AFH Ambrosia for Heads

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Some Texas Street Musicians Get A Dream Come True Care Of Juicy J, Aloe Blacc & Trey Songz (Video)

It can be easy to roll your eyes at the seemingly-cliche term "viral video." The label is thrown on anything anymore, whether it actually makes its rounds or not. However, in the past week, some phone-cam footage of a sidewalk jam session in Texas. The simple jam about the uncertainty... Read more

Logic Shows Off His Lyrical Skills Over a DJ Premier Beat (Video)

Still sleeping on Logic's skills? Watch how he blisters the mic over this DJ Premier track on Statik Selektah's Show Off Radio. Part written. Part off the top. All dope. Related: Logic Re-Interprets a Common Classic In Finding Forever (Audio)... Read more

Troy Ave Unveils His Own Brand of Gangsta Rap With His 2014 XXL Freestyle (Video)

27 year-old Troy Ave has been waiting for a few years to make it to the cover of XXL magazine, and in 2014, he finally gets his opportunity. Once the photo shoot cleared and the 2014 XXL "Freshman" cover hit the shelves, his wait was over. "I envisioned it. I wanted it... Read more

The Jurassic 5 Reunion Continues With All New Visuals Of A Heavy D-Produced Track (Video)

They're back. Jurassic 5 surprised fans by reuniting at Coachella last year, sporadic festival performances throughout the U.S., as well as a mini tour throughout Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. To add to the hype, Jurassic 5 announced an all new album dropping July 5, a/k/a J5 Day. This will... Read more

ScHoolboy Q Depicts His Grim Coming of Age Story in Hoover St (Video)

There have been a number of stories over the years detailing survival tactics in Southern California, from Compton's Most Wanted's "Growing Up in the Hood" to Ice Cube's "How to Survive in South Central" and many others. Recently, Kendrick Lamar's entire good kid, m.A.A.d. city album was dedicated to the... Read more

Pharrell Makes An Open-Letter Visual To All The G I R L S He’s Loved Before (Video)

From "Rump Shaker" to "Excuse Me Miss," Pharrell Williams has over 20 years of celebrating the female form through music. In the wake of his G I R L album, complete with its artwork and complementary visuals, Skateboard P continues to salute the fairer sex. "Dear G I R L" is... Read more

Questlove & Black Thought Talk 25 Years Of The Roots, Where The Last 5 Albums Fit In With The First 6 (Video)

Late last week, Heads saw Black Thought freestyle over a Questlove beat, with the funky drummer on the cut, no less. From that same interview, Tariq and Amir sat down with Sway Calloway on his Hip Hop Nation show, to talk about 25 years of the crew. In this hour-plus... Read more

Witness a Taste of The Roots “First Opera” (Video)

The Legendary Roots Crew took the stage last week at NYC's Public Theater and did a live rendition of their forthcoming album "...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin." Rather than a straight performance, they presented the work as a high art project, calling it their "first opera." Here's a trailer... Read more

New DJ Quik, Cam’ron, Talib Kweli, ONYX, The Roots…Here’s The Week in Hip-Hop Video (Video Playlist)

This week in Hip-Hop video brought new music videos from DJ Quik, The Roots, Cam'ron, Talib Kweli & Raekwon, unbelievable freestyles from Black Thought and Prevail, a stylized faux trailer from Jay Z & Beyonce and more. See it all in the video playlist below. Related: Last Week in Hip-Hop... Read more

Jay Z And Beyoncé Reinvent ’03 Bonnie & Clyde In A Blockbuster Trailer (Video)

Are you ready for 2014's biggest summer blockbuster never to hit theaters? Guns ablaze, Jay Z and Beyoncé go paper chasing, robbing, and stealing through the Brooklyn city streets in a faux trailer boasting a star studded cast including Sean Penn, Don Cheadle, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Blake Lively. The video,... Read more

Boot Camp Clicks On Ruste Juxx & Rockness Monstah’s Off The Hinges (Video)

