News Archives

Willie D Reveals The Origins Of Geto Boys’ “Mind Playing Tricks On Me” (Audio)

In the last three years, Scarface has had at least two very memorable interview conversations with the Combat Jack Show. In his latest episode, Combat sits down with another high profile Geto Boys member in Willie D. The Houston, Texas native and onetime Rap-A-Lot Records star discusses his views on... Read more

April 27, 2016 Audio, Throwback

D’Angelo Performs Prince’s “Sometimes It Snows In April” In An Emotional Tribute (Video)

Earlier today, D'Angelo released a stirring and subdued version of Prince's "Venus De Milo," as a tribute to his fallen hero. The song is featured on Prince's Parade (Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon). The film ends in tragedy, with the death of a major character, and... Read more

April 27, 2016 Video

Prince’s Vault Of Unreleased Recordings Is Detailed By Jimmy Jam & Close Associates (Video)

It has been less than one week since Prince Rogers Nelson died (April 21). As information releases about Prince's cause of death and last days, fans and historians are trying to understand the life—often private—of the 57-year old pop icon. One of the biggest questions lingering is what will happen... Read more

April 26, 2016 Video

Fat Joe Is Still Gangsta Enough To Make A True Hip-Hop Love Song (Audio)

Over the decades, Hip-Hop has had a long tradition of love songs by artists who were respected as MCs and men. LL Cool J was among the first, if not the first, to do this on a wide scale, with "I Need Love," and several followed, including Black Thought, Method... Read more

April 26, 2016 Audio

Pro Era’s Chuck Strangers Spreads Love On His Upward Journey (Audio)

Long before his two album inclusions on 2015's B4.Da.$$ studio debut by Joey Bada$$, Chuck Strangers has been putting in work. Since the early 2010s, the Pro Era producer has supplied the Brooklyn, New York-based conglomerate with a wide range of sounds, appearing on 1999, Capital Steez's AmeriKKKan Korruption, and... Read more

April 26, 2016 Audio

A$AP Ferg & Chuck D Envision a New World & It’s Beautiful (Audio)

Every generation has artists it can claim as having been the messengers of truth, of enlightenment, of political engagement. For some, it was Bob Marley and Bob Dylan. For others it was Public Enemy and X-Clan. And for others still it's Tef Poe and Immortal Technique, Kendrick Lamar and Run... Read more

April 26, 2016 Audio

D’Angelo Pays Tribute To Prince With A Rendition Of “Venus De Milo” (Audio)

As much as anyone since, D'Angelo is a disciple of Prince. The artist's fingerprints are all over D'Angelo's music, from the falsetto and stacked harmonies of "Me & Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine" to the explicit Prince homage that is "Untitled (How Does It Feel)." D'Angelo also has covered numerous... Read more

April 26, 2016 Audio

One Pediatrician’s Bold Research Brought Light to the Flint Water Crisis (Video)

The ongoing effects of a poisoned water source in the town of Flint, Michigan continue to reverberate. After news broke that city officials had opted to save money by switching from one source of potable water (Lake Huron and the Detroit River) to another, apparently less potable source (Flint River),... Read more

April 26, 2016 Lifestyle

Producer Mike Mosley Reveals Several MCs Who Witnessed Tupac Record “Hit ‘Em Up” (Video)

In the mid-1990s, Tupac Shakur revamped his production personnel. While 1996's All Eyez On Me would be his first album at Death Row Records, working extensively with the label's production staff, those changes started taking shape even prior. On 1995's #1 LP, Me Against The World, 'Pac maintained a close... Read more

April 26, 2016 Throwback, Video

Joey Bada$$ Freestyles a Potent Call for Revolution (Video)

Less than a month after annihilating the infamous "5 Fingers of Death" freestyle exercise while visiting "Sway in the Morning," Brooklyn, New York's Joey Bada$$ has destroyed yet another early-morning radio show. This time around, he's in Los Angeles where he brought his distinctly East Coast sensibilities to the mic for... Read more

