Fresh Archives

Ever See This 1992 Cypher With Bushwick Bill, Snoop, Scarface, RBX & Big Mike? (Video)

The connections between Death Row and Rap-A-Lop Records run deep, from the top down. Respective label heads Suge Knight and J. Prince have been tight for years and, the labels' artists have collaborated on a number of projects and, in the case of the Outlawz, even been signed to both... Read more

January 16, 2016 Throwback

Shabaam Sahdeeq Spits That Grown Man Rap Over A Hard Boom Bap Track (Audio)

"You got too many rappers and not enough MCs. That's how I feel about it." From the outset of Shabaam Sahdeeq's "GMR (Grown Man Rap)," he sets the tone. Tired of what he sees as half-hearted artists downgrading the culture, he speaks his mind, without mincing words. After his spoken... Read more

January 15, 2016 Video

A Never Released DJ Premier Interview About “Step In The Arena” Surfaces For Its 25th Anniversary

Gang Starr's second album, Step In The Arena, was released 25 years ago. The album was one of transition for the late Guru (Keith Elam) and his partner DJ Premier (Christopher Martin). The LP was the collective's first of the 1990s, a decade they would massively influence on the musical... Read more

January 15, 2016 Throwback

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... Read more

January 15, 2016 Lifestyle

Isaiah Rashad Returns In A Big Way With “Smile” (Audio)

After a breakout year in 2014, TDE signee, Isaiah Rashad, was relatively quiet in 2015. The label's soldiers have regularly taken turns allowing their label mates to shine, and it was the year for Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock's returns, after Rashad, ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul and SZA were up the... Read more

January 14, 2016 Video

Snow Tha Product Will Be Here Long After Lesser MCs. Lyricism Lasts (Audio)

Always keeping her pen game sharp, Snow Tha Product has released a new track with a wicked rapid-fire verse, venting about how much harder she has to work as a female MC who isn't about showing off her skin. She raps about being able to go on tour even without... Read more

January 14, 2016 Audio

Big Daddy Kane Tells The Story Of The Night He & Tupac Recorded Together (Video)

Throughout the 1990s, Tupac Shakur and Big Daddy Kane maintained a friendship. It was during Kane's 1993 Manhattan show that 'Pac and The Notorious B.I.G., with Scoob and Shyheim The Rugged Child, famously spit their iconic freestyles together. However, Tupac and Kane would also record together. One song, reportedly titled "Too Late... Read more

January 14, 2016 Video

Snoop & Too Short Give Colonel Loud Some of That OG “California” Love on the Remix (Audio)

In 2015, Colonel Loud's "California" became one of the more unexpected breakthrough records of the year. The Fort Lauderdale-born artist, who now resides in North Carolina, after spending 10 years in Atlanta, made a song about the virtues of the Golden State, using the throwback Cali funk sound of the... Read more

January 14, 2016 Audio

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

Torae’s Pete Rock-Produced Single Is A Testimony To His Paid Dues (Video)

It has been a long decade for Coney Island, Brooklyn MC Torae. The artist who uses his given name when busting down beats has amassed a career that includes Diplomats associations, esteemed collaborative albums/groups, acting, and radio hosting. Tor' just released Entitled, a crowd-sourced album including production by DJ Premier,... Read more

January 14, 2016 Video

Straight Outta Compton Gets An Oscar Nomination

Although N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton was not included in the recent Golden Globes Awards (or even its nominations), the Academy Awards see the film differently. This morning (January 14), the nominations for the 88th Academy Awards were announced. Variety reports that the F. Gary Gray-directed film is nominated for... Read more

January 14, 2016 News, TV/Film

MCs Say They’re Freestyling…But They Ain’t Been Rhyming Like Common Sense (Audio)

Over the years, the definition of the term "freestyle" has blurred. The word initially referred to a rhyme, written or spontaneous, that was not about a particular topic but, instead, was "free of style." In the 90s, it came to mean a rhyme that was impromptu, or "off the top... Read more

