Mobb Deep is back with a solid new track. Check out Must Go Hard.
Click here to download. Also, click here for an incredible article on the making of Mobb Deep's The Infamous album.... Read more
News
Here’s a new joint from Chuuwee’s upcoming album. Check out It Was Great Here.
Chuuwee has established himself as one of the better up and coming artists. He has a distinct ability to sound fresh and current while still incorporating elements of classic 90's hip-hop in his sound. He's released several solid cuts in the last few months. Look out for the new album... Read more
New J. Cole…from the ALBUM. Nuff said. Check out Disgusting.
Listen to the song and see what Cole had to say about the album (via Twitter) below. It's about to be a Cole Summer. Click here to download. Here's what J. Cole had to say about the album.... Read more
Wale and Meek Mill dropped a teaser video for 100hunnit a couple of days ago. Here’s the official video.
Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gp1kGGchkw&feature=player_embedded... Read more
Raekwon’s Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang album keeps on rolling.
Here's the video for Butter Knives. http://vimeo.com/23176515 For more Raekwon, click here.... Read more
Here’s Freddie Gibbs’ first effort on Young Jeezy’s label and naturally it’s a collabo with the man, himself.
Check out Stripes (Run-D.M.C.). What do you think of the recent spate of indie cats (Stalley, Wale, Gangsta Gibbs, to name a few...) linking up with major labels and artists? Click here to download.... Read more
It’s time for another Toca Tuesday Freestyle. This one comes courtesy of Random Axe (aka Black Milk, Guilty Simpson and Sean Price).
They go in over 2 beats, one of which is from Odd Future (peep the quick reference from Black Milk). Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGH3rJViiV0&feature=player_embedded Click here for more Toca Tuesday Freestyles ft Saigon, Cyhi Da Prynce, Yelawolf and others.... Read more
Salute to Redman. He’s still doing it well after 20 years. Check out the video for Cheerz.
This is from Redman's latest album, Reggie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nBszEEg5_Y&feature=player_embedded... Read more
Black Cobain and Wale go IN on 4am. The rhymes are on point and the track is lush and soulful.
Hopefully this move to Maybach Music Group is going to give Wale some more shine without changing who he is as an artist. Check out the video for 4am. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baqpYAUCXfQ&feature=player_embedded Speaking of Wale, here's another video from him that just dropped: 100hunnit w/Meek Mill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4dUEsfn3Z8&feature=player_embedded... Read more
Here’s a simple but stylish video from Versis called Slow Down.
Watch the video and and listen to Versis' whole album, illcandescent, below. http://vimeo.com/23167095 Here's the album: iLLCANDESCENT by Versis... Read more
What’s better than a new song from Phonte? A new song and a new video from Phonte…
Check out Focus' song Uh! ft Phonte and the latest video from The Foreign Exchange's Authenticity album, The Last Fall. Here's Uh! UH! feat. Phonte by Focus... And, here's the video for The Last Fall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PanDa2DZ3g&feature=player_embedded... Read more
Reks’ latest album is packed with tracks from some of the most credible producers in hip-hop.
He's already dropped videos for songs produced by DJ Premier and The Alchemist. The latest video is for Mascara, produced by Statik Selektah. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOH0T3AKnjE&feature=player_embedded For more Reks, including a full album stream and link to buy the album R.E.K.S. - Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme), click here.... Read more
It’s been a minute since Mickey Factz dropped something new. He’s back with a new series called May-Hem.
The first entry is called Fearless. You can read what Mickey had to say about the series and hear Fearless below. Fearless by Mickey Factz Click the arrow button on the player to download Fearless. Here's what Mickey had to say about the May-Hem series and Fearless (click here to... Read more
Curren$y and Stalley jump on a nice soulful track with Nesby Phips.
Check out Magic. Click here to download.... Read more
?uestlove has long been one of the more fascinating personalities in hip-hop but has he always been like that?
Check out how he was when he was 17 from the latest episode of MTV's When I was 17.... Read more
Here’s a new video for an older Jay Electronica song. Check out Dimethyltryptamine.
Try saying that fast 3 times... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SThOdYGRmI8&feature=player_embedded... Read more
Chuuwee is back with a new song with a throwback sound. Check out Stuck in ’92.
Chuuwee has put out a lot of solid music over the last few months. He's quickly becoming one of my favorite up and coming artists. Click here to download. For more Chuuwee, click here.... Read more
If you like that West Coast G-Funk sound, this week’s Soul Cooking playlist is for you.