April 26, 2016 Video

Questlove Remembers Prince & Says “He Was More Hip-Hop Than Anyone”

For decades, Questlove has unabashedly worn his fandom of Prince on his metaphorical purple sleeve. The Roots Crew drummer and music savant has referenced His Royal Badness countless times in interviews and, it was that shared mutual love that helped to forge a bond between Quest and D'Angelo. On the... Read more

April 25, 2016 Fresh

Lin-Manuel Miranda Raps a Plea to Congress to Help Puerto Rico (Video)

Puerto Rico was the main subject of yesterday's episode of Last Week Tonight, an HBO show that merges comedy and news-telling in a format that approaches issues around the world from a highly detailed perspective. Hosted by John Oliver, last night's installment aimed its focus on Puerto Rico, the United States territory... Read more

April 25, 2016 Lifestyle

Listen To Aesop Rock’s Next Album While Watching A Shot-For-Shot Remake Of “The Shining”

Since the late 1990s, Aesop Rock has been an artist in every since of the word. The Long Island, New York MC, poet, and visual artist has tackled multiple mediums in a career that includes six solo albums, as well as work with the Weathermen, The Uncluded, and Hail Mary... Read more

April 25, 2016 TV/Film, Video

Nas Is Venturing Into What May Be His Career’s Most Successful Chapter

Fresh off winning Ambrosia for Heads’ contest to name the greatest Hip-Hop album of all time (based on your votes), Illmatic continues to stand the test of time. The debut album from then 20-year-old Nasir Jones is widely considered to be the perfect masterpiece, but Nas Heads are well aware... Read more

April 25, 2016 Lifestyle

From Jay-Z To Ghostface, The Rub Touches Everything That Made 2000 To 2010 So Great (Mix)

Today (April 25), duo The Rub (DJ Eleven & DJ Ayres) release Oodles Of OOs. The Brooklyn, New York-based unit's latest highly-curated mix pays tribute to Hip-Hop and R&B music from 2000-2010. Ranging from Lil Jon to JayLib, this 57 minute master-mix features blending, scratching, and very engaging turntablism. Elsewhere... Read more

April 25, 2016 Mixes

This Lyrical Autobiography of Kendrick Lamar is Genius

Storytelling is arguably one of the most important facets of a skilled MC's artistry, and few contemporary lyricists maintain that quality as consistently as Kendrick Lamar. With a penchant for the conceptual as it relates to albums, Lamar's deftly delivered verses are often chronological in order, anecdotal in format, and... Read more

April 25, 2016 Fresh

Black Thought Recites The Verse Of His Lifetime…Literally (Video)

Last week, The Roots' Black Thought appeared at Harvard's Innovation Lab. The South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Grammy Award-winning, platinum-selling MC reportedly kicked a freestyle in the Cambridge, Massachusetts lunchroom. Afterwards, during an audience with the Hip-Hop veteran, he was asked to reprise his verse. Instead, Thought chose to do a nearly... Read more

April 25, 2016 Video

“Me & Mrs. Jones” Philadelphia Soul Icon Billy Paul Passes Away

In the rich canon of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Soul, Jazz, and R&B music, Billy Paul is one of the most esteemed writers, and most powerful voices. Born Paul Williams, the Grammy Award-winning singer a native of the City of Brotherly Love, died yesterday (April 24) at his home in southern New... Read more

April 25, 2016 News

Listen To Prince’s Final Concert In Full (Audio)

Just days before his sudden and tragic death on April 21, Prince had been embarked on a tour as the sole performer. Although he famously surrounded himself with some of the world's (other) most talented musicians in the past, his "Piano & A Microphone" tour featured no one but Prince,... Read more

April 24, 2016 Audio

Prince & Big Daddy Kane’s 1989 “Batdance Remix” Is Finally Released (Audio)

In 1989, the Batman franchise relaunched with the title film starring Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and Kim Basinger. For the soundtrack, Warner Bros. Records tapped Prince for an entire album companion to the blockbuster film. Led by single "Batdance," Prince's 11th album (and a #1 on the charts) appeared to... Read more

