Fresh Archives

Astro Speaks on His New Mixtape and Drops a Verse (Video)

Think you know the Astronomical Kid from X Factor? Think again...The "kid" has grown up and what has emerged is Astro, a supremely talented lyricist and MC. We sat down with Astro in his hometown of Brooklyn to discuss his mixtape Starvin' Like Marvin for a Cool J Song and... Read more

October 3, 2013 Featured-homepage, Video

Mac Miller – The Star Room (Video)

Intoxicated might be an ideal word to describe yourself after watching this one. From his album Watching Movies With The Sound Off, Mac Miller drops off the visuals for his latest track "The Star Room," which depicts some of the troubles he has encountered recently in his celebrity status. In one... Read more

October 3, 2013 Fresh, Video

Black Dave – 9:40 Remix ft Stalley

"Cold lyrics and cold 40's, take a sip if you livin' the same story." It was an ill line when "9:40" first debuted on the Black Bart mixtape a couple weeks ago, and it's back once more time with a little rewiring from Maybach Music Group. For the remix of the standout... Read more

October 3, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Nemo Achida – Forced Love

With one of those jams that grabs you from the opening seconds, Nemo Achida drops off his latest single titled "Forced Love." Featuring producedbysean production, Nemo spits eclectic raps to deliver a dope laid-back package. The track is from his album Midnight Magic Extended, which includes the complete previous Midnight Magic plus an... Read more

October 3, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Young Buck – RAGE ft Marvin Gaye (Video)

Young Buck is back (both from a hiatus from music and a stint in jail). He marks his return with one of the more creative videos of the year. It depicts Buck's recent ordeals graphic novel-style. Check out RAGE featuring Marvin Gaye. Related: 50 Cent – Can’t Help Myself (I’m... Read more

October 2, 2013 Video

Kentyah Presents Evolutionary Minded: Furthering the Legacy of Gil Scott-Heron (Video)

There are certain projects that have the power to embody more than just music, whether it be a place in time or an overall energy. With Evolutionary Minded: Furthering the Legacy of Gil Scott-Heron, it seems that Kentyah has accomplished just exactly that. The video below plays not only as a... Read more

October 2, 2013 Fresh, Video

Add-2 – Don’t Go

Jamla Records (Skyzoo, Rapsody, GQ) has announced the latest signing. 9th Wonder's label added Chicago, Illinois MC Add-2. To coincide with the announcement, Add-2 has partnered with Away Team's Khrysis for Between Heaven And Hell. To set things off, Add offered "Don't Go." Related: Khrysis & Sean Boog (The Away... Read more

October 2, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Rihanna – Pour it Up (Video)

The video for Rihanna's Pour it Up leaves no doubt that the song was inspired in part by Juicy J's Bandz a Make Her Dance (with a splash of Kendrick Lamar). Rihanna borrows Juicy's strip club theme for her video and let's it all hang out (literally). Needless to say,... Read more

October 2, 2013 Video

Snoop Dogg & A$AP Rocky: Back & Forth Pt. 1 (Video)

No topic is off limits when you put Snoop Dogg and A$AP Rocky together for a conversation (particularly when the medicinal herb is involved). The 2 discuss the difference in groupies of old vs. new (male and female), the early stages of Snoop's career and more. Snoop also breaks down... Read more

October 2, 2013 Video

AFH: Best Hip-Hop of September 2013 (Audio Playlist)

Summer brought the official start of Fall but the heat kept coming, musically. Here's a playlist of the best Hip-Hop to drop in September, including Pusha T, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Jay Z, The Lox, Cam'ron, AZ, Rapsody, Juvenile, Freddie Gibbs, Common and Organized Konfusion. And even though it's not Hip-Hop,... Read more

October 2, 2013 Audio, Featured-homepage

Pusha T – DECODED: King Push (Video)

Pusha T claims he has the "album of the year" as he decodes his verse to King Push. Check out the video for the full breakdown below. Who do you think has the best album so far this year? Related: Pusha T – My Name is My Name (Album Stream)... Read more

October 2, 2013 Video

Behind the Scenes Look at the Recording of Rakim & DMX’s Don’t Call Me (Video)

Rakim and DMX took the 'net by surprise last week with the release of their joint track Don't Call Me. Here's a behind the scenes look at the recording of the song. Check out the video. Related: Rakim Performs at Brooklyn SummerStage 2013 (Video)... Read more

October 2, 2013 Video

Terrace Martin – You’re the One (Video)

Terrace Martin is responsible in part for some of the more lush Kendrick Lamar tracks of the last couple of years (Ab-Soul's Outro, Real). The talented singer, rapper and producer released his own project a couple of months ago and has a new video for his song You're the One... Read more

