Fresh Archives

Common & J Dilla’s The Light Was Part Of The Love Movement. Get The Backstory (Video)

Common's career took a tremendous turn on 2000's Like Water For Chocolate. At the perceived pinnacle of the Okay Player artist movement, Common and MCA Records made what is rarely considered the MC's best album, but may very well be his most important. Transitioning from the critical acclaim of 1997's... Read more

September 18, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Is Flying Lotus The 2014 Equivalent Of Parliament-Funkadelic? Hear The Latest (Audio)

Based on the upcoming work with Kendrick Lamar alone, chances are Flying Lotus' stock is about to skyrocket. The Los Angeles, California native producer/musician/DJ has put in a decade making music that defied genre limitations, and just thrived off that nod factor. This is true of "Coronus, The Terminator." From... Read more

September 18, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Denitia & Sene Get Electrified On The Catchy side fx (Audio)

Denitia & Sene may have began as a side project of sorts, but this Brooklyn, based-duo may have found their respective knacks. Gearing up for an EP, side fx, the pair let off the title track today. "side fx" is SynthPop, Electro, and Soul all blended together, with some charged... Read more

September 18, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Your Old Droog Gets The lllest Remix From J-Zone & Sacha Jenkins (Audio)

If anybody's able to remix Your Old Droog, it's J-Zone and Sacha Jenkins. The former, a Queens veteran with productions for Akinyele, R.A. The Rugged Man, and The Juggaknots, hits the drum pads with precision, while O.G. journalist/musician Jenkins (ego trip!, Mass Appeal, The White Mandingos) hits the guitar licks.... Read more

September 18, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Do Remember: Geto Boys’ Bring It On, The Ultimate Rap-A-Lot Posse Cut (Audio)

Plenty of Hip-Hop groups have seen lineup changes. Ice Cube famously (and rather loudly) exited N.W.A in 1990 to pursue solo interests away from Ruthless Records. After a fast-track to stardom, Young Jeezy departed from Boyz N The Hood to become a Corporate Thug at Def Jam. Cee-Lo, and later... Read more

September 18, 2014 Audio, Fresh, Throwback

Raekwon Revisits Stevie Wonder on His Throwback Thursday Hey Love Freestyle (Video)

From De La Soul to Kwame, MCs have gravitated toward Stevie Wonder's classic, "Hey Love." So, it's not altogether surprising that Raekwon has chosen the sweet and soulful ditty for his latest Throwback Thursday freestyle. Check out Rae's take on the timeless track below. What throwback would you like to... Read more

September 18, 2014 Audio

Dawaun Parker Worked A Lot On Dr. Dre’s Detox. He Says The Concept Is Scrapped (Video)

Within Dr. Dre's inner-circle at Aftermath Entertainment throughout the last 10 years, Dawaun Parker is a key member. The Boston, Massachusetts native who cut his teeth working with artists like T.I. on King would subsequently work alongside guys like Dre, J Dilla, and Eminem on albums by Busta Rhymes, 50... Read more

September 18, 2014 Fresh, Video

ScHoolboy Q Joins Disclosure & Sam Smith To Remix Latch (Audio)

Last year's platinum single "Latch" by Disclosure featuring Sam Smith set the table for further UK Synthpop in 2014. As Sam Smith is currently winning over (and working with) Hip-Hop Heads, Disclosure invited ScHoolboy Q to their party. Groovy Q comes in late on the track to talk to the... Read more

September 18, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Remember The Knicks’ John Starks? He’s Got A Story To Tell About Biggie Smalls (Video)

From 1990 to 1998, John Starks was a rugged Shooting Guard for the New York Knicks. The same year Starks earned an All-Star nod amidst a New York Knicks push to the top of the Eastern Conference, The Notorious B.I.G released his debut, Ready To Die. By the time Biggie... Read more

September 17, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Yelawolf Flexes A Very New Sound On His Love Story First Single (Audio)

Yelawolf's hard at work on his third studio solo album, Love Story. In addition to a new look and the motorcycles in lieu of Caprices, the recording for this album has paralleled some personal growth, including an engagement, a return to his Classic Rock roots, and a healthy avoidance of... Read more

