Fresh Archives

Jay Rock’s Freestyle Shows What A Migos Beat Sounds Like With Some G-Funk (Video)

Jay Rock's sound seems to be evolving. In 2018, the Watts, California MC linked with producers Boi-1da, Vinylz, and CT for "Win." Working with some technicians known for a hand in Drake's discography (along with many other chart-toppers), the move showed some new range for an MC with a raspy... Read more

September 4, 2018 Video

Colin Kaepernick Is The New Face Of Nike’s “Just Do It” Campaign

Historically, Nike's "Just Do It" campaign captured the gravitas of courage in sport. Upon its 30th anniversary, the brand is celebrating the principles and sacrifice of an athlete who is more than a year removed from his field of competition. Colin Kaepernick has been officially announced as one of several... Read more

September 4, 2018 Lifestyle, News

MGK Is The First To Fire Back At Eminem & He Gets Personal (Video)

On Friday (August 31), Eminem ambushed several figures in the Rap industry and media with his Kamikaze album. The sneak-attack release addresses a host of Rap peers, from Shady Records artist (via Slaughterhouse) Joe Budden to apparent jabs at Drake, along with pokes at Brand Nubian's Lord Jamar and Tyler,... Read more

September 3, 2018 News, Video

Bun B & Run The Jewels Get Really Personal With Some Help From Big K.R.I.T. (Audio)

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So…let AFH fight through it for you and only supply you with that great stuff. Despite the reports, Hip-Hop is alive and well and, in many ways, is better than it’s ever been. Not only are we able to go back... Read more

September 2, 2018 Audio

Donald Glover’s New Video Shows Hip-Hop America & How Great It Could Be

Just under four months ago, Donald Glover released one of the most unforgettable music videos of 2018. "This Is America" is artful, symbolic, and it is certainly jarring. The visual was a return to Rap for the versatile, genre-defying also artist also known as Childish Gambino. Since then, Glover released... Read more

September 2, 2018 Video

Black Eyed Peas Show They Can Still Get It Started Without Fergie (Video)

Black Eyed Peas are a Hip-Hop group, through and through. Despite having reached chart-topping success with Pop hits in what could now be called the “Fergie era,” BEP began as a trio with deep roots to the culture. Early traces began in late-’80s Los Angeles and, in 1992, the group... Read more

August 31, 2018 Video

Eminem Has Just Released A Surprise Album To Silence His Critics. Listen Here (Audio)

When Eminem released his Revival album last December, the project was met with tepid reception from critics and fans alike. Em had set the bar exceedingly high, even for him, after a BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher in early October that nearly broke the internet, and dominated world news cycles... Read more

August 31, 2018 Audio

Kanye West Apologizes For His Slavery Comments & Breaks Down In Tears (Video)

For well over a decade, Kanye West has been one of the most polarizing figures in pop culture. From stating on live TV that then President George W. Bush did not care about Black people, to storming the stage at the 2009 VMAs in protest of Taylor Swift, Kanye has... Read more

August 30, 2018 News, Video

Black Thought, Talib Kweli, Mannie Fresh & More To Perform At 7th Annual Hiero Day

The 7th annual Hiero Day Music Festival & Block Party is taking place Labor Day, September 3. The event performers have officially been unveiled. Oakland, California's legendary Hieroglyphics crew will be performing at their festival, and joining them will be Black Thought, Talib Kweli, Freddie Gibbs, Mannie Fresh, Elzhi, Georgia... Read more

August 30, 2018 Fresh

Bun B, T.I. & Big K.R.I.T. Are 3 Southern Rap Kings & You Better Recognize (Video)

Bun B has long had the respect of Heads, but his solo work both during Pimp C’s incarceration and after his passing have raised him up to the status of Southern Rap godfather. His Trill series of albums was supposed to be complete as a trilogy, but there were so... Read more

August 30, 2018 Video

Tech N9ne & Krizz Kaliko Don’t Need Bells And Whistles To Annihilate A Set (Video)