October 1, 2013 Video

Cam’ron – Ghetto Heaven Vol. 1 (Mixtape)

Cam'ron is back with a new mixtape. You can listen to and download Ghetto Heaven Vol. 1 below. Related: Cam’ron Gives A Quick Tour Of Dame Dash’s Poppington Gallery (Video)... Read more

October 1, 2013 Mixes

Pusha T – My Name is My Name (Album Stream)

Can't wait to hear Pusha T's My Name is My Name album? Not to worry, Pusha has released a full stream of the album for your listening pleasure. The album features guest verses from Kendrick Lamar, Jeezy, Pharrell and more, as well as production from Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, Nottz,... Read more

October 1, 2013 Throwback

Marco Polo – 3-0-Clock ft Organized Konfusion (Video)

What better way to present a track from PA:2 than to go to the actual Port Authority? Marco waits outside while Pharoahe Monch and Prince Poetry kick their verses from the inside of a bus. The Duck Down Music artist, who also has worked with Soulspazm (where PA: 2 is... Read more

October 1, 2013 Fresh, Video

Da Mafia 6ix – Go Hard ft Yelawolf

Back in the late '90s, at the height of putting kickers and amps through trunks, my cousin put me onto Tear Da Club Up Thugs. The music rivaled that of M.O.P and Onyx in terms of making you wanting to swing punches (that hopefully wouldn't land). My informal introduction to... Read more

October 1, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Thundercat & The Roots – Heartbreaks + Setbacks Performance (Video)

One of the best parts about having The Roots on "Late Night" with Jimmy Fallon is the exposure to new music. Heads can often hope that whether Mac Miller's artistic evolution, De La Soul deep cuts, or Big K.R.I.T's breakthrough, that bedrooms and living-rooms everywhere are getting exposed to better... Read more

October 1, 2013 Fresh, Throwback, Video

Blu & Nottz – Boyz II Men ft Nitty Scott, MC

This is the first listen of material from Blu & Nottz' collaborative EP, Gods In Spirit. 1990s Motown fans will feel this stylized title of a track that features a dusty '60s Soul loop from one of Virginia's mainstays. Nitty Scott, who's been making much noise lately hops on the... Read more

October 1, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Meek Mill – Dreamchasers 3 (Mixtape) (Update)

Meek Mill just released the 3rd installment of his Dreamchasers mixtape series. You can listen to and download the entire mixtape below. Download Mixtape The no-tag/DJ-free version of Meek Mill's Dreamchasers 3 is now available: Related: Meek Mill On The Spirit Of Competition (Video)... Read more

October 1, 2013 Mixes

The Kid Daytona – Damier Suitcases ft Raekwon

The way that Bun B was a big brother to Slim Thug, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Chamillionaire and countless non-Houston acts, it appears that Raekwon is cemented in that same status. Shallah has transcended from Wu-Tang Clan co-founder to somebody who's been early-bird in co-signing acts like 2 Chainz, Yelawolf,... Read more

October 1, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Isaiah Rashad Signs To TDE (Video)

Chattanooga, Tennessee's Hip-Hop answer, Isaiah Rashad, signed to Top Dawg Entertainment last month. Just released, a video chronicles the story, the inking of the paperwork, and shows what's to come. This is something to be excited about. Related: Isaiah Rashad – I Shot U Down (Video)... Read more

October 1, 2013 Fresh, Video

Danny Brown – The Return ft Freddie Gibbs

Contrary to some folks' belief, Danny Brown has many flows. The wildly-animated MC tones it down on "The Return" to recount his street exploits, and remind the new fans that he still carries those ill street blues in his actions, reactions, and demeanor. Who better to pair with than Freddie... Read more

October 1, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Jay Z Covers the November Issue of Vanity Fair

Jay Z has landed the cover of the November issue of Vanity Fair and it looks like the article is going to go deep into his past and present. You can read an excerpt from a piece Vanity Fair has done to set up the piece below. Here's the excerpt... Read more

October 1, 2013 Food for Thought

DJ Quik Decodes Jay Z’s Justify My Thug (Video)

Back in 2003, when the production was announced for Jay Z's The Black Album, there were two big curiosities: 9th Wonder and DJ Quik. While DJ Premier, Ski Beatz, and Irv Gotti were notably absent from what was billed as Jay's curtain-call album, he helped get Little Brother's co-founder the... Read more

October 1, 2013 Fresh, Video

KRS-One’s Return Of The Boom-Bap 20 Years Later (Food For Thought)