September 17, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Public Enemy Performs One Of Their Earliest, Biggest Hits With The Roots (Video)

While 1988 would be the year Public Enemy's seminal It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, 1987 is integral to the story. That would be the year that the Long Island collective dropped their debut album, Yo! Bum Rush The Show. The album was a homogenous blend... Read more

September 17, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Here’s an Animated Video of an Interview of Michael Jackson from 1980 (Video)

Michael Jackson is the latest subject of PBS Digital Studios' Blank On Blank animation series. This 1980 recording from a MJ interview highlights his waving off genre labels, admitting that his on-stage dancing is improvisational, and working with Quincy Jones. There's a lot to love about this...including the fact that... Read more

September 17, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

DJ Quik’s New LP Is Inspired By Late Nights, Brings His Homies Old & New To The Party (Audio)

In the onslaught of album announces, DJ Quik jumped in the ring. The Compton Hip-Hop legend let it be known today (September 17) that his ninth album will be called The Midnight Life. The album, planned for October 14 Mad Science Records release, includes some longtime Quik homies such as... Read more

September 17, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Big Sources Are Saying That Jay Z & Beyonce Have Collaborative Album Coming

On his new platform, Dash Radio, DJ Skee is doing—rather saying big things. The DJ closely associated with the careers of Game and Freddie Gibbs announced today (September 16) that he has confirmed that husband and wife duo, Jay Z and Beyonce, are at work on an album. Given a... Read more

September 17, 2014 Fresh

Rick Rubin Says Chuck D Thought Public Enemy Was Too Old To Sign To Def Jam In 1987 (Video)

In the third volume of Noisey's series on Def Jam Records' 30th anniversary, founders Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin devote their attentions on Public Enemy. Likely in conjunction with P.E.'s performance of "Public Enemy #1" with The Roots on Jimmy Fallon's "The Tonight Show" yesterday (September 16), the vignette pays... Read more

September 17, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Cyhi The Prynce Releases the Hot and Steamy Visuals for Guitar Melody (Video)

Cyhi the Prynce releases the video for "Guitar Melody" from his Black Hystori Project. The hot and steamy visuals may be safe for work, but it's not advisable... Related: Cyhi The Prince References an OutKast Classic on the Remix to Goodnight (Audio)... Read more

September 17, 2014 Video

Black Thought Joins Roots Affiliate On A Boisterous Electro Track (Audio)

STS is one of the wild cards of The Roots' extended family. The rapper also known as Sugar Tongue Slim has ties to both Philadelphia and Atlanta, and is gifted at tapping into both sounds. This is true on "$5,000 Dolla Coat Shit." With the kind of beat Heads might... Read more

September 16, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Jared Evan & Ransom Know It’s Cold Outside, So They Pack A Hoodie (Audio)

From Jared Evan's forthcoming #StillBlue release (October 28), the onetime Interscope/Zone 4 singer/rapper links with his homie Statik Selektah, and Statik's partner Ransom for "Outside." As a result, brash deliveries about the warmth "inside" are depicted on a track that also chronicles the cold realities of the outside world. Related:... Read more

September 16, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Big K.R.I.T Drops Off a Brand New Mixtape, See Me On Top, Vol. 4 (Mixtape)

It's the fourth quarter, and Big K.R.I.T is out to "Mike Jordan 'em." Fresh off of dropping two very different pieces of content yesterday (September 15), Krizzle, as announced just 24 hours ago, unloads See Me On Top, Vol. 4. The fourth volume of the mixtape series, a step apart... Read more

September 16, 2014 Audio, Fresh, Mixes

Joey Bada$$ Says He’s Bringin’ Brooklyn Back In A Tony Touch Freestyle (Video)

Some things just make sense. If Joey Bada$$ was around, in the industry, in the late '90s, he would have sounded right and exact on Tony Touch cassette tapes. The Taino Turntable Terrorist and the Pro Era front-man linked on Toca Tuesdays. On a loop-based beat made famous by Lootpack... Read more

