Fresh Archives

DJ Premier’s HeadQCourterz / D&D Studios To Become Luxury Apartments?

For 30 years, D&D Studios has been a destination recording studio in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Encased above 320 37th Street, the lab has been a longtime home to Gang Starr's DJ Premier, who co-owns the studio today, re-named HeadQCourterz in honor of Gang Starr's slain friend. A report... Read more

November 25, 2014 Fresh

Finding The GOAT: GZA vs. Cormega…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

November 25, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Chris Rock Says Pootie Tang Is His Junior M.A.F.I.A. LP, Debates PM Dawn’s & J Dilla’s Impact (Audio)

If you enjoyed Chris Rock and Tracy Morgan naming their Top 5 MCs in honor of the film, Top 5, you'll love this. Chris Rock, joined by Questlove, swung through Cipha Sounds and Peter Rosenberg's Juan Epstein podcast. There, the four Heads engage in a casual, very free-flowing discussion about... Read more

November 25, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Beyonce Sets The Fifty Shades Of Grey Soundtrack Off Without Restraint (Video)

Beyonce's "Haunted" is said to be a center-piece in the upcoming Fifty Shades Of Grey film. The blockbuster-best-seller Romance novel-turned-film is based around letting the inner-animal out. So for the "Haunted" video, Beyonce takes that visceral idea and goes to town. The "many rooms" of one's psyche are explored as... Read more

November 25, 2014 Fresh, Video

MED & J. Rocc’s AXEL F. Project Gets An Instant Rewind-Worthy Visual (Video)

MED & J. Rocc's AXEL F. project, Theme Music, released today (November 25). The collaborative project from the two Southern California vets, both Stones Throw Records affiliates, features Blu, Guilty Simpson, and Oh No, among others. For the "Sofa Coins" single, J and Medafor stepped into an animated world that... Read more

November 25, 2014 Fresh, Video

Leave It To Ras Kass, Apollo Brown & Sean Price To Punch ‘Em With A Bonus Cut (Audio)

Two stellar lyrical alumni of 1996, Ras Kass and Sean Price come together yet again. Over another string-heavy Apollo Brown track, Ras and Ruck link up for "Impossible Dream." Hardcore as you might expect, the breakaway from the Blasphemy sessions was unearthed, and finds cross-coastal MCs demolishing a beat from... Read more

November 25, 2014 Audio, Fresh

After Incognito Beginnings, Your Old Droog Is All Up in Your Face (Video)

Your Old Droog is leaving 2014 in a lot better shape than he started it. The elusive underground Hip-Hop MC out of the five boroughs began almost as a myth. Although he's been running, seemingly unnoticed, in circles for years, the insightful, raspy-voiced spitter was heard more than seen in... Read more

November 25, 2014 Fresh, Video

Tragedy Khadafi Is Still Running Strong (Audio Exclusive)

In less than one month, Queens, New York MC veteran Tragedy Khadafi is releasing his latest album, Pre-Magnum Opus (December 16). In his 25-plus-year career, Tragedy (p/k/a The Intelligent Hoodlum) has garnered strong acclaim, both as a major label artist in the early 1990s, as well as during his extensive independent... Read more

November 25, 2014 Audio, Featured-homepage, Fresh

Big REC & R.A. The Rugged Man Dumb Out The Dope Way (Video)

Although he's not a new artist per se, Atlanta, Georgia-based Big REC got a huge, well-deserved boost this year, care of a Diamond D-produced album, Doomsday. One of the standouts on that indie LP is "The Dumb Out," featuring one of the epitomes of industry fortitude: R.A. The Rugged Man.... Read more

November 25, 2014 Fresh, Video

DJ Premier Honors Fab 5 Freddy With A Wild Style Quick Mix (Video)

Whether as a filmmaker, a VJ, or an artist, Fab 5 Freddy has played an integral role in Hip-Hop culture since the early 1980s, and even before. A New York icon, Freddy connected the Downtown art and Punk scenes of the 1980s with the Hip-Hop musical movement of The Bronx,... Read more