This weekend, the first KRS-One album to not be billed as Boogie Down Productions turns 20 years old. On September 28, 1993, Jive Records and Kris Parker teamed to release Return Of The Boom-Bap. The album was exactly one decade removed from the arrival of Run-DMC, the "boom-bap" was a... Read more

September 30, 2013 Featured-homepage, Food for Thought, Fresh

Ransom & Statik Selektah – The Proposal (Album Stream)

Statik Selektah has been on a tremendous run this year. He released his own incredible album, produced 4 tracks on Astro's last mixtape and now laces Ranson with 10 tracks. Again, he does not disappoint. His tracks and Ransom's grimy lyrics makes for raw, rugged Hip-Hop. You can listen to... Read more

September 30, 2013 Audio

CJ Fly – Sadderdaze ft Ab-Soul

Pro Era and Black Hippy pop off a coast-to-coast collaboration over a sample quite familiar to Reasonable Doubt lovers, CJ and Soulo offer a link from Thee Way Eye See It, which is slated to be on hard-drives by this weekend. Both of these crews are able to make simple... Read more

September 30, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Vic Mensa – INNANETAPE (Mixtape)

The year of Chicago continues with Vic Mensa's latest project, INNANETAPE. This effort features Chance The Rapper, BJ The Chicago Kid, Ab-Soul, Kenna, Rockie Fresh and plenty of others. Between Chance, Keef, Reese, King L, do you think the Chi is going to have the kind of breakthrough year that... Read more

September 30, 2013 Fresh, Mixes

Wale – Golden Salvation (Video)

Wale goes to church on the gospel-influenced Golden Salvation. Check out the video. Related: Wale - No Pain, No Gain (Audio)... Read more

September 30, 2013 Video

Salaam Remi – One: In The Chamber (Album Stream)

After considerable work with Nas, Amy Winehouse and others, veteran producer Salaam Remi has readied his solo debut, One: In The Chamber. Now, the producer who laced "Thief's Theme," "Get Down" and "Made You Look" for Nasir executes his own vision, pulling from many genres. Related: Salaam Remi – Eleanor... Read more

September 30, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Drake Named Toronto Raptors Global Ambassador (Video)

Kanye West's Louis Vuitton internship. Jay-Z Blue at Chrysler-Jeep. 9th Wonder becoming a Duke University professor. The places Hip-Hop is going continues to wow me. Today proved to be no exception, as Drake was formally announced the Toronto Raptors' Global Ambassador. A frequent court-side guest at games in recent years,... Read more

September 30, 2013 Fresh, Video

Alterbeats – Fruit Punch ft Rockness Monstah & Guilty Simpson

Two baritone MCs link up on French production duo Alterbeats' "Fruit Punch." The soulful beat knocks as the Brooklyn and Detroit bullies from Heltah Skeltah and Random Axe, respectively, beat the track up. It's cool that after so many joints with Sean Price (fka Ruck), Guilty can seamlessly collaborate with... Read more

September 30, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Homeboy Sandman – Men Are Mortal (Video)

From his Stones Throw EP from this year, Kool Herc, BoySand kicks an scorching verse while jump-roping. If you find walking and chewing bubblegum simultaneously to be a challenge, you will definitely find this video to be a thrill. The retail album named after Hip-Hop's founder has throwback production with... Read more

September 30, 2013 Fresh, Video

Curren$y – Jetflix Documentary (Video)

Curren$y, Mousa and the rest of the Jetlife clique made a recent tour documentary including some studio sessions, performance footage, and cars, a fake-Bill Duke-sighting, girls and smoke-breaks along the way. Related: Curren$y & Young Roddy – Bales (Mixtape)... Read more

September 30, 2013 Fresh, Video

Danny Brown – Dope Fiend Rental ft ScHoolboy Q

Danny Brown's Old releases tomorrow, September 30. An early glimpse "Dope Fiend Rental" captures D.B.'s essence. The song chronicles his rugged street-life days, his penchant for rough sex, and all sorts of clever imagery in between. The beat knocks, as Old could be a sneak-attack piece of discussion for Album... Read more

September 29, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Wise Intelligent – The Walking Dead ft B. Smith

Wise Intelligent has stayed very busy since his days with pioneering Trenton, New Jersey collective the Poor Righteous Teachers. The man who once battled Jay Z (when Jay was rollin' with both Jaz-O and DeHaven. Since the late '90s, Wise has maintained his socially-informed messages, and gotten more aggressive in... Read more

September 29, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Salaam Remi – Eleanor Rigby ft Stephen Marley

Hip-Hop and The Beatles stay closely related—but we won't list all the samples here for obvious reasons. Nas' go-to producer, veteran Salaam Remi teamed with Stephen Marley to give their take on the 1966 Revolver cut by John, Paul, Ringo and George. In any key, the soul on this song's... Read more