September 16, 2014 Fresh, Video

Boaz Gives It To ‘Em Straight, Not Late On Intuition (Video)

On October 28, Boaz is dropping Intuition, his latest album. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania MC is owning his moment, with introspective, thoughtful street-savvy songs. The title track finds Boaz recalling his youth, a homogenous mixture of falling in love with the Hip-Hop he saw through older relatives, and the fruits of... Read more

September 16, 2014 Fresh, Video

Ras Kass & Apollo Brown Slice Down That Humble Pi (Video)

They say "necessity is the mother of invention." That adage speaks to the careers of Ras Kass and Apollo Brown. The MC, Ras, was among the brightest hopefuls of early '90s Los Angeles lyricism. However, troubles with the law, a label under a new regime, and shifting attentions in the... Read more

September 16, 2014 Fresh, Video

One Of Cormega’s Philosophies Comes To Life With Large Professor & Maya Azucena (Video)

On this year's critically-acclaimed Mega Philosophy album by Cormega, one of the highlights is "Rise." With a chorus by songstress Maya Azucena, the Large Professor-produced (with additional input by Cormega) track has a Worldly feel to it. It should, as the record sprinkles universal hope on the people across the... Read more

September 16, 2014 Fresh, Video

Black Milk’s Gold Piece With Bun B May Be His Best Collabo To Date (Audio)

For more than a decade, Black Milk has helped give Detroit a different soundtrack. As a producer, Black has made collaborative head-nodders with Royce Da 5'9, Slum Village, Elzhi, and Guilty Simpson (Random Axe). In the years since, partially through his ties to Decon and Duck Down, B.M gave some... Read more

September 16, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Alchemist & Director Extraordinaire Jason Goldwatch Have A NSFW Field Day (Video)

Alchemist is gearing up for his third installment of instrumental offerings. Whether for aspiring MCs, DJs looking for transitions, or simply fans of great Instrumental Hip-Hop, Rapper's Best Friend has been a winning formula. Setting the stage for Vol. 3 (September 30), Decon's Jason Goldwatch and ALC teamed to make... Read more

September 16, 2014 Fresh, Video

What Will Logic’s Debut Album Sound Like? Under Pressure Is Very Promising (Audio)

With an album named Under Pressure (October 21), of course Logic unveils his first confirmed glimpse, of the same name. Self-produced, "Under Pressure" showcases the Baltimore, Maryland's southern influences, from Three 6 Mafia to Bun B. However, the flow is true to Logic's independent run, blending some internal anxieties from... Read more

September 16, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Take A Trip Home With Ab-Soul, Where He Writes, Lives & Loves (Video)

LOUD's series, "A Day In The Hustle" focuses in on Ab-Soul, one of the breakouts of 2014. Here, a full day in Carson, California is spent as Soulo gears up to kick off his These Days... Tour. With family, with friends, and in preparation, Heads can see that Ab really... Read more

September 16, 2014 Fresh, Video

DJ Doo Wop Takes Everybody Back To School With Another Great Mix (Audio)

DJ Doo Wop marks the Back to School season with the second installment of his Coolout series. Within, Doo Wop goes free form with the New York City Hip-Hop he helped distribute and bring awareness throughout the '90s and early 2000s. Doo Wop touches a lot of hits from the... Read more

September 16, 2014 Audio, Fresh

How About A One-Hour DJ Premier Mix Featuring AC/DC, Heart, Rage Against The Machine? (Audio)

Heads who do the research know that, while DJ Premier's sound has been at the epicenter of Hip-Hop for 25 years, Christopher Martin is a Rock & Roll Head to the fullest. With his older sisters sliding him wax of groups like Van Halen, AC/DC, and the Bay City Rollers,... Read more

September 16, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Rest In Peace To Common’s Father, Lonnie “Pops” Lynn

Common's father, Lonnie Lynn, Sr., has passed away. Details are still emerging surrounding the cause of death, however it is believed to have happened yesterday (September 15), per the Associated Press. Dating back to 1994's Resurrection, Pops appeared on various Common albums, typically on interludes near the LPs' end. These... Read more