November 24, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Diamond D & Pete Rock Bring Colorful Images To Sweet Sounds (Video)

Both producer/MCs, Diamond D and Pete Rock seem to get far more props on the boards than on the mic. However, each of these guys has memorable verses, and over 20 years of crowd movin'. "Only Way 2 Go" is one of the finest moments on this year's Diam Piece... Read more

November 24, 2014 Fresh, Video

Time Travel Back To 1990 In This Live Recording Of Kid Capri Rockin’ A NYC Party (Audio)

As Ambrosia For Heads looks to our readers to determine the GOAT MC, it's indisputable that Kid Capri just might be a GOAT DJ. Since the 1980s, the Bronx, New Yorker became the high priest of mixtapes, with the gift of blending the staples of Hip-Hop with fresh releases, R&B,... Read more

November 24, 2014 Audio, Fresh, Throwback

Eminem Drives Home Another Narrative With Illustration For Us (Video)

In the midst of a digital takeover for Shady XV, Eminem hit Monday hard after his weekend 66-song, double-mixtape. With the double-disc label compilation now available for purchase, Em returned to his initial Sia-assisted single, "Guts Over Fear." For the video, which features both Interscope-backed artists in limited capacity, Heads... Read more

November 24, 2014 Fresh, Video

Vic Mensa & Michael Uzowuru Release the First Song They Ever Recorded (Audio)

Vic Mensa and producer Michael Uzowuru have developed a special musical chemistry in the short amount of time they've known one another. Each has a love of music of all genres and defies labeling with respect to his craft. Thus, to no surprise, the music they've made together is often... Read more

November 24, 2014 Audio

DJ Premier & Royce Da 5’9″ Show No Courtesy to Hip-Hop Pretenders (Video)

As the year goes on, the Hip-Hop keeps getting stronger. Weeks ago, DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9" made an announcement that left many Heads licking their chops in anticipation. The two were coming together to form a new supergroup, Premier's first since the legendary Gang Starr. What's more, the... Read more

November 24, 2014 Video

Imagine Justin Timberlake Parties with Portishead and Brings Freddie Gibbs…Check this New JMSN (Audio)

JMSN landed on many Heads' radars for the first time nearly two years ago, after dropping a series of songs with Ab-Soul. It was reported at the time that the two would be releasing a joint project but it never came to fruition. JMSN's tone and delivery quite often bring... Read more

November 24, 2014 Audio

Finding The GOAT: Ma$e vs. Lil’ Kim…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

November 24, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Ghostface Killah & AZ Are 3 For 3 with Killer Collabos. Here’s the Latest (Audio)

For the last couple of weeks, Ghostface Killah has been setting the Net on fire with releases from his forthcoming 36 Seasons album. Particularly, his collabos with AZ have been favorites of Heads and, with AZ making a whopping five appearances on the LP, there are aplenty. The latest track,... Read more

November 24, 2014 Audio

Mystikal & Bruno Mars Get Funky with Mark Ronson and It Feels Right (Video)

This weekend, Mark Ronson took the stage on Saturday Night Live and time traveled back to 1972 with a brief stop in 1980. He performed his song "Uptown Funk" featuring Bruno Mars, which channels the rugged, stanky funk of the early 80's Prince era. The performance features a rugged bass... Read more

November 24, 2014 Video

Prince Releases a Psychedelic Lyric Video for FUNKNROLL (Video)

Prince's album Art Official Age stands among his best in years. He brought it to life with a sizzling performance on Saturday Night Live and now he returns with a psychedelic lyric video for the viciously funky and aptly-titled "FUNKNROLL." The song is at once contemporary and throwback with its... Read more

November 23, 2014 Video

Here’s a Compilation of Killer Mike’s Lyrical Sunday Morning Massacres (Mixtape)

Killer Mike has been on a tear as of late with partner El-P with their Run the Jewels albums. The Dungeon Family-affiliate has been assassinating microphones for the better part of twenty years, with the likes of OutKast, Jay Z and, of course, P. Despite these formidable collaborations, some of... Read more