Sean Price's onetime understudy Ruste Juxx has broken out and built a nice career for himself. The raspy Brooklyn MC is a no-nonsense street MC, who celebrates the roots of Hip-Hop. In "Off The Hinges," Ruste teams with Sean's Heltah Skeltah partner Rockness Monstah, who together, amidst cuttin' and scratchin',... Read more

Project Blowed’s Open Mike Eagle Channels All Of The The Cosby Show Intros (Video)

From that Freestyle Fellowship-launched Project Blowed camp (Aceyalone, Myka 9, Volume 10, Ganjha K, Abstract Rude, Skee-Lo, etc.), Open Mike Eagle is one of the newer artists. Down with Busdriver and 2Mex, California's O.M.E. (who hails from Chicago originally) is known for bombastic deliveries, precise technical flows, and a sardonic... Read more

Here is One of the Best Freestyles You’ve Heard in Weeks. GUARANTEED (Video)

Time and time again, Sway's Five Fingers of Death has been the vehicle that separates the MC's from the wannabes. Prevail, from Swollen Members, has firmly established himself as the former. The elite MC tackled 5 random tracks, of different BPMs and genres, and destroyed them...OFF THE TOP. Many are... Read more

Want To Better Understand? Stop And Listen To The Roots In Stop Motion (Video)

The Roots are just a few days away from the release of their eleventh studio album and anticipation is permeating across the internet. The character-driven conceptual album ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin is molded in the same light as their previous release, Undun, except that it features multiple characters satirizing stereotypes in... Read more

Put A Smile On With Terrace Martin & 9th Wonder (Video)

There are feel-good moments from our youth that occasionally seep into our mind's eye and remind us of simpler times. Some days, it's these little nuances in life that make it all the more worth living. That's the tone that Terrace Martin sets with warm visuals cutting between saxophone vignettes, giddy... Read more

Vic Mensa Turns Down A “Deal” And Then Breaks Out For XXL’s Freshman Freestyle (Video)

Vic Mensa's been displaying an incredible amount of versatility lately with the releases from the Trance-like, House-inspired "Down On My Luck," to his feature on Donnie Trumpet's jazz heavy, "Pasadena." His talents have definitely not gone unnoticed, as the soon to be 22 year-old Save Money artist has recently earned... Read more

DJ Kay Slay Releases a Video for His Grimy ONYX & Outlawz Collaboration (Video)

Last week, DJ Kay Slay released The Last Hip Hop Disciple, a mixtape chock full of grimy goodness. One of the most rugged tracks was an unlikely collaboration between ONYX and 2Pac's Outlawz. That record, My Brother's Keeper, now gets the video treatment. Check it out. Related: Here’s Kay Slay’s... Read more

When’s the Last Time You Heard Nas Kick a Double Time Flow? It Goes a Little Something Like This (Video)

Ever heard of Bliss n Eso? Nas has. He blessed the Australian Rap group with a verse and an appearance in their video for I Am Somebody. This is a very different sound for Nas. Not only does the track have a big Pop feel, it also features Nas rapping... Read more

Talib Kweli & Raekwon Cite The Violations From Gravitas (Video)

Two giants of New York Hip-Hop come together, table-side, in a police interrogation-room themed video, "Violations." Talib Kweli and Raekwon bring the Gravitas single to life, in living color. Fifteen years ago, during the earliest days of Black Star and Reflection Eternal, as well as the release of Wu-Tang Forever,... Read more

Adrian Lau Rocks Over a Fresh 70’s Style Soul Sample (Video)

Producer Harry Fraud has been the sonic architect behind some of the stronger mixtapes of the last few years, including Cigarette Boats, his joint project with Curren$y. A lower profile but equally strong release was Projection with Adrian Lau. Their song Under Control showcases the soulful sound that emanates throughout... Read more

Questlove Provides the Beat; Black Thought Supplies the BLAZING HOT Lyrics (Video)