It's no secret legendary beat makers like Dr. Dre and DJ Quik were heavily influenced by the likes of Parliament/Funkadelic, Slave, Cameo, Zapp and Rick James, to name a few...You'll find lots of that classic funk sound on this playlist. Just press play, sit back and prepare to get funked... Read more
This is a really amazing performance from Big K.R.I.T. It speaks for itself.
Check out The Vent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sadSa9Kb1VA&feature=player_embedded... Read more
EDO.G is back with on a vintage track from DJ Premier…it’s a perfect opportunity for a new installment of PREEM-EAR.
PREEM-EAR: EDO G "FAST LANE" It's been a minute, so if you don't recall or your new to AFH, PREEM-EAR is the column in which I break down DJ Premier tracks--many of which may not have gotten the shine they deserved. Fast Lane is an exception because it's new AND... Read more
All the recent heat around The Beastie Boys has gotten me thinking about Def Jam of old. You can’t talk about the original Def Jam sound without mentioning Rick Rubin. He is the subject of our latest Producer Series playlist.
Rick Rubin was a purist. He liked BIG thumping 808 drums, hard snares, hard rhymes and not much else on his songs. At the time, when rap was still being recorded mostly over disco and R&B covers, his sound was revolutionary. He was among the first to capture the rawness... Read more
Eminem and Royce Da 5’9″‘s collabo on Bad Meets Evil was one of the dopest songs on The Slim Shady LP.
They traded hot bar after hot bar. The have flirted with making a full album together called Bad Meets Evil for some time. It looks like it will finally happen and the first single is here. Check out Fast Lane. Here's Bad Meets Evil if you haven't heard it in... Read more
Lupe Fiasco’s Words I Never Said is one of the best tracks on the album. Check out the new video.
The video is just as intense as the song. If you're quick enough on the pause button, you'll peep the QR code Lupe sticks on the bus (and again on a wall later in the video--click here if that's gibberish). It's a belated Easter egg from Lupe. Here's the video:... Read more
Consequence just dropped a new joint on a Kanye West track. Check out Everybody Told Me.
Click here to download.... Read more
Here’s a cool video of 9th Wonder interviewing Big K.R.I.T.
9th talks to K.R.I.T. about his influences, the XXL Freshman experience, Returnof4eva and more. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Whg_V8Lz3OI&feature=player_embedded Speaking of Big K.R.I.T.'s musical influences, click here for some songs from his soul influences.... Read more
It’s been 25 years since the release of Licensed to Ill and The Beastie Boys continue to innovate.
Check out the incredibly creative way they've chosen to provide a full streaming preview of their upcoming album HotSauceAlbumCommitteePartTwo. The album is sounding right too...2 decades in and still FRESH. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2XDsMU8a0M&feature=player_embedded... Read more
Vado’s Toca Tuesday Freestyle is one of the nicer ones to drop in a few weeks.
Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWw3DemWPJw These Toca Tuesday Freestyles continue to be among the best out there these days. Click here for more.... Read more
Camp Lo resurfaced recently with Pete Rock for the 80 Blocks From Tiffany’s Mixtape.
They have a sequel to that mixtape forthcoming that features other producers. Check out their first leak from that project, Tall Glasses, produced by Smoking Apples. Click here to download and click here for 80 Blocks From Tiffany's, Part 1, featuring Camp Lo rhyming over classic Pete Rock tracks.... Read more
Pusha T and Malice have been making noise independently lately but what’s up with The Clipse?
Check out this video which sheds some light on the status of The Clipse, as well as some behind the scenes footage of TiRon, Nickelus and Phil Ade. http://vimeo.com/22885429... Read more
Outasight’s Figure 8 EP dropped today. It features Life or Something Like It which is one of his funkiest tracks to date.
Listen to that track and the rest of the EP below and download it if you like what you hear.... Read more
Curren$y has been on a tear lately. He’s released music with Alchemist, The Jets and on the solo tip in the last few months.
Here's another hot joint called #JetsGo. Check it out. Click here to download it from iTunes. Click here if you missed Curren$y Covert Coup mixtape with The Alchemist and you can download The Jets new mixtape here.... Read more
It takes BIG STONES to hop on a track that Jay-Z murdered back in the day, but that’s just what Pusha T did on Can I Live…
...and he kinda killed it. I'm not saying he topped or even equaled Jay, but it's hard to be mad at what Pusha did with the track. Check out the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74niHnKDLcw&feature=player_embedded This is from Pusha T's Fear of God mixtape. If you missed it, click here to download. And,... Read more
Miles Jones’ Say What has got a bouncy soulful feel to it.
