounds on Nas' Mass Appeal Records partnership. Mr. Jones' latest label is the latest iteration of Decon, a label who worked throughout the last 12 years with Black Milk, Gangrene, Alchemist, Freestyle Fellowship, Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples members, and Roc Marciano, among many others. Nasty Nas is... Read more

Kanye West Is Recording His Next Album Where?

Kanye West has certainly made the most of his Def Jam Records album budgets. Starting in 2009, G.O.O.D. Music's founder set up shop in Hawaii, living with his collaborators by day, and recording by night the sessions for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. There were accounts of Pete Rock and... Read more

Blu’s Homecoming Is A Few Days Early (Album Stream)

Blu's Good To Be Home is scheduled to release on May 20. However, one of Johnson Barnes' longtime label affiliates, Nature Sounds, blessed the Heads with an early listen to Disc 1 and Disc 2 of the LP boasting full production by Bombay. Veteran MC guests from the likes of... Read more

Put A Smile On With Terrace Martin & 9th Wonder (Video)

There are feel-good moments from our youth that occasionally seep into our mind's eye and remind us of simpler times. Some days, it's these little nuances in life that make it all the more worth living. That's the tone that Terrace Martin sets with warm visuals cutting between saxophone vignettes, giddy... Read more

Vic Mensa Turns Down A “Deal” And Then Breaks Out For XXL’s Freshman Freestyle (Video)

Vic Mensa's been displaying an incredible amount of versatility lately with the releases from the Trance-like, House-inspired "Down On My Luck," to his feature on Donnie Trumpet's jazz heavy, "Pasadena." His talents have definitely not gone unnoticed, as the soon to be 22 year-old Save Money artist has recently earned... Read more

DJ Kay Slay Releases a Video for His Grimy ONYX & Outlawz Collaboration (Video)

Last week, DJ Kay Slay released The Last Hip Hop Disciple, a mixtape chock full of grimy goodness. One of the most rugged tracks was an unlikely collaboration between ONYX and 2Pac's Outlawz. That record, My Brother's Keeper, now gets the video treatment. Check it out. Related: Here’s Kay Slay’s... Read more

DJ Premier Narrates a Mixtape of Some of His Classic and Rare Cuts (Mixtape)

The LA Leakers have released a new mixtape dedicated to some of the works of the one and only DJ Premier. The Audio Biography Of DJ Premier features 16 Primo productions--some well known and some more rare. Even more dope, the mixtape features commentary from Premier himself about some of... Read more

After Days of Speculation About Their Altercation, Jay Z , Solange & Beyonce Issue a Statement

The Internet and rumor mill have been ablaze since the now infamous footage of Solange's attack on Jay Z was released. After days of speculation, Jay, Solange and Beyonce have released a joint statement addressing the incident, which you can read in full below. As we said, every family has... Read more

When’s the Last Time You Heard Nas Kick a Double Time Flow? It Goes a Little Something Like This (Video)

Ever heard of Bliss n Eso? Nas has. He blessed the Australian Rap group with a verse and an appearance in their video for I Am Somebody. This is a very different sound for Nas. Not only does the track have a big Pop feel, it also features Nas rapping... Read more

Raekwon Links with Bodega Bamz & SpankJusBizness on a Super Catchy Sram Jones Track (Audio)

Scram Jones combines sped up vocals and a crazy soulful loop on an instantly catch track for Raekwon, Bodega Bamz & SpankJusBizness. Check out Gamble. Related: Can It All Be So Simple: RZA & Raekwon Announce a Truce... Read more

Talib Kweli & Raekwon Cite The Violations From Gravitas (Video)

Two giants of New York Hip-Hop come together, table-side, in a police interrogation-room themed video, "Violations." Talib Kweli and Raekwon bring the Gravitas single to life, in living color. Fifteen years ago, during the earliest days of Black Star and Reflection Eternal, as well as the release of Wu-Tang Forever,... Read more

Adrian Lau Rocks Over a Fresh 70’s Style Soul Sample (Video)

Producer Harry Fraud has been the sonic architect behind some of the stronger mixtapes of the last few years, including Cigarette Boats, his joint project with Curren$y. A lower profile but equally strong release was Projection with Adrian Lau. Their song Under Control showcases the soulful sound that emanates throughout... Read more

Fat Joe Calls Himself A “KRS-One Groupie,” Performs Flow Joe On The Spot + Freestyles (Video)

Fat Joe's history can be deceiving. A household name, globally-recognized icon, Joe Crack is also a founding member of D.I.T.C., and has at least two albums that are hardcore Hip-Hop gems. If anybody knows this, it's Sway Calloway, who's has Joe on his shows for over 21 years and counting.... Read more

Questlove Provides the Beat; Black Thought Supplies the BLAZING HOT Lyrics (Video)