The Roots' Questlove and Black Thought joined Sway on Shade 45 and STRAIGHT CAUGHT WRECK. The dynamic duo took it back to the basics, with Quest on the turntable with nothing but a drumbeat and Black Thought spitting that hot fire off the top. This is Hip-Hop. Plain and simple.... Read more

Kool Keith Gets A Funny Or Die Show Just Being…Kool Keith. George Clinton Cameos (Video)

If Odd Future's Tyler, The Creator can have his own variety show, what about the pioneer of Rap-weird? As Eminem so eloquently pointed out on "Monster," he hopes to be "kookier than Kool Keith." Well, after the debut episode of the Ultramagnetic MC's frontman's new Funny Or Die show, is... Read more

Cam’ron & Just Blaze Reunite In What Feels Like A Come Home With Me Leftover (Video)

When Cam'ron told Just Blaze, "You owe me, nigga" on the intro to "Welcome To New York City" back in 2002, Heads might've felt the precursor to tension within Roc-A-Fella Records. After all, Just had just played a critical role in Jay Z's The Blueprint, along with Kanye West. He was... Read more

Justin Timberlake & Legions Of Dancing Fans Pay Tribute To Michael Jackson In Love Never Felt So Good (Video)

Michael Jackson's posthumous Xscape album is available now. However, Epic Records continues to pull out all the stops to make it reach the masses. Justin Timberlake-joined single "Love Never Felt So Good" gets a video, which is more than just a trotted-in montage of moments, or animation. J.T. leads the... Read more

Bun B Defines What It Means To Be A G, His Most Lyrical Verse & Getting Up With 50 Cent In 1999 (Video)

Bun B has over 22 years on record shelves, with over 25 as a professional MC. Bernard Freeman challenged the conventions of what a Southern MC was capable of, and helped define a brand of Gangsta Rap in Texas different than that of UGK's homies, The Geto Boys. Sitting down... Read more

Isaiah Rashad Speaks About Life’s Struggles in His XXL Freestyle (Video)

Isaiah Rashad's songs have had a common mixture of pleasure and pain. He consistently demonstrates the ability to honestly address life's ups and downs. His XXL Freshman embodies those characteristics as he touches on the daily struggles and his desire to overcome them for himself and his son. Check out... Read more

DJ Quik Makes A New Style Of Beats With Bishop Lamont On The Mic (Video)

Just over six months after DJ Quik threatened to hang up his production talents following two stolen MPCs, the Compton veteran is back in the saddle. "Trapped On The Track" perhaps explains why the longtime Profile Records star who worked closely with 2Pac, Eazy-E, and Hi-C is unable to fully... Read more

50 Cent Makes A Boxing-Inspired Visual for Winner’s Circle (Video)

At its root, 50 Cent's long-awaited album Animal Ambition sounds inspirational. "Winner's Circle" is an autobiographical song about Fif's unyielding drive to be the best. The record looks at the attributes within, and explains why the man never backs down. The song, featuring singing from Guordan Banks, is written in... Read more

Solange Knowles Attacks Jay Z in an Elevator and It’s Caught on Film (Video)

UPDATED: With the full unedited video and a statement from The Standard Hotel. TMZ has leaked footage from a surveillance camera in an elevator which caught Solange Knowles physically attacking Jay Z multiple times, as Beyonce stood by. It is unclear what prompted the heated confrontation that occurred after a... Read more

This Week’s Best in Hip-Hop Video Featured Redman, Eminem, Wu-Tang Clan, Dr. Dre & More (Video Playlist)

This was quite the week for Hip-Hop video. We got new videos from Redman, Rapsody, 50 Cent & Jadakiss, Eminem & more, got our first taste of the $5MM Wu-Tang Clan album, saw Kanye West give an aspiring rapper a chance, witnessed Dr. Dre celebrating potentially becoming Hip-Hop's first billionaire... Read more

