News Archives

DJ Premier Explains Why He Broke Two Of His Cardinal Rules To Work With Drake

A standout song on Drake's just-released Scorpion album is “Sandra’s Rose.” The Disc 1 entry, partially a dedication to Drake's mother, Sandi Graham, only came together because its co-producer, DJ Premier, was willing to break two of his rules. Well, “rules” might be too strong a word but Preemo does... Read more

July 1, 2018 Fresh

Why Kanye West Is A Genius Regardless Of His Views Outside Of Music

Kanye West's cultural influence is undeniable. Few artists, especially in Hip-Hop have had a reign as long or as far-reaching as the artist who locked himself in a room doing five a beats a day for three summers. Remember when everyone wore those terrible shutter shade sunglasses after Graduation dropped?... Read more

June 30, 2018 Food for Thought

Vic Mensa Puts A Classic Fugees Beat On 10,000 With An Incredible Verse (Audio)

After recently shedding his signature dreadlocks for a new look, Vic Mensa is viscerally pursuing a fresh start for his next move. If you also have dreadlocks, be sure to use a dread locking gel to keep them shiny and healthy. The Chicago, Illinois MC has a diverse palette for... Read more

June 30, 2018 Audio

Evidence’s Latest Video Is A Trippy Journey Through His Brilliant Mind

Evidence is back again, this time with some new visuals from his latest solo album, Weather Or Not. The new video for “The Factory,” puts Heads face to face with the stoic MC with some added flavor. The collage video features a variety of imagery spanning from coastal views to... Read more

June 29, 2018 Video

Roc Marciano & Alchemist Remind What Great Hip-Hop Sounds Like (Audio)

Roc Marciano and Alchemist continue to drop their 45 Craft Singles and decided to reach into the vault and release another. It's hard to conceive of a more cinematic duo than the Hempstead, Long Island MC spitter and Southern California producer and their latest is just further reinforcement of that... Read more

June 29, 2018 Audio

Drake Tells The Story Of How He Fathered His Child With Brutal Honesty (Audio)

This morning (June 29), Drake released his fifth album, Scorpion. The YMCMB double-dose release involves a former foe in JAY-Z and includes production from DJ Premier, Three 6 Mafia's DJ Paul, No I.D., and Drake's longtime right-hand-man Noah "40" Shebib. In the last five weeks, Drake has been immersed in... Read more

June 29, 2018 Audio

DOOM & Kool G Rap Join Forces To Plot Weak MCs’ Demise (Audio)

In 1991, MF DOOM, Kool G Rap, and DJ Muggs were all making some serious noise in Hip-Hop. Of the three, G Rap was the decorated veteran. A product of Marley Marl and Mr. Magic's Juice Crew and down with Eric B. & Rakim's possé, the Queens, New Yorker had... Read more

June 29, 2018 Audio

The First Look At The Bobby Brown Story Is Absolutely Crazy (Video)

Bobby Brown's life story is an inspirational and cautionary tale. The Boston, Massachusetts-bred "Every Little Step" singer who achieved worldwide fame as a solo artist following his departure from New Edition in the mid-1980s. By the '90s, Brown also played a hand in molding Top 40 radio to accept more... Read more

June 29, 2018 TV, TV/Film, Video

Houston’s Mayor Declares June 26 Brad “Scarface” Jordan Day (Video)

For many Hip-Hop fans, the music of Scarface and the Geto Boys helped give the city of Houston, Texas an identity in music. Since the late 1980s, Brad Jordan's accounts of H-Town's Southside and its Fifth Ward showed the city's dangers as well as its triumphs. Thirty years into a... Read more

June 28, 2018 News, Video

Kendrick Lamar Speaks For The 1st Time About Why He Stopped A Fan From Using The N-Word

Kendrick Lamar made headlines earlier this year when he checked a fan at Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores, Alabama for using the N-word while rapping along to his 2012 non-single hit "M.A.A.D. City." The fan, a white woman who introduced herself as Delaney, was pulled up on-stage to help rap... Read more