It kinda reminds me of later stage Slum Village. Check it out. Click here to download. Here's the Slum Village comparison: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTFEIG12UJw... Read more
Newcomer A.V.I.U.S. drops some heat with Fashawn and Evidence from Dialated Peoples.
This is a tribute to GURU. Check out Same Ol' Line. Click here to download.... Read more
Sir Michael Rocks teams up with Mr. Friday, Phil Ade, in the video for Over and Over.
This one is from Sir Michael Rock's solid mixtape, The Rocks Report. Click here if you missed it. Check out the video. http://vimeo.com/22746023... Read more
Believe it or not, it has been 16 years since Mobb Deep released The Infamous…
To commemorate the anniversary of the release of that landmark album, the good folks over at Complex just did an article detailing the making of The Infamous. Here's the intro: "Although they are now considered a legendary group, leading into the release of their second album, The Infamous, it was... Read more
Dead Prez celebrate beauty that goes beneath the skin on The Beauty Within.
This is to the tune of B.o.B.'s Nothin' On You. Check out the video. http://vimeo.com/22800990 Of course this isn't the first time they've looked past the physical to seek a connection. Remember this one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwTNOxJXMYM... Read more
Kev Brown is one of those producers who has never gotten the proper level of recognition. He just dropped a new mixtape called Classic Joints that should help change that.
Best known for his incredible remix of Jay-Z's Black Album, The Brown Album, Kev specializes in beats with dirty funky bass lines (reminiscent of his brethren Pete Rock and 9th Wonder). Here's a playlist of some of the Joints from the new mixtape. The tracklist and download link are below.... Read more
All the recent leaks from The Beastie Boys have been pretty hot. Check out the latest–Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win ft Santigold.
It's got a little island flavor to it. The album, HotSauceCommitteePartTwo, is sounding like it's going to be pretty ill...It drops Tuesday 5/3. Click here to download and click here for more from the Beasties.... Read more
Large Professor & Neek the Exotic dropped a hot single a couple of weeks ago. Here’s the video for Still on the Hustle.
It's good to see these 2 still putting in work. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uedonaXJPk&feature=player_embedded Click here to download (right click and "save link as"). Click here for more on Neek the Exotic and Large Professor.... Read more
Summer can’t come soon enough for you? Here’s some Summertime Ish from Cyhi Da Prynce, Big Hud and Curren$y.
This is the remix to Big Hud's original. Check it out. Click here to download.... Read more
This week’s installment of Soul Cooking comes courtesy of Statik Selektah and Lord Sear who just did a great soul classics mixtape.
Listen to all of the mixtape Open Bar Classics Vol. 1: The 80′s and download it below. Click here to download. Here's the tracklist: Intro Jocelyn Brown - Somebody Else’s Guy Fatback - I Found Lovin Rene & Angela - I Love You More The Whatnauts - Help Is On... Read more
Big Boi’s stellar Sir Lucious Left Foot album is still yielding fruit. Check out his new video for Be Still ft Janelle Monae.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9BXyV7iZ3I... Read more
Asher Roth and Nottz dropped the audio for Enforce the Law a couple of months ago. Here’s the video.
Fans of the movie Training Day will undoubtedly recognize the storyline. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R_IfSI7SMk&feature=player_embedded... Read more
Q-Tip is a great MC…quietly, he’s a really dope producer too. The latest installment of the Producer Series playlists features music produced by Q-Tip.
Everyone knows what Q-Tip brought to the mic for A Tribe Called Quest, but his production contributions are rarely mentioned. He and Ali Shaheed Muhammad often shared those duties, with Tip producing under the name The Abstract. Q-Tip also did a fair amount of production as part of The Ummah,... Read more
XV dropped a mixtape over the weekend and he’s already putting out new music.
And, J. Cole put that flame on the track. Check out Watch Me Go. Click here to download. If you missed XV's Zero Heroes mixtape, click here.... Read more
Fabolous just dropped a mixtape with a lot of old soul samples.
I'm digging this return to vintage soul in hip-hop. You can hear it in music by Big K.R.I.T., The Jets, Curren$y and The Alchemist and others. If you missed the inaugural installment of our Soul Cooking playlist which explores soul classics, click here. You can listen to the whole Fabolous... Read more
Kendrick Lamar brings mad energy to the stage. Check out this live performance of The Heart Pt. 2.
http://vimeo.com/22717177... Read more
Rumors were swirling yesterday about Stalley joining Maybach Music Group. Today, he just dropped a remix to his Lincoln Way Nights ft Rick Ross.
Check it out. Click here to download Lincoln Way Nights (rmx). If you're not up on Stalley, he dropped 1 of the best albums of the year in February...and it's free. Click here to download it.... Read more