January 14, 2016 Audio

It’s Hard To Make A Good Hip-Hop Love Song. Black Milk Makes A Great One (Audio)

Black Milk's biggest songs have dealt with church, Detroit Hip-Hop, and looming apocalypse. The veteran producer/MC is not often thought of for his tracks about intimate relationships. "For 4Ever" kind of changes that. The record looks at career pressures versus relationship demands. As it often goes, that conflict leads to... Read more

January 14, 2016 Audio

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

Afeni Shakur & Suge Knight Roles Cast In Tupac Biopic. Here Are Photos.

The principle characters in Tupac Shakur's life are being cast for upcoming biopic, All Eyez On Me. Tupac will be played by Demetrius Shipp, Jr., while the part of The Notorious B.I.G. was given to Notorious alum and former rapper Jamal "Gravy" Woolard. Now, two additional figures closest to Shakur... Read more

January 13, 2016 News, TV/Film

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

Adrian Younge Has A Trippy Cure For Winter Time Blues (Video)

PRhyme member Adrian Younge is embarking on his latest album. January 22's Something About April II is the latest thematic work from the Southern California-based producer/musician known for his Wu-Tang Clan associations. Without any MCs on the track, Adrian can still get gritty though. "Winter Is Here" is a trippy... Read more

January 13, 2016 Video

Inspectah Deck & Beneficence Declare Digital War In Times Square (Video)

Approaching the release of this month's Basement Chemistry album (January 29), Newark, New Jersey veteran MC Beneficence is going all in. Following last week's MC Eiht-assisted collaboration, Bene' releases a visual to his look with Wu-Tang Clan/CZARFACE's Inspectah Deck. "Digital Warfare" has been a single from the Ill Adrenaline Records... Read more

January 13, 2016 Video

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

Killer Mike Owns The Moment On A Wavy, Electronic Track With Lushlife (Audio)

Killer Mike has worked with a complete cross-section of the music industry. Mike Bigga has cut tracks with Ice Cube, Gucci Mane, Cunninlynguists, and Jay Z, all resulting in satisfied fans. That's before Heads even get to Run The Jewels, Purple Ribbon, or Grind Time Rap Gang works. Today, Mike... Read more

January 13, 2016 Audio

Ghostface Killah Teams Up With Omarion On A Stone Cold Groove (Audio)

Ghostface Killah and Omarion might seem like an unlikely combination, but the Wu-Tang Clan veteran has never allowed himself to be put in a box. From Babyface to Beyonce, Tony Starks has laid verses on plenty of records outside of Hip-Hop. His latest collaboration is a Wu-Tang/MMG connection, but it... Read more

January 12, 2016 Audio

Schoolly D Remembers “P.S.K.” By Clarifying What Gangsta Rap Really Means (Video)

In 1985 Schoolly D released "P.S.K. What Does It Mean?" on his own label. From West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the record's acronym stood for his neighborhood crew: Park Side Killaz. To many Rap historians, the self-produced 12" (later included on Schoolly's self-titled full-length debut) marks the first Gangsta Rap record. With... Read more

January 12, 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

Mannie Fresh & Juvenile Say That A Reunion Album With Lil Wayne Is Underway (Video)

Juvenile and Lil Wayne made up one half of the Hot Boys (with B.G. and Turk). Also on the 1990s Cash Money Records roster were the Big Tymers, featuring Mannie Fresh and Baby (n/k/a Birdman). In 2016, three star forces from those two entities appear to be coming together. In... Read more

January 12, 2016 Video

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

“Adult Rappers” Is One Raw & Real Documentary About Hip-Hop Careers (Video)

Securing a career in Hip-Hop music is extremely hard. If you're lucky enough to achieve it, there is no guarantee that it will be glamorous. For a culture often portrayed in the mainstream as lavish, luxurious, and braggadocious, most working artists will be quick to tell you otherwise. Adult Rappers... Read more