NPR’s "Tiny Desk Concerts" have steadily forced musicians outside of their comfort zones for years. On paper, the series’ latest display, the oft-bigger than life Tech N9ne and Krizz Kaliko seem like outlandish candidates for the intimate show, but the Strange Music pair proved they don’t get uncomfortable. Over the... Read more

August 29, 2018 Video

Reason Uses His TDE Shine To Spotlight The Mixtape That Got Him Signed (Video)

This month, Top Dawg Entertainment revealed that they had a new MC in the roster. From the same city of Carson, California as Ab-Soul, Reason followed his exceptional 2016 Free Album mixtape (embedded below) with a video single, "The Soul." The a la carte look followed an appearance on The... Read more

August 29, 2018 Video

Rakim Speaks About Why Artists & Athletes Should Fight For Justice (Audio)

More than 30 years ago, Rakim raised the bar of rapping. The Long Island, New Yorker is regularly associated with his consciousness. Although Ra' may not be remembered for his politics to the degree of peers such as Chuck D or KRS-One, he has been a steadfast symbol of self-empowerment.... Read more

August 29, 2018 Audio

Escobar Season Has Returned. Nas Reunites With Karl Kani For A Clothing Line

Since the Karl Kani street clothing brand was relaunched in 2016, it has reintroduced the company’s vibrant but rugged aesthetic which saw the Kani signature logo stitched across the chest of most big-name rappers and R&B singers of the early-1990s era. Icons like Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy, Nas,... Read more

August 29, 2018 Fresh, Lifestyle

Mistah F.A.B. May Be The Greatest Off The Top Freestyler EVER. This Will Sway You (Video)

Few MCs have bodied Sway In The Morning's "5 Fingers Of Death" challenge as many times as Mistah Fab. Given Sway's Oakland, California roots, it's only natural that he champions the former Mac Dre pupil. However, make no mistake — Fabby Davis earned his spot as a proven serial killer... Read more

August 28, 2018 Video

DJ Green Lantern Makes A Slick Remix To Nas’ Biggest Song Of 2018 (Audio)

DJ Green Lantern has been Nas' DJ for years. The accomplished mixmaster who has worked with Eminem, The LOX, and dead prez has become a fixture in Nas' stage show. A native of Rochester, New York, Green has also produced Ludacris' Top 20-charting hit "Number One Spot," Busta Rhymes' Rick... Read more

August 28, 2018 Audio

Logic Freestyles Over Method Man’s Beat & Brings Even More Pain (Video)

These days, Logic may be known for his chart-topping projects and Grammy nominations, but it was his come-up in the mixtape scene that got the Maryland MC/producer to this plateau. With a dynamic flow that can be rapid fire one moment and subdued the next, his manic personality has always... Read more

August 28, 2018 Video

The D.O.C. Sings Beautifully In A Video That Shows Anything Is Possible.

For decades, Hip-Hop Heads have known that The D.O.C. has a golden pen. The Dallas, Texas native MC is credited with writing songs and lyrics for Dr. Dre and other artists on Death Row and Ruthless Records. However, in the 1980s, the artist born Tracy Curry was a rapper with... Read more

August 28, 2018 Fresh, Video

Bun B Has A Very Trill Conversation About Quitting Unhealthy & Deadly Habits (Video)

This Friday (August 31), Bun B is releasing Return Of The Trill. Originally titled "Bernard," the album marks a personal transformation for the UGK co-founder as it pertains to his music. In the last decade, Bun B has expanded his resumé to include teaching at Houston's Rice University, co-authoring a children's... Read more

August 28, 2018 Lifestyle, Video

Redman Brings 1990 Hip-Hop To The Present & It Sounds So Beautiful (Video)

Late last week, Redman released his latest single, "1990 NOW." In the song, Reggie Noble delights in making the kind of Hip-Hop that influenced him to grab the microphone, and tell millions of fans when it was "Time 4 Sumaksion." The Newark, New Jersey star MC has commanded the masses... Read more

August 28, 2018 Video

J-Live Unleashes A Rapping & Scratching Routine With A Motown Classic (Audio)