Vic Mensa Releases One of the Best Music Videos of the Year (Video)

Vic Mensa is a machine. With many styles in his repertoire, the Kids These Days MC turned star soloist released two different looks in one day. Accompanying longtime collaborator Donnie Trumpet on the Bluesy Jazz-influenced "Pasadena," Mensa also released the pepped-up Hip-House visual to his "Down On My Luck." Think... Read more

Janelle Monae Holds It Down For The Underdogs In Her David Bowie Cover Heroes (Video)

Janelle Monae is always making statements: with music, fashion, lyrics, and more. In her video to "Heroes," the cover of the famed 1977 David Bowie record, Purple Ribbon's secret weapon stands up to bullying. This M*I*A-style video tells a story, and has an upside. Whether the song is about love,... Read more

Stop & Listen To Locksmith’s Bars On Willie Lynch, Get Illuminated (Video)

Locksmith may come across as a new artist, however, the Bay Area MC has been grinding for a handful of calendars. Within the bars of "Willie Lynch," Lock' chronicles his journey, as well as his self-identity. You'll hear about his slept-on album with Original Flavor's Ski Beats, and getting passed... Read more

Chicago’s Musical Renaissance Is So Colorful. Donnie Trumpet & Vic Mensa Are Blue For Pasadena (Video)

Chicago has long been a musical crossroads for Blues, Jazz, Rock & Roll, and even Hip-Hop. Where East meets West, at Lake Michigan, is both a collection and a tributary of so many things. In Hip-Hop's recent years, this is especially true. Two such artists are Donnie Trumpet and Vic... Read more

Chance The Rapper Shows That He’s A Senior Freshman In This XXL Freestyle (Video)

Although Miley Cyrus claimed it, it was actually Chance The Rapper who came into 2013 like a wrecking ball. Chicago's melodic native son countered the city's epidemic violence with proof that youth there are insightful, disenfranchised, and longing for the same acceptance and promise that American youth have always sought,... Read more

Tyler, The Creator Does His Own Rendition Of A 124 Year-Old Song (Video)

Many enduring Hip-Hop artists have interwoven visual artwork and painting into their total package. A Tribe Called Quest had the celebrated figuresque female silhouette, who appeared on stage this year with Q-Tip and Phife as the "real-life" Bonita Applebum. Snoop Doggy Dogg had the family artwork of Joe Cool, while... Read more

For Mother’s Day, Eminem Gifts The Spike Lee-Directed Headlights Video

After some strong anticipation, Eminem released the Spike Lee-directed "Headlights" video for the Mother's Day holiday. Those familiar with the Marshall Mathers LP 2 single know that it's a powerful and personal song that makes some amends with Em's oft-estranged mother. And that’s what Mother’s Day is all about—those little... Read more

Zion I Drops Some Futuristic B-Boy Funk In Masters Of Ceremony (Video)

AmpLive and Zumbi have always been a step ahead. Oakland, California's veteran duo has seemingly looked to the future in finding their pockets of fuzzed out synths, neck-snapping rhythms, and purism MC deliveries. However, their path also has been blazed with Hip-Hop's (and music in general) past in consideration. In... Read more

Eminem & Spike Lee Tease Us By Flicking The Headlights On (Video)

Spike Lee's Hip-Hop videography is arguably one of the greatest in the medium. From Public Enemy's "Fight The Power" to Naughty By Nature's "Hip-Hop Hooray," the head of 40 Acres & A Mule Films / A Spike Lee Joint Production Company has made it plain that he loves the culture.... Read more

“THE FORBES LIST JUST CHANGED.” Dr. Dre Speaks on Becoming the First Billionaire in Hip-Hop (Video)

In a celebratory video that appears to have been recorded last night, Dr. Dre, along with Tyrese, speaks briefly about the Forbes list changing "in a big way." Dre's comments are no doubt related to the Forbes Hip-Hop list which recently, put Diddy atop with $700MM and Dre at #2... Read more