April 24, 2016 Audio, Throwback

“MTV Cribs” & “Unplugged” To Return In 2016

MTV is bringing back two of its legacy programs for 2016, closely associated with the network's programming of the 1990s and early 2000s. MTV Cribs launched in year 2000, and included more than 100 episodes. The series was a behind-the-scenes look at musicians and celebrity homes, toured by the owner.... Read more

April 24, 2016 News, TV

KRS-One Explains Why Drake Is “Underrated” & Says Some The Best MCs Have Writers (Audio)

KRS-One is the latest guest on N.O.R.E. & DJ EFN's Drink Champs Podcast. There, the iconic Boogie Down Productions MC sipped hand-crafted mai tai's and discussed a litany of topics, at incredible length. Known for lecturing at some of the most prestigious universities around the globe, publishing books, and educating... Read more

April 23, 2016 Audio

People Under The Stairs Share A 6-Song Slice Of Their 10th Album (Audio)

2016 marks 20 years of People Under The Stairs. The Los Angeles, California duo of Thes One and Double K were among the artists who helped showcase the West Coast Hip-Hop Underground during the time when Jurassic 5, Planet Asia, Dilated Peoples, and Saafir signed major label deals. P.U.T.S. never... Read more

April 23, 2016 Audio

Ever See The Time Prince Surprised Q-Tip On Stage & Started Jamming? (Video)

In addition to his mind-blowing talent and off the charts charisma, part of what made Prince so legendary was his mysteriousness. Even in a world where every millisecond is documented by a share, a photo or a video, he fiercely guarded his privacy, rarely granting interviews and simply letting his... Read more

April 23, 2016 Video

The Beatnuts Confirm Onetime “Secret Group” Including Q-Tip, Posdnuos & Juju (Audio)

For 25-plus years, The Beatnuts have been Hip-Hop multi-threats. The Queens, New York duo of Juju and Psycho Les (that also at times included Fashion and V.I.C.) have stories to go with their hits. Beyond their own prominent recording career, the pair has made beloved songs for Ghostface Killah, Fat... Read more

April 22, 2016 Audio, Throwback

In a Major Step Towards Political Revolution, Some Felons Are Getting Voting Rights Reinstated

It has been a watershed several months for criminal justice reform. With much, much more to be done to offset the detrimental repercussions of political initiatives like the war on drugs, a few but altogether mighty moments have contributed to a deep-seated sense of impending change. In 2015, President Obama... Read more

April 22, 2016 Lifestyle

One Of J Dilla’s Most Respected Collaborative Peers Makes A Beat From Scratch In His Style (Video)

Nottz and J Dilla had a colorful history. Both production purists, these MC/producer double-threats each benefited from the support of Busta Rhymes, Skillz, and Ghostface Killah placements at critical career junctures. Thereby, the artists from Norfolk, Virginia and Detroit, Michigan (respectively) ended up on a few albums together. More than... Read more

April 22, 2016 Video

The Game Releases “Rest In Purple,” A Powerful Tribute Song To Prince (Audio)

Over the course of the next several weeks, there are going to be a slew of tributes to Prince, who passed away suddenly yesterday (April 21) at the age of 57. They will come in all forms, from all walks of like, as his influence transcended genre, race, gender and... Read more

April 22, 2016 Audio

Celebrate The Life & Legacy Of Prince With This Mix Of Deep Cuts & Rarities (Audio)

How do yo begin to celebrate the catalog of an artist who released upwards of 50 albums and reportedly had hundreds in the vault (some of which found their way to starving fans)? It's impossible, certainly not without multiple installments. As the world begins to process the loss of Prince,... Read more

April 21, 2016 Audio

Raising the Roof: San Francisco Enacts Powerful New Law for Buildings (Video)