January 12, 2016 TV/Film, Video

Erykah Badu Mixes Kanye With Whodini And Gets All The Way Trill (Audio)

Erykah Badu's "covers" have become something to look forward to. After her grabbing rendition of Drake's "Hotline Bling" in late 2015, Ms. Badu wastes no time reworking Kanye West's "Real Friends," which was released less than one week ago (January 8). "Trill Friends: Badu Whodini Rough Mix" is an experiment... Read more

January 12, 2016 Audio

O.C. Looks At A World Gone Wrong & Vents In The Best Way Possible (Audio)

Veteran D.I.T.C. artist O.C. is highly-respected for his crisp cadence and masterful way about rapping about life and art. Acclaimed albums like Word...Life, Trophies, Jewelz, and Starchild have honed in on O's experiences and vision, and done so eloquently. On the just-released "My City," the former Payday Records artist takes a more universal approach.... Read more

January 12, 2016 Audio

Mack Wilds Does The Right Thing In This Spike Lee-Inspired Music Video

Already, 2016 has started on a high note for Tristan "Mack" Wilds. The actor/sing was one of the stars of Vh1's The Breaks, which premiered last week (January 4). Now available for full stream online, the film (also starring Method Man, Phonte, Torae, Prince Paul, and Chuck Chillout) is set... Read more

January 12, 2016 The Bridge, Video

Mac Miller’s “Weekend” Is A Highly Personal Outcry About Life Moving Too Fast (Video)

Mac Miller's third studio album GO:OD AM is included in Ambrosia For Heads' "Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2015." For those newer to the Warner Bros. Records-backed work, "Weekend" is exemplifying of what makes the LP strong. Featuring Miguel, the song is a written as a highly-personal outcry of life moving... Read more

January 12, 2016 Video

Kendrick Lamar Meets With President Obama And Vows To Pay It Forward (Video)

What a year Kendrick Lamar has had. In the last 12 months, he released his To Pimp A Butterfly album, spawning critical acclaim strong enough to generate 11 Grammy nominations and, more importantly, a soundtrack for an entire generation dealing with issues of race, inner conflict and police brutality. The... Read more

January 12, 2016 Video

It Was No Fluke…Token Is a Lyrical Assassin Who Will Obliterate Any & All Sucka MCs (Video)

Last year, 17-year old rapper Token burst onto the scene with "No Sucka MCs," a lyrical display that stood among the best of 2015. Now, less than 2 weeks into 2016, he releases a sequel and tops it, setting a very high bar for where lyricism should be in the... Read more

January 11, 2016 Video

The Game & Trey Songz Release A Record About The Ladies That Might Make Many Blush (Audio)

The Game released 36 songs in 2015, via his The Documentary 2 and 2.5 albums. The star-studded albums were considered by many to be among the finest in Game's catalog, and covered wide-ranging topics, from continued gang banging in L.A. to the void left by Tupac to recently re-captured drug... Read more

January 11, 2016 Audio

The D.O.C. Reveals Which Songs He Wrote For Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” Album (Video)

The D.O.C. is among Hip-Hop's most revered songwriters. The Dallas, Texas native worked extensively with N.W.A. and his Fila Fresh Crew before his heralded 1989 debut, No One Can Do It Better. Following the Dr. Dre-produced album, The D.O.C. would partner with then-manager Marion "Suge" Knight in helping launch the... Read more

January 11, 2016 Video

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

Hit-Boy Puts His Raps In Front On Yadda Yadda Featuring Wale (Audio)

Hit-Boy has amassed a number of hit records. The Southern California delegate in the G.O.O.D. Music production family has been a mastermind behind Kendrick Lamar's "Backseat Freestyle," the posse cut "Clique," and Jay Z & Kanye West's "N***as In Paris." However, as Hit has shown in that time, he raps... Read more