September 29, 2013 Audio, Fresh

N.O.R.E Plans To Fall Back From Rapping After Melvin Flynt II: Da Final Hustle

N.O.R.E's last hurrah with Penalty/Tommy Boy Records was 1999's Melvin Flynt, Da Hustler. A cult-favorite among Capone-N-Noreaga fans, the record featured that signature EZ-Elpee production, along with work with The Neptunes, Swizz Beats, Lil Wayne, and Juvenile. Speaking about the road ahead after approaching a 20-year-career, N.O told MTV "Will... Read more

September 29, 2013 Fresh, Video

Big Sean Road To Hall Of Fame Documentary (Video)

It's been about a month since Big Sean's Hall Of Fame released. In some post-promotion, Sean released this cool 25-minute documentary exploring the making of the album. In the contents, you'll see and hear a lot of Sean's intentions with the G.O.O.D/Def Jam Records LP. You'll also see J. Cole... Read more

September 29, 2013 Fresh, Video

AFH: The Week in Video (9/29/13) (Video Playlist)

This week brought new music videos from Pusha T, A$AP Rocky, Drake and Talib Kweli, as well as performances from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and J. Cole and a freestyle from Slaughterhouse. And, of course, a one of a kind interview from Kanye West. You can watch it all in the video... Read more

September 29, 2013 Featured-homepage, Video

2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher Artists Announced

Taped tonight in Atlanta, BET's 2013 Hip-Hop Awards is coming on October 15 at 8pm EST. With the cyphers already making big noise on Twitter (especially from the Aftermath Entertainment camp), here are all 34 participants, as reported by BET.com. This year's lineup features the usual breakthrough artists (Action Bronson,... Read more

September 29, 2013 Throwback

BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher: Asia Sparks, Bad Lucc, Astro & Problem (Video)

The 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards were taped last night and they've released the first Cypher. You can watch Astro, Problem, Asia Sparks and Bad Lucc get it in below. Who do you think had the best verse? Also, check out our interview of Astro discussing the Cypher: Related: Kendrick... Read more

September 29, 2013 Video

Jon Connor Announces He Has Signed With Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment

Flint, Michigan's Jon Connor used his 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher verse to announce a signing to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. Connor ended his verse by saying he was sick "but now [his] doctor is Dre. Aftermath!" Congrats to @JonConnorMusic. Announced he signed to Aftermath in his freestyle — Brian... Read more

September 28, 2013 Fresh

Kendrick Lamar Controls The 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher

Hot off the presses from Atlanta, Kendrick Lamar "killed" this year's BET Hip-Hop Awards Cypher, and we were there to witness it. Symbolic of what Kendrick's Control verse did to the industry in August, the entire TDE family (Kendrick, Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock and new member Isaiah Rashad) spit... Read more

September 28, 2013 Fresh

Omar Aura – The Weekend ft Luz Maria (Video)

California's Omar Aura is one of the young purveyors of the G-Funk, which is highly evident in sound and theme on "The Weekend." This sounds like 2013 Doveshack. From the upcoming Players Only free project, peep the sideshow in the video that would make Richie Rich proud. Related: Omar Aura... Read more

September 28, 2013 Fresh, Video

Pusha T – King Push (Video)

With My Name Is My Name less than a month away (got several copies pre-ordered myself), Pusha Ton kept the gold fronts in for the second black & white video of his debut solo campaign. The Clipse co-founder and Re-Up Gang renegade offers up his own "no hook" anthem, "King... Read more

September 27, 2013 Fresh, Video

Genovese – Walk The Streets ft Styles P (Video)

Remember Genovese ads all through The Source, Blaze and XXL? This descendant of the notorious Genovese Family was on the cusp of a breakthrough in the early 2000s, when he was blockaded by the label system. Grindin' on strong, Geno teams with The L.O.X.'s Styles P, an artist with whom... Read more

September 27, 2013 Fresh, Video

Kid Ink – I Know Who You Are ft Casey Veggies (Video)

Two of Los Angeles' most-discussed acts come together for a collaborative video—shot in a clothing boutique. "I Know Who You Are" has one of the catchier choruses as of late. Related: Casey Veggies – Everything Wavy (Video)... Read more

September 27, 2013 Fresh, Video

Raekwon – Marble Cake Freestyle

Currently, I've got Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in the automobile, so after lengthy listens of a Hip-Hop classic, some fresh Raekwon is (always) a welcomed treat. Chef Rae serves up "Marble Cake" over-top Drake's "Pound Cake" instrumental. Shouting out the producer 40, this may be setting the table for... Read more

September 27, 2013 Audio, Fresh