Arguably one of the world's most coveted cities, San Francisco has experienced an identity crisis of sorts in recent years. Long regarded as the headquarters for much of the cultural and social revolutions in the realms of civil rights, LGBTQ equality, and more, it is now mostly thought of as... Read more

April 21, 2016 Lifestyle

Prince Has Passed Away At The Age Of 57

In an enormous loss for music and pop culture, Prince Rogers Nelson, known to the world simply as Prince, has passed away at the age of 57. TMZ reports that the artist was found dead at his Paisley Park home outside of Minneapolis early this morning. On April 15, Prince's... Read more

April 21, 2016 News

Guru & Common Flow Over Classic Dr. Dre Heat On A Rare Freestyle From 2000 (Audio)

Earlier this week, the sixth anniversary of Guru's passing allowed for a community-wide opportunity to reflect on the still-reverberating effects of the loss of such an influential MC and celebrated producer. The Gang Starr member and accomplished solo artist passed away on April 19, 2010 but his voice continues to... Read more

April 21, 2016 Audio

A$AP Ferg Clears His Throat And Spits Like He Never Has Before (Video)

The runaway success of singles like "Work," "Shabba" and "New Level" has caused some to misjudge A$AP Ferg as an MC. On each of the songs, he chopped big trap beats with a simplified, sing-songy flow that fueled a belief that Ferg, along with his fellow A$AP brother, Rocky, was... Read more

April 21, 2016 Video

Erykah Badu Embraces Her Inner MC On An Aggressive New Remix (Audio)

Most of the time, Erykah Badu is an artist whose creativity focuses on love, light, vulnerability, and positivity. However, her fans know that she has her more aggressive moments. In what may be the most often shared Tweet by a Soulquarian, Ms. Badu reminded folks in June of 2014 that... Read more

April 21, 2016 Audio

DOOM Releases A Live Performance Of “Accordion” (Audio)

It's been more than a decade since DOOM's Live From Planet X was released, and for many of his longtime fans, it's the closest they've gotten to seeing him live. The notoriously private MC and producer has appeared on stage extensively throughout his nearly 30-year career, but many times his... Read more

April 20, 2016 Audio

Pairing Rihanna and “Kids” Writer Harmony Korine Is Not Safe On Any Level (Video)

Last year, the iconic film Kids celebrated a milestone, and with it came a tremendous outpouring of support, nostalgia, and love for the movie that documented teenage sexuality, angst, and identity in some of the rawest scenes ever on the silver screen. Its screenwriter, Harmony Korine, has since gone on... Read more

April 20, 2016 Video

DJ Quik Says Kanye West’s Celebrity Supersedes His Talent & Challenges Him (Video)

Yesterday (April 19), DJ Quik and Problem announced they were releasing a joint EP today, titled Rosecrans. The project, which is named after the storied street that travels through the entire city of Compton, links two generations of Hub City MCs. While promoting the release of the EP, DJ Quik... Read more

April 20, 2016 Video

This Video Shows The Power Of Graffiti Is Limitless In The Best Possible Way

Some things are timeless. While graffiti has been around for decades (or millennia, depending on how it is defined), its position in Hip-Hop has waxed and waned over the years. Rapping and DJ'ing have stood at the forefront of the culture, since the mid-80s, but every once in a while... Read more

April 20, 2016 Video

Unreleased Footage Shows Tupac Speaking Incredibly Powerfully About Income Inequality (Video)

MTV News has released never before seen footage of Tupac from 1992, speaking about income equality. Shakur, the son of two Black Panthers, often incorporated strong political messages in his music and everyday discourse, and often his words carried themes of uplift and revolution. In the MTV clip, after citing... Read more

April 20, 2016 Video

DJ Quik Is Releasing Rosecrans, A Joint EP With Problem, Tomorrow. Here’s The Tracklist

DJ Quik has been relatively quiet since the release of 2014's The Midnight Life, but the producer/MC is coming back on the scene, imminently. Tomorrow (April 20), he and Problem will fuse two generations of Compton on a joint EP titled Rosecrans. Named after the throughway that has been referenced... Read more