January 11, 2016 Audio

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

Kendrick Lamar Brings To Pimp A Butterfly Live To Your Living Room With A Full Band (Video)

Kendrick Lamar has been very protective of how he presents his album, To Pimp A Butterfly, live. The critically-acclaimed LP, which has been nominated for 11 Grammy Awards (the most ever for a Rap album), is deeply personal to the Compton MC who has said he wanted his first album... Read more

January 10, 2016 Video

This Little Boy Blues Record Was A Seed Of Love For Some Brooklyn Rap Giants (Audio)

Little Boy Blues released a single album, 1968's In The Woodland Of Weir. The Psychedelic Garage Rock outfit fronted by "Little Boy Blue" Ray Levin, would eventually rise to open for the Rolling Stones, The Association, and Lovin' Spoonful. Formed four years before the Fontana Records LP, the band was... Read more

January 10, 2016 Sample Sundays

Ball So Hard: DJ Premier & Royce Da 5’9″ Score The Theme Song To NBA Countdown (Video)

Releasing a star-studded deluxe edition of their stellar album, PRhyme, was not enough for DJ Premier & Royce Da 5'9". After collaborating with the likes of Black Thought, DOOM, Phonte, Logic and Joey Bada$$, they took their talents to ESPN and scored the new theme song for the network's NBA... Read more

January 10, 2016 Video

Rashida Jones Teleports To ’90s R&B Videos. Catch The TLC, Da Brat & SWV References

Rashida Jones very much grew up around music. She is the daughter of Quincy Jones, sister of QDIII, and almost a sister-in-law to Tupac Shakur (Rashida's sister Kidada was engaged to 'Pac at the time of his murder). However, most Heads know thee Miss Jones from her TV work, thanks... Read more

January 10, 2016 The Bridge, Video

Dr. Dre Leaks A New Song With T.I. To Show He’s Back To Business (Audio)

Although not much music has officially been released by them, Dr. Dre and T.I. have been collaborating for years. T.I. is rumored to have been in the lab often with Dre, during the Detox years, and a number of tracks and snippets from those sessions have hit the web, since... Read more

January 10, 2016 Audio

Anderson .Paak Gives You One More Chance To Get Into The Party, On A Hi-Tek Funk Track (Audio)

Anderson .Paak spent 2015 making so many artists' albums all the more dope. From Dr. Dre's Compton to The Game's Documentary 2.5, to the Blended Babies' own Anderson .Paak EP, the Southern California drummer-singer-MC sprinkled his musical seasonings into some real delicacies. Related: Anderson .Paak’s Music Excited Dr. Dre &... Read more

January 10, 2016 Audio

It’s DOOM’s Day. Celebrate The Masked Villain’s Birthday With This Mega Mix (Audio)

Happy Birthday to DOOM. The masked villain turns 45 years young today (1/9). While he's been relatively quiet over the last year, he ended 2015 with a bang, collaborating with PRhyme (DJ Premier & Royce Da 5'9") and Phonte on "Highs & Lows." He also put out a video promising... Read more

January 9, 2016 Mixes

Scarface Takes His Show On The Road. Here Are The 2016 Tour Dates.

In the last year, Scarface has been restless. The Houston, Texas Rap legend released a new album (his first in years) in Deeply Rooted. 'Face toured with his Geto Boys band-mates Willie D and Bushwick Bill for part of the year, before putting to rest hopes of another GB's album... Read more

January 9, 2016 Fresh

A.G. & Damu The Fudgemunk Escape To A Nostalgic Place On A K-Def Track (Audio)

For 25 years, A.G. has been delivering verses that are mental excursions. Showbiz & A.G.'s most lyrical half is a guest on the new album by New Jersey veteran producer K-Def (LL Cool J, Lords Of The Underground, DJ EFN). There, he is joined by producer/MC double-threat Damu The Fudgemunk... Read more

January 9, 2016 Audio