J-Live is a true Hip-Hop multi-threat. He raps, he DJs, he produces, he runs a label, and he does so much more. The Brooklyn, New Yorker (who now calls Georgia home) sometimes demonstrates several talents at once. For those who have not seen a J show, they get a taste... Read more

August 27, 2018 Audio

Trippie Red Proves So-Called Mumble Rappers Can Be Lyrical Too (Audio)

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So…let AFH fight through it for you and only supply you with that great stuff. Despite the reports, Hip-Hop is alive and well and, in many ways, is better than it’s ever been. Not only are we able to go back... Read more

August 27, 2018 Audio

Erick Sermon Previews His Next Album With A Verse That’s As Hard As His Beats (Video)

In addition to new EPMD sneakers, Erick Sermon has been busy promoting his eighth solo album. Now titled Vernia (after being previously called Go), the fan-funded LP promises involvement from AZ, Big K.R.I.T., Xzibit, Too Short, Styles P, and others. At the top of the year, the Long Island legend... Read more

August 27, 2018 Video

Das EFX Say Fu-Schnickens Stole Their Style & Explain How (Video)

Das EFX was one of the most original Hip-Hop groups of the 1990s. Krazy Drazy and Skoob’s rough and rugged look, animated flows, and especially their “iggity” cadence and stutter-style delivery caught the attention of music fans worldwide. While their unique “sewa'” style nabbed them accolades and a sizeable record... Read more

August 26, 2018 Video

Casanova & DJ Premier Make Haters Think Twice About What They Say (Video)

Casanova 2X is the type of hard-nosed East Coast MC that always seems to seek out the sounds of DJ Premier. The Brooklyn, New Yorker's mic style can be traced to artists such as M.O.P., The LOX, Bumpy Knuckles, Screwball, and Non-Phixion. The artist that Memphis Bleek ushered into Roc... Read more

August 24, 2018 Video

Cypress Hill Says DJ Muggs Is Dead In Their Weirdest Video Ever

Cypress Hill will release their long-awaited Elephants On Acid album in less than five weeks (September 28). The first C.H. LP in nearly a decade puts founding group member DJ Muggs back at the production controls. Based on this month's first video single "Band Of Gypsies," and some early accounts... Read more

August 24, 2018 Video

Redman Releases A New Song That Sounds Like 1990 In All The Best Ways (Audio)

Redman's "Muddy Waters Too Movement" continues. Funk Doc is gearing up for the long-awaited sequel to his 1996 landmark third LP. Following the recent video drops "Ya!" and "I Love Hip Hop," the promotional push for the upcoming album continues with "1990 NOW." This Gilla House Records single, produced by... Read more

August 24, 2018 Audio

Atmosphere Are Releasing A New Album. Their New Video Deals With Aging Without Fear

Earlier this month, Atmosphere released a video for "Make It All Better." The song detailed the strife of breaking up with a significant other and the subsequent pain that can linger. Now Ant and Slug have announced their latest album Mi Vida Local and have simultaneously released the project's first... Read more

August 23, 2018 News, Video

Eminem Becomes LL Cool J’s Stan In A Conversation Between Two GOATs (Audio)

Eminem tends to offer impassioned anecdotes when crediting his multiple Rap music influences. For the first episode of LL Cool J's new show, The Influence Of Hip-Hop on Sirius XM's Rock The Bells Radio channel, Eminem tells LL that he is one of the main reasons that he began rapping as a child. "I... Read more

August 22, 2018 Audio

Rakim, Black Thought & Pharoahe Monch Will Record A Live Mixtape Onstage

Three of the most respected veteran MCs are coming together to make some history. Throughout the 2010s, DJ J. Period has assembled live mixtapes. He's orchestrated these incredible performances on revered stages, including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. These guest-driven affairs have become fixtures at events like The Roots... Read more

August 22, 2018 Fresh, News

J. Cole & Bas Are From A Hip-Hop Tribe Where Being Able To RAP Still Matters (Video)

For Hip-Hop Heads, especially Dreamville fans, Friday (August 24) is an exciting day. Longtime label artist Bas will release his third album, Milky Way. The Queens representative who appeared on J. Cole's "New York Times" alongside 50 Cent more than five years ago has steadily built a following of his... Read more