November 23, 2014 Mixes

Redman’s Dare Iz a Darkside Turns 20 Years Old (Audio & Video)

Redman's album, Dare Iz a Darkside, turned 20 years old this weekend (11/22). True to its name, Red's sophomore album was an exploration through a deep, dark funk sonically. The album, produced primarily by Reggie Noble himself with some help from Erick Sermon and Rockwilder, drew heavily on Red's love... Read more

November 23, 2014 Throwback

Here’s an Amazing Mixtape Blending the Music of Wu-Tang Clan & Jimi Hendrix (Mixtape)

Here's a timeless gem from back in the day. British producer Tom Caruana put together a mixtape seamlessly blending the sounds of Wu-Tang Clan and Jimi Hendrix. Similar to projects like Danger Mouse's Grey Album (Jay Z x The Beatles) and Keys Open Doors (The Clipse x The Doors), this... Read more

November 22, 2014 Mixes

Eminem & DJ Whoo Kid Have Released an Epic 66-Song Mixtape of Shady Classics (Mixtape)

Eminem is pulling out all the stops for the 15th anniversary celebration of Shady Records. In the span of two weeks, he released an instant classic 18-minute cypher featuring himself, Slaughterhouse and Yelawolf, and he's released some absolute killer records. He has an anniversary album coming soon and, as we... Read more

November 22, 2014 Mixes

Was Kendrick Lamar’s SNL Performance a Tribute to Method Man & ODB? RZA Speaks (Video)

Last week, Kendrick Lamar took the stage on Saturday Night Live and gave an incredibly dynamic performance of his current single, "i." The rendition featured a live band and Kendrick showcasing some of the choreography from the song's video. Strikingly, K.Dot also wore black eye contacts and his hair in... Read more

November 21, 2014 Video

Does Naughty By Nature’s Treach Have More Heat Left in the Chamber? Yep…(Audio)

Naughty By Nature's Treach has made a welcomed return over the last few months. He dropped a strong verse in the BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher and now releases a new song, with Hus Kingpin, that features his trademark melodic flow. Complete with scratches, punctuated horn samples and a rolling... Read more

November 21, 2014 Audio

Wale’s Lyrics Come To The Forefront In The Followers (Video)

Although Wale is not tied to Mass Appeal Records, he has a fan in Nas. Reports state that Nasir specifically wanted "The Followers" on his upcoming label compilation. Thereby, the Maybach Music Group/Atlantic Records star spilled the video to the track, featuring a number of people besides the MC driving... Read more

November 21, 2014 Fresh, Video

Finding The GOAT: The Fresh Prince vs. DMC…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

November 21, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Andre 3000 is Taking His Talents to Miami…For an Art & Fashion Exhibit

Heads who have seen some of Outkast's 2014 shows have had a glimpse of one of Andre 3000's latest endeavors: wearable art. The iconic MC/singer has drafted a culmination of art and fashion in "i feel ya." The 47 wearable jumpsuits, as seen donned by Andre Benjamin himself, will be... Read more

November 21, 2014 Fresh

This Is Real-Time Rap History: Grandmaster Caz Makes Peace With Big Bank Hank

Earlier this month, The Sugarhill Gang's Henry "Big Bank Hank" Jackson died after a bout with cancer. At 57 years old, Hank carried the honor of rapping on one of the genre's breakthrough records, 1979's "Rapper's Delight." However, Heads know that Hank was never a writer, and even down to... Read more

November 21, 2014 Featured-homepage, Fresh, Throwback

Eminem, Yelawolf & Slaughterhouse Are All Killer, No Filler (Audio)

The treats keep falling off the Shady tree gearing up for Shady XV. "Psychopath Killer" is an Eminem song, featuring his 2011-present star signings, Slaughterhouse and Yelawolf. Just Blaze, Boi-1da, and The Maven Boys team up to make a track that's quite Horrorcore-themed, something you might expect to hear on... Read more