September 16, 2014 Fresh

Le$ and Curren$y are on the Come Up (Video)

A day after releasing their mixtape, Organized Crime, Jet Life members Le$ and Curren$y are right back at it. They release the video for "Come Up," off Le$' Ace mixtape, produced by Cookin' Soul. Check it out. Related: Curren$y’s Jet Life Crew Releases Its Organized Crime Mixtape (Audio)... Read more

September 16, 2014 Video

Saigon is Joined By the Legendary Big Daddy Kane on a DJ Premier Track (Audio)

Saigon's GSN3: The Troubled Times Of Brian Carenard is two weeks away (September 30). However, the veteran New York MC unleashed one of the LP's most anticipated tracks in "One Foot In The Door." On the DJ Premier-produced cut (the second Premo premier in less than 12 hours), the Yardfather... Read more

September 16, 2014 Audio

What are DJ Premier, Royce Da 5’9″ and Adrian Younge Cooking Up? Crack Music…(Video)

DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9" have released a short video clip that looks like a teaser for something bigger to come. As Premier is on the wheels and producer Adrian Younge dusts off records, Royce lets off a BLISTERING verse. Whatever the case may be, Hip-Hop needs more of... Read more

September 15, 2014 Video

Rapsody Says It’s Hard To Choose, But It’s Not Hard To Choose Rapsody (Audio)

Leading up October 7's Beauty And The Beast, Rapsody is pulling out all the stops. "Hard To Choose," produced by 9th Wonder, takes strong audit of the North Carolina native's career, and choices as such. Citing everybody from DJ Kool Herc to Afrika Bambaataa to MC Lyte, Rap' explains the... Read more

September 15, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Jeezy’s Holy Ghost Never Left The Hood, In This Intimate Look (Video)

Since released, "Holy Ghost" is one of Seen It All's more chilling moments. There seems to be a lot of subtext in Jeezy's simple song about Rolls Royces. The religious reference perhaps claws at the deities of power and fame. With Don Cannon's menacing production, the record calls back to... Read more

September 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Big K.R.I.T Takes You Behind the Scenes for the Making of Cadillactica (Video)

Kicking off the Making Of Cadillactica series, Big K.R.I.T is found, on video, in the studio with hit-making producers Jim Jonsin (the man responsible for B.o.B's discovery, Lil Wayne's "Lollipop") and Rico Love (writer of Usher's "There Goes My Baby"). Also featured in the studio is super-producer Mike Dean, who... Read more

September 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Bishop Nehru Says Nas’ “I Can” Is Real, Makes A Case For Abstinence (Video)

Like his big brother MF DOOM, Bishop Nehru is a bit mysterious, if not misunderstood. The Rockland County New Yorker begins an interview with HOT 97's Ebro In The Morning show breaking down his neighborhood, between Hip-Hop's absence, to the misnomer about his being from Brooklyn. Midway through is where... Read more

September 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Rick Ross Hits Elvis Presley Blvd From His 7th Album, Hood Billionaire (Audio & Video)

UPDATE: Rick Ross has released the video for Elvis Presley Blvd, included below. Announcing the title of his seventh studio album, Hood Billionaire, Rick Ross offered his first single "Elvis Presley BLVD." The song as a double-entendre, seemingly recalling Rawsss' days of hustling in Memphis, Tennessee, with lots of metaphors... Read more

September 15, 2014 Audio, Fresh, Video

¡Mayday! & Murs Let The Beast Out The Box (Video)

Head to the underground of Miami inside a dimly lit, graffiti splashed room filled with DJs scratching up their turntables and B-boy's cutting up the dance floor in the latest visual effort from ¡Mayday! and Murs' recently released project, ¡Mursday!. The group cuts loose lyrically and with an enthusiastic release... Read more

September 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Running In From Left Field…Big K.R.I.T Remixes alt-J & It’s Great (Audio)

Big K.R.I.T's crates run deep, and current. The Mississippi producer/MC who sampled Adele on "Hometown Hero" now looks to take a spin with alt-J's hit "Every Other Freckle." The remix, which is official by the way, finds Krizzle getting especially sexual on the record about physical infatuation. With platinum singles... Read more