August 22, 2018 Video

Young M.A. Puts Her Skills Where All Can See As She Busts Rhymes On A Hard Freestyle (Video)

Young M.A. is having a nice 2018. She heated up the summer with her "PettyWap" and "Car Confessions" singles, not to mention sparking the season off with a mean Funkmaster Flex freestyle. Following last year's seven-song Herstory, the Planet Brooklyn resident has been performing around the world, as well as seguing... Read more

August 21, 2018 Video

Mickey Factz Serves Up A Next Level Freestyle Over 1 Of DJ Premier’s Best Beats (Video)

Mickey Factz is renowned for his freestyle skills. The Bronx, New Yorker seems to just get better with these kind of bars with age—in addition to releasing some quality projects that show a different gift from the veteran MC. He battles beats like so many opponents left duffed out in... Read more

August 21, 2018 Video

Method Man Reminds That He Does Not Lose, In His New Video

Method Man is gearing up for his next project release Meth Lab II: The Lithium. He previously dropped the audio version of "Grand Prix" and now the visual form is available. In the Last American B-Boy-directed video, Meth blazes a few among his Meth Lab crew. He also dons a Wu mask... Read more

August 21, 2018 Video

A$AP Ferg Celebrates Giving Back To Harlem With A Soulful Single (Audio)

A$AP Ferg recently released his latest single "Brag." It comes in partnership with Adidas, who is helping the A$AP Mob rapper give back to his native section of Harlem. The partnership will help refurbish a running track near the neighborhood where Ferg grew up. As for "Brag," the Frankie P-produced... Read more

August 21, 2018 Audio

Eric B. & Rakim Name Their 5 Most Important Hip-Hop Songs Of All-Time (Video)

Eric B. & Rakim were on-hand for a celebration at Mikey Likes It Ice Cream shop in New York City's Lower East Side last week. Currently celebrating 30 years since Follow The Leader, the Queens DJ/producer and the Long Island MC/producer collaborated in listing five of the most important Rap... Read more

August 21, 2018 Video

Royce 5’9, Jadakiss, Fabolous & Pusha-T’s Sizzling Bars Send Summer Off In Style (Video)

In two weeks, summer 2018 will come to a close. As he promised since springtime, Royce 5'9's Book Of Ryan has had "Summer On Lock" in the ears of Hip-Hop fans. The independent LP featuring Eminem, J. Cole, Logic, and others was also a centerpiece in Ambrosia For Heads' best... Read more

August 21, 2018 Video

Killer Mike’s Hardest Verse Of 2018 Is A Powder Keg Of Bars (Video)

Killer Mike had hit songs early in his career. But as an independent artist, saying what other MCs wouldn't on beats is what made sustained his nearly 20-year-career. That is the energy that lived on Grind Time Rap Gang releases, R.A.P., and three celebrated volumes of Run The Jewels. It... Read more

August 20, 2018 Video

Queens, NY Has Named August 19 “Ralph McDaniels Day” (Videos)

Today (August 19) will forever be Ralph McDaniels Day in the borough of Queens, New York. The confirmation was made this evening, during Uncle Ralph's second 35th-anniversary celebration for Video Music Box. A free event took place at Jamaica, Queens' Roy Wilkins Park, and Ambrosia For Heads was on hand... Read more

August 19, 2018 Exclusive, Video

Logic Shows The Horrors Taking Place At Our Borders In His Latest Video

As Logic has risen from Ratt Pack leader to Pop star, he has also become increasingly political. The Gaithersburg, Maryland MC/producer has accepted the responsibility of using his voice and position to effect change. While "Young Sinatra" dropped his Bobby Tarantino II mixtape in March, his latest single “One Day”... Read more

August 19, 2018 Video

Keith Murray Takes The Beat He Lost To JAY-Z And Makes It His Own Def Jam (Audio)