April 19, 2016 News

Ice Cube Explains Staying “True To The Game” & Family-Friendly At Once (Video)

Ice Cube is the latest guest on Snoop Dogg's GGN TV. The pair who would perform "The Next Episode" without its host, Dr. Dre during Coachella weekend enjoyed discussing music, film, and some items in between. The segment opens with the "Only In California" collaborators discussing Cube's 1991 Death Certificate... Read more

April 19, 2016 TV/Film, Video

Bun B Is Using His Hip-Hop Platform to Help Victims of Houston’s Deadly Floods (Video)

Over the course of several days Houston, Texas and surrounding areas have been inundated with rain, leading to severe flooding. Thousands of people have been in need of rescue, and most reports have shared the tragic news that six people have lost their lives. With more than 17 inches of... Read more

April 19, 2016 News

Digable Planets Are Back In Orbit With 2016 Tour Dates

It has been nearly 25 years since Hip-Hop trio the Digable Planets released their hit, "The Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)." Made up of members from Silver Spring, Maryland (Ladybug Mecca), Seattle, Washington (Ish f/k/a Butterfly), and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Doodlebug), the Elektra Records act was part of the early... Read more

April 19, 2016 Fresh

“Hamilton” Is Right On the Money, Which Means Women Have to Wait (Video)

Last year, popular interest in American currency reached new heights thanks to an initiative to finally place a woman on the face of the $20 bill. "Women on 20s" launched an online voting campaign to nominate an important woman from history as the new face of the $20 bill -... Read more

April 19, 2016 Lifestyle

President Obama Invites Some Of Rap’s Biggest & Brightest To Keep Giving “The Message”

On Friday April 15, President Obama invited a group to the White House in order to better understand and bring awareness to his "My Brother's Keeper" initiative. According to The Root, that meeting group included several handfuls of Hip-Hop acts, including J. Cole, Chance The Rapper, Ludacris, Nicki Minaj, Pusha... Read more

April 19, 2016 News

Bas Points To The Stat Sheet. He Believes It’s His & Dreamville’s Time (Video)

Last month, J. Cole's Dreamville artist Bas released his second album in as many years, Too High To Riot. Backed by Interscope, the New Yorker (by way of Paris, France) MC cracked the Top 50 of the charts. "Matches" is the latest single, and serves as a rich gumbo to... Read more

April 19, 2016 Video

Rapsody’s Superhero Draws On Kindness, Inner-Beauty & One Bad Chariot (Video)

Most people have visions of superhero grandeur. Hip-Hop artists from Curren$y to Raekwon have described theirs. Rapsody's superhero alter-ego would be known simply as "Queen Rap'." Just as her albums The Idea Of Beautiful and Beauty And The Beast have done with sharp lyricism, the North Carolina MC would use... Read more

April 18, 2016 Video

“Hamilton” Is Now a Pulitzer Prize-Winning Piece of Hip-Hop Art

With each passing week, it seems Hamilton is unrelenting in its ability to inspire and transcend. The Hip-Hop inspired Broadway play created by Lin-Manuel Miranda has redefined the term "juggernaut," becoming a sensation in theater - but also in other facets of popular culture. Having earned a Grammy (shared with... Read more

April 18, 2016 News

This 1982 Profile of Keith Haring is a Must-See For Any Graffiti Art Buff (Video)

When it comes to pop art there are a handful of names which come to mind, at least when asking those in the Hip-Hop generation. Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Keith Haring are three giants of that world, and with their deaths now belonging in the confines of previous generations,... Read more

April 18, 2016 Lifestyle

Rittz Opens A Vividly Clear Window To The Drama In His Life (Video)

Rittz' upcoming album Top Of The Line (May 6) includes the gripping single, "My Window." The track appears to be an autobiographical look into the Georgian MC's world, beneath the high-profile tours and touted chart placements. For the video, Heads can see the 2010s independent Hip-Hop success in a no-tell... Read more

April 18, 2016 Video