September 15, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Talib Kweli & M1 Compare America’s Ghettos To The Gaza Strip (Video)

In one of Hip-Hop's most candid commentaries about the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Talib Kweli and dead prez' M1 go in on the track "Checkpoints: Ghetto To Gaza" produced and led by Canadians, K-Salaam & Beatnik. M1 and Kwe' (both veterans of Hip-Hop For Respect) compare the military state... Read more

September 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Brother Ali’s Second Home Is The Road, Alongside Bambu & MaLLy (Audio)

If anybody can truly make songs about the road, it's a Rhymesayer. From Slug, to Murs, to Brother Ali, the collective of artists who work with the Minneapolis-based label know that playing to the fans is paramount. In sync with his new Home Away From Home Tour, Brother Ali links... Read more

September 15, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Run The Jewels Teams With Police Academy’s Michael Winslow For Some AMAZING Bully-Rap (Audio)

Run The Jewels constantly lives up to their name the way that Killer Mike and El-P can steal the show. Kicking off the week with "Oh My Darling Don't Cry," Heads get a greater glimpse of just what kind of delightful audio brutality RTJ2 holds. The song features hard-nosed, blitzkrieg... Read more

September 15, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Jay Z & Beyonce’s Latest On The Run Trailer Takes A Page From McQueen & MacGraw (Video)

Following their fast-paced heist film-inspired trailer in May, Beyonce & Jay Z's "On The Run" HBO special gets a second trailer, pulling from other types of film. Deliberately off-beat, the first 45 seconds seem to draw from the early days of Hollywood, somewhere alluding to original pin-up starlets like Mae... Read more

September 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Curren$y’s Jet Life Crew Releases Its Organized Crime Mixtape (Audio)

Is there anyone who comes close to releasing as much free music as Curren$y? The Jet Life capo has released more than 10 mixtapes over the last 2 years. His latest is from the entire crew and, as usual, is chock full of soulful beats. Check out the stream and... Read more

September 14, 2014 Mixes

Large Professor Releases a Tribute to Nas on His Birthday (Audio)

The connection between Nas and Large Professor spans decades. Extra P introduced Nas to the world via Nas' mind-bending guest verse on Live at the BBQ and then shepherded much of Esco's debut album, Illmatic. Today (9/14) is Nas birthday and his mentor saw fit to release a tribute celebrating... Read more

September 14, 2014 Audio

The Wire is Coming Back to HBO in HD for the First Time Ever (Video)

HBO has announced that it is bringing back The Wire, widely regarded as one of the best TV shows of all-time (if not the best), back for a marathon. The catch? The show will be aired in HD for the first time ever. Longtime fans and those watching for the... Read more

September 14, 2014 Fresh, Video

Method Man, Diddy, Funkmaster Flex, Red Alert & Mister Cee Reflect on Ready to Die (Video)

September 13th marked the 20th Anniversary of The Notorious B.I.G.'s classic album, Ready to Die. Method Man, Diddy, Mister Cee, Funkmaster Flex and DJ Red Alert reflected on the album, 20 years later. Meth speaks on being the only guest on the album and the subterfuge required for him to... Read more

September 14, 2014 Video

Childish Gambino Sings a Sober Love Song (Audio)

The multi-talented rapper, actor and singer, Childish Gambino, is readying a new mixtape. STN MTN/Kauai will be presented by DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz. "Sober," the latest release from the project, is a plaintive love song that finds Gambino flexing his singing vocals in a way that is reminiscent of Lenny... Read more

September 14, 2014 Audio

Jamie Foxx Gets the Party Started with 2 Chainz & DJ Mustard (Audio)

Jamie Foxx turns to the hit-making machine that is DJ Mustard for his latest musical effort. Mustard abandons his trademark "hey hey hey hey" on the beat for a more subtle approach that also infuses a bass guitar in lieu of keyboards. 2 Chainz drops a verse, as well. Check... Read more

September 13, 2014 Audio