Long Island, New York’s DJ Gumba has been bringing the best out of the Keith Murray lately. While the whole Def Squad seems reinvigorated in 2018, Murray has been consistently smashing classic beats nearly every month since January. It seems that Gumba picks crucial tracks he thinks Murray would kill,... Read more

August 18, 2018 Audio

A Video Shows Mobb Deep’s Lethal Sampling For “Murda Muzik,” On Its 19th Birthday

Mobb Deep's fourth album, Murda Muzik, remains their best-selling album to date. It began the duo's transition from New York street poets into a pair capable of making records that played on the radio, video shows, and the clubs at once. Havoc didn't forfeit his gift for sampling in the... Read more

August 17, 2018 Throwback, Video

Bun B Returns For His 1st Album In 5 Years With Big K.R.I.T. & T.I. (Audio)

In 2017, Bun B was hard at work on Bernard, his fifth solo album and the first since 2013's Trill OG: The Epilogue. That album never materialized, but the 25-year-veteran and one of the undisputed underground kings is indeed back with a new LP, though with a different title. On August 31,... Read more

August 17, 2018 Audio

Ab-Soul Exhales A Dope Verse In A Hot Box Collaboration With B-Real (Video)

B-Real has kept himself current over the years with his Smokebox web series and by keeping his finger on the pulse. He continues to work with young and up-and-coming artists year and year out. And as of 2017, he is in three super-groups, which include Cypress Hill, Serial Killers, and... Read more

August 17, 2018 Video

Canibus & Wyclef Detail Their Beef & How They Squashed It In A New Song (Audio)

When Canibus came on the scene in the late 1990s, he made a name for himself by out-shining MCs on their own tracks. Common, The Lost Boyz, and Heltah Skeltah can all testify to those early, devastating appearances. Then, when the already platinum Wyclef Jean got behind the hungry New... Read more

August 16, 2018 Audio

Saba Explains The Real LIFE Behind 1 Of 2018’s Realest Songs (Video)

Back in early April of this year, Midwest rapper and producer Saba unveiled, arguably, his most personally revealing project to date with, CARE FOR ME, an album which was included on Ambrosia For Heads' 14 Best Hip-Hop Releases of 2018, so far. The 10-track record annotates many of the grittiest... Read more

August 15, 2018 Video

Ace Clark Shows Signs Of Greatness On A Jazzy Collabo With Talib Kweli & Joell Ortiz (Audio)

Gang Starr's Guru once professed on "Moment of Truth", “Cultivate, multiply, motivate or else we’ll die.” Twenty years later in a progressively demanding and often times burdensome social climate, these lyrics ring truer than ever. To remain positive, inspired, and purposeful in an atmosphere that can easily wear you down... Read more

August 15, 2018 Audio, Exclusive

Erykah Badu Reminds That Live Music Is Supposed To Sound BETTER Than The Record (Video)

Erykah Badu is the latest guest at the Tiny Desk. With some gold-accented fronts in, the veteran singer brought her grace, style, and showmanship right along with her singing gifts to the Washington, D.C. bureau. The Dallas, Texas native also brought her incredible band. The ensemble includes a flutist (Dwayne... Read more

August 15, 2018 Video

TDE Has Another Reason Why It’s The Most Dominant Hip-Hop Label Of The 2010s (Video)

Last week, Top Dawg Entertainment added another MC to its star-studded label. Reason comes from the same city of Carson, California that Ab-Soul reps. He quietly slid onto TDE's first #1 release of 2018, the Black Panther soundtrack ahead of his public welcome. However, if "Seasons" remained off your radar,... Read more

August 14, 2018 Video

Erick Sermon & Parrish Smith Are Still In Business. They Have An EPMD Sneaker (Video)

More than 30 years ago, Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith formed EPMD. From dropping some of the most influential tracks in Hip-Hop history to surviving periods of breakup, the E and P are still together, still in business, and currently celebrating their 30-year anniversary in style. The Brentwood, Long Island... Read more

August 14, 2018 Fresh, Lifestyle, News, Video