Tech N9ne Strangles The Microphone In A New Strange-Stacked Cypher (Video)

Few artists who enjoy the commercial success of Tech N9ne keep the artistry as alive. Strange Music's cofounder opted to present a BET-style cypher, showcasing his label's vast talent. Vets of the Missouri imprint such as Kutt Calhoun and Prozack rock the mic, while relative newcomers like Ces CRU's Godemis... Read more

Papoose Drops Bars and Bars and Bars on His Backroom Freestyle, After Serving Donald Sterling (Video)

Papoose delivered bars on bars on bars during his Backroom freestyle. He spit 4 straight minutes of choice similes and metaphors and even managed to serve Donald Sterling. Check out the video. Related: DJ Kay Slay Brings It Back To His Graffiti Roots With Termanology, Chris Rivers, Papoose & More... Read more

Deltron 3030 Is Always On Some Next Ish, Including A Wheelchair Rocketship (Video)

Approaching 25 years of making albums, Del The Funky Homosapien is constantly evolving down his many corridors of music. The Hieroglyphics' most recognizable member was always different, even when he was a charting MC on Elektra Records. However, in 2000, teaming with Dan The Automator, who had already made a... Read more

Rapsody’s Betty Shabazz Shows Her Commanding MC Skills All In One Place On A 9th Wonder Nodder (Video)

For some Rapsody fans, this week has been bittersweet. With an acclaimed independent album and a show-stopping mixtape under her belt, many Heads were looking to see Rap's joyful smile grace the upcoming XXL pages for 2014's annual "Freshmen issue." The questions and disappointment from some, when the Kooley High... Read more

Think Redman Has Slowed Down? Think Again. He’s Still Got That FIRE (Video)

Redman is the gift that keeps on giving. After more than 20 years in the game, he's still got that flame when it comes to hot lyrics. Check out his latest video, Dunfiato. Related: Redman Raps From Under A Bridge, Rhyming To The Shaft Soundtrack (Video)... Read more

Trek Past The Snow Capped Mountain & Into The Desert Valley Where Flying Lotus’ Dreams Live (Video)

Trek past the snow capped mountain and walk into the desert valley where strange creatures roam and dreams live. It is within this wondrous other world where you can find Flying Lotus crafting his emotive instrumental orchestrations for our world at home and to the planets beyond. Filmed in New... Read more

Big K.R.I.T.’s Sincerity Shines In Mt. Olympus’ Conceptual Visual (Video)

Big K.R.I.T. made a massive statement in "Mt. Olympus." The breakout symphonic single from Krizzle attacked the stigmas that he feels should have been silenced after five acclaimed projects (he refers to them as albums). In a record about doing what most rappers can't do, K.R.I.T. unleashed the video, where... Read more

The 50 Cent & Jadakiss Unification Comes To Living Color With An Irregular Heartbeat (Video)

Nobody can say they're surprised that 50 Cent followed the audio release of "Irregular Heartbeat" with a video in less than 24 hours. However, after Styles P missed out on the "Chase The Paper" visual, Heads will be happy to see that Jadakiss appeared in the video after a decade... Read more

The Open Auction Wu-Tang Clan Album Is Under Vaulted Lock & Key, But You Can Get A Taste (Video)

Wu-Tang Clan has announced two albums coming down the pipeline. One, said to be called A Better Tomorrow, is the subject of a rift between RZA and Raekwon that might leave the Chef out of Wu's studio kitchen for the first time in 21 years. The other, already completed recording,... Read more

Masta Ace, Punchline, Wordsworth & Stricklin (eMC) Make It Slap Like Charlie Murphy (Video)

eMC, the collective of Masta Ace, Punchline, Wordsworth & Stricklin, are stricly about those bars. There is no sing-songy hook or R&B loop on their song, Charlie Murphy. They just drop hot verses over sparse chords and drums that slap (like the song's namesake). Check out the video. Related: Masta... Read more