The Roots' Questlove and Black Thought joined Sway on Shade 45 and STRAIGHT CAUGHT WRECK. The dynamic duo took it back to the basics, with Quest on the turntable with nothing but a drumbeat and Black Thought spitting that hot fire off the top. This is Hip-Hop. Plain and simple.... Read more

Kool Keith Gets A Funny Or Die Show Just Being…Kool Keith. George Clinton Cameos (Video)

If Odd Future's Tyler, The Creator can have his own variety show, what about the pioneer of Rap-weird? As Eminem so eloquently pointed out on "Monster," he hopes to be "kookier than Kool Keith." Well, after the debut episode of the Ultramagnetic MC's frontman's new Funny Or Die show, is... Read more

Is Mayhem Lauren The Next Great Artist Of The Future To Break Through On A Buckwild Beat? (Audio)

If you've seen a 2010-2012 Action Bronson show, you've probably witnessed Mayhem Lauren. The Lefrak City, Queens MC has a longstanding history with Bam-Bam Bronson as two members of The Outdoorsmen. Mayhem's solo career is building strongly lately, and the veteran bully-mouth lyricist has a whole project coming later this... Read more

Jay Z, ScHoolboy Q, Drake & Eve Among 2014 BET Awards Nominees

The 2014 BET Awards are scheduled to air live from Los Angeles, California's Nokia Theatre on Sunday, June 29. Six weeks ahead, the network has shared its nominees in the respective categories, including Hip-Hop nods to Jay Z, Drake, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Future, Eve, Nicki Minaj, and... Read more

RZA Releases A Full Stream To A 4-Track EP Featuring Rockie Fresh, Tinashe & Others (Audio)

Amidst two Wu-Tang Clan albums, RZA refuses to slow down. The Abbott partnered with Dr. Pepper and Complex to make a four-song EP, Only One Place To Get It. The streaming, free downloadable EP finds RZA working with artists outside of the traditional Wu wheelhouse, including Maybach Music Group's Rockie... Read more

Cam’ron & Just Blaze Reunite In What Feels Like A Come Home With Me Leftover (Video)

When Cam'ron told Just Blaze, "You owe me, nigga" on the intro to "Welcome To New York City" back in 2002, Heads might've felt the precursor to tension within Roc-A-Fella Records. After all, Just had just played a critical role in Jay Z's The Blueprint, along with Kanye West. He was... Read more

Justin Timberlake & Legions Of Dancing Fans Pay Tribute To Michael Jackson In Love Never Felt So Good (Video)

Michael Jackson's posthumous Xscape album is available now. However, Epic Records continues to pull out all the stops to make it reach the masses. Justin Timberlake-joined single "Love Never Felt So Good" gets a video, which is more than just a trotted-in montage of moments, or animation. J.T. leads the... Read more

Bun B Defines What It Means To Be A G, His Most Lyrical Verse & Getting Up With 50 Cent In 1999 (Video)

Bun B has over 22 years on record shelves, with over 25 as a professional MC. Bernard Freeman challenged the conventions of what a Southern MC was capable of, and helped define a brand of Gangsta Rap in Texas different than that of UGK's homies, The Geto Boys. Sitting down... Read more

Cue Up This New Madlib Instrumental to Get Your Soul Fix (Audio)

Madlib has released an incredibly soulful instrumental gem from the soundtrack to Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton, the documentary on Stones Throw Records. Check out Cue 06 below. Related: Watch The Drummer Get Wicked! Madlib Makes A Beat On The Drums, Turntables & Pads (Video)... Read more

Chris Brown’s Loyal Gets a Remix with The Lox and a Dash of Biggie (Audio)

Chris Brown's Loyal record has been all over the radio but it recently got the remix treatment from producer Ted Smooth. The new version plays like a Bad Boy reunion, with The Lox adding verses over the new track, which Heads will recognize as the instrumental for Biggie's I Got... Read more

The Roots Let Heads Listen Early To …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin In Its Entirety (Album Stream)

Between Masta Ace's crew, J-Live, and now The Roots' latest album, today (May 13) is a day for the books in terms of album streams. Out of nowhere, ?uestlove, Black Thought, Tuba Gooding, Jr. and the rest of The Roots crew liberated their latest in-house LP (due May 20), ...And Then... Read more

J-Live Drops A Sun-Sational Sixth Album, Including AFH Favorite Not Listening (Album Stream)

Brooklyn, New Yorker J-Live has released Around The Sun. The former Payday/7Heads Records MC's sixth album features a lot of images and solstice themes, as well as Homeboy Sandman, Boog Brown, and Tanya Morgan. Twelve tracks long, this $8 album is available from Justice's Bandcamp page. After "Not Listening" became one... Read more