November 20, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Ghostface Killah & AZ Challenge The Law In This Vivid Account (Audio)

Ghostface Killah and AZ came up around the exact same time. Both students of the wild '80s, these two New Yorkers carry a love of name-brand image, decadent fashions, and old school attitudes in their touted music. That being said, 'Face and Sosa sound excellent together on "Double Cross." This... Read more

November 20, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Crooked I’s Intimate Freestyle Chronicles The Formation Of Slaughterhouse (Audio)

Crooked I, or Kxng Crooked as he's now known, is gearing up for his SMH Records debut, Sex, Money & Drugs. To kick things off in style, Crook' takes the stand, under oath, and tells it like it is in this slow, intimate freestyle. Within, he recalls sitting in his... Read more

November 20, 2014 Audio, Fresh

DOOM Has Never Rocked On A Beat Like This…Attacking The Mic In The Wild (Audio)

Flying Lotus goes from one extreme to another. Just over 24 hours after premiering his "GTA V" track with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Krayzie Bone, FlyLo unveils another first-person video game inclusion (care of Fader), this time with DOOM. The man formerly known as MF DOOM (known as Zevlove X before that,... Read more

November 20, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Rick Ross & Styles P Bum-Rushed The Mainstream With BMF. Reflect On The Hit (Video)

One of the heaviest-hitting records of the 2010s was undoubtedly Rick Ross' "Blowin' Money Fast." Often simply called "B.M.F.," the Styles P-assisted single was believed to be a wink and a nod towards the legendary criminal street organization. However, to many people in 2010 and 2011, it was simply an... Read more

November 20, 2014 Fresh, Video

Big K.R.I.T. & Raphael Saadiq’s Soul Food Highlights Cadillactica. See How It Was Cooked (Video)

Big K.R.I.T. earned another Top 5 this week, for Cadillactica, his sophomore major label release. The Def Jam Records-backed LP is a balance of Krizzle's foundation of car-audio odes, Southern slab ballads, and insightful looks at the world around him. One of the third variety is "Soul Food," a track... Read more

November 20, 2014 Fresh, Video

Action Bronson & Killer Mike Battle Each Other On A Treadmill & Stuff Gets Broken (Video)

Adult Swim is highly in-tune with Hip-Hop. That's probably why the show-turned-network-turned-label released Killer Mike's R.A.P. Music back in 2012, which ultimately led to Run The Jewels. With that said, Adult Swim's "The Eric Andre Show" premieres tonight, at 12:15am (which, is really tomorrow morning). The comedic variety show shared... Read more

November 20, 2014 Fresh, Video

Royce Da 5’9″ & DJ Premier Take The PRhyme Message To The Next Level (Video)

Fresh off of premiering the "PRhyme" title track, Royce Da 5'9" and DJ Premier unload the visual. With some cool imagery, boom shots, and big production value, the video takes Royce's points from the song, in a stream of consciousness, and elaborates them in living color. Footage of Nickel Nine's... Read more

November 20, 2014 Fresh, Video

Killer Mike & El-P Are Bringing Out The Dead, Making Them Run The Jewels (Video)

Killer Mike and El-P seem to have so much fun together as Run The Jewels. From the sheer on-album chemistry to the side-projects, the monstrous stage presence on tour, down into the visuals. First single, "Blockbuster Night, Pt. 1" finds Bigga and El-Producto working as EMT, without much tact for... Read more

November 20, 2014 Fresh, Video

Finding The GOAT: Mac Miller vs. ScHoolboy Q…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

November 20, 2014 Fresh

Boldy James Takes A Long Look At The Pain That Made Him On A Harry Fraud Track (Audio)

With Nas in his corner, Boldy James is getting a lot of extra attention. On "50 Foot Razor Blade," the Detroit, Michigan MC asserts that it's been no overnight phenomenon. The onetime Alchemist protege links with Harry Fraud for this track, looking back at his life, from jumping bond, to... Read more

November 20, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Diamond District Mines New Gems In March On Washington, Evidenced Here (Video)

Diamond District is compromised of three vastly different artists in Oddisee, yU, and X.O. If only basing a union on their solo projects, this is an improbable trio. However, for two full-lengths, the Washington D.C. natives have mirrored the complexities of their city in extremely current, hard-hitting, forward-thinking music. March... Read more

November 20, 2014 Fresh, Video

Nikki Jean Toasts As She Steps Out, Alongside Ab-Soul & Jake One (EP)

Nikki Jean has loaned her vocals to some of Lupe Fiasco’s most poignant tracks and collaborated with members of the Roots Crew in Nouveau Riche. Teaming with producer Double-0 (Kidz In The Hall), Nikki left the lab with some new creations, which she's giving away. The Champagne Water EP includes... Read more

November 19, 2014 Audio, Fresh, Mixes

Beat Junkies’ DJ Melo-D Makes An Ill Quick Mix Tribute To Big Daddy Kane (Audio)

Along with J. Rocc, Rhettmatic, and Babu, DJ Melo-D is one of the ferocious sets of wrists behind the Beat Junkies. The Los Angeles, California-based collective is one of the most skilled turntablist outfits of all-time, and boast ties to J Dilla, Ras Kass, and of course, Dilated Peoples to... Read more

November 19, 2014 Audio, Fresh, Throwback

Krayzie Bone Goes Above The Clouds With Flying Lotus (Audio)

Joining Freddie Gibbs & Mike Dean's "Sellin' Dope," the "GTA V" soundtrack features another just-released catchy collaboration. Krayzie Bone and Flying Lotus may seem of different worlds. The Cleveland, Ohio native chopper tends to favor aggressive, pulsating production. The L.A. producer that's hard to pin into genre is usually about... Read more

November 19, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Freddie Gibbs Delivers Gripping Gangsta Rap With A Geto Boys Producer (Audio)

For the upcoming "GTA: V" video game soundtrack, Freddie Gibbs teamed with Mike Dean to make "Sellin' Dope." Following some work with N.O. Joe, this is the second time Gangsta Gibbs has chased down some of the sound-providers for the Geto Boys and 1995-2005 Rap-A-Lot Records production. Dean now works... Read more

November 19, 2014 Audio, Fresh

GZA Is Quite Precise In This Feature Role On A Funky Rock Remix (Audio)

Los Angeles, California-based Hanni El Khatib has thrived as a singer-songwriter, licensing his funky, Blues-inspired Rock tracks to campaigns for Nike and Nissan, in addition to shows such as "Suits," "The United States Of Tara," and "Luther." Khatib knows what the people want, in making vibe-driven music. So in remixing... Read more

November 19, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Jeezy Kicks Raps So Cold That He’s The Black Eskimo (Video)

Jeezy's Seen It All: The Autobiography is still making its rounds. The Atlanta, Georgia Trap star directs attentions to the fourth single from his seventh studio LP. "Black Eskimo" is a simple video, employing Jeezy's longstanding love of black&white (perhaps an allusion to the rights and wrongs of the law).... Read more

November 19, 2014 Fresh, Video

Mick Jenkins’ New Vid Takes A Deeper Look At Violence In Chicago (Video)

Mick Jenkins' The Water[s] remains one of the strongest, most-talked about mixtapes/street albums of 2014. It's deeper than Rap with the Jazz-influenced Chicagoan. The DJ Dahi-produced "Dehydration" is a powerful, conceptual piece to The Water[s]' puzzle produces a video that unearths some of the youth, the violence, and the confusion... Read more

November 19, 2014 Fresh, Video

BJ The Chicago Kid Covers Aaliyah & Kanye West With Originality (Mixtape)

In his budding career, BJ The Chicago Kid has been one of the most successful R&B artists to use the mixtape format. Before Jhene Aiko, it was this other Black Hippy affiliate who dropped gems like 2009's The New Beginning and 2011's The Life Of Love's Cupid for free. By... Read more

November 19, 2014 Audio, Fresh, Mixes