June 28, 2018 Fresh

Now You Can Spot Samples By Diggin’…With An App On Your Phone

Sample Heads and digital crate diggers of the world can formally tip a collective cap to the innovative WhoSampled family today. The website and platform that has become the principal haven for those seeking the original audible ingredients of their beloved songs, as well as an easy-to-use list of song... Read more

June 28, 2018 News

Page Kennedy Is Trying To Save Hip-Hop When So Many Others Are Trying To Kill It (Video)

The recent deaths of South Florida's XXXTentacion and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Jimmy Wapo have rappers and fans alike still in mourning. Page Kennedy is one of the MCs though that is doing more than posting a Twitter or Instagram tribute. The Detroit native is using music to cope with the losses, particularly... Read more

June 28, 2018 Video

Vic Mensa Reminds Why He’s One Of The Best Freestylers Of His Generation (Video)

Almost a year after Vic Mensa dropped his well-received debut album, The Autobiography (included in Ambrosia For Heads' Best-of '17 list), he is still putting in work like he was an unsigned MC. Then, at the top of June, he released the lead single from his sophomore called "Reverse," and... Read more

June 28, 2018 Video

A Tribe Called Quest’s Final Video Is Now Available For All To See

Three months ago, A Tribe Called Quest released their final music video, "The Space Program." However, the late March visual accompaniment to 2016's We Got It From Here...Thank You 4 Your Service album was only available to some platform subscribers. Now, the incredible farewell video (dedicated to the late Phife... Read more

June 28, 2018 Video

DJ Paul Gives The Secret History To UGK & OutKast’s “Int’l Players Anthem”(Video)

"Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)" is one of the biggest Hip-Hop collaborations of the 2000s, and contends as one of the greatest Rap mergers of all-time. Featuring OutKast, UGK's record and thematic video became a jet-pack for Bun B and Pimp C's long-awaited fifth (and eponymous) album to reach... Read more

June 27, 2018 Throwback, Video

Video Music Box Is Celebrating Its 35th Anniversary With A Concert Packed With Legends

It is an obligation for music historians and Heads alike to acknowledge the evolution of music video shows largely began with "Uncle" Ralph McDaniels and his pioneering TV show Video Music Box. The Queens, New York-born McDaniels is the founder and host of the show, which first aired on New York... Read more

June 27, 2018 Fresh

A.G.’s New Album Features Sounds By Alchemist, Lord Finesse & Diamond D. Listen Here (Audio)

A.G. may be best known for his classic material with partner Showbiz from the 1990s, but Heads who have not checked out his solo and collaborative catalog are missing out. The Bronx, New Yorker, and D.I.T.C. co-founder has done projects with O.C., Koss, Ray West, and others. Meanwhile, 'Dre has... Read more

June 27, 2018 Audio

Cypress Hill Will Be Rap Superstars On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

As the first Latino Hip-Hop group to sell a platinum record, Cypress Hill reigns supreme as a record-breaking, history-setting Rap group already. The Los Angeles crew was nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Group or Duo at the Grammys in three consecutive years, beginning in 1994 for "Insane in the... Read more

June 27, 2018 Fresh

Punch Looks To Add His Name To TDE’s Champion MC Roster (Audio)

In 2004, Carson, California became the birthplace for one of the world's elite Hip-Hop ensembles, Top Dawg Entertainment. With the additions of Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, SZA, Isaiah Rashad, SiR, ScHoolboy Q, and multiple Grammy Award-winning MC Kendrick Lamar to a roster supported by CEO Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith and label... Read more

June 27, 2018 Audio

Jackson 5 Patriarch Joe Jackson Has Passed Away At Age 89

Joseph Walter Jackson, one of music's most famed and successful managers, has died this morning (June 27). The 89-year-old Jackson was battling pancreatic cancer. In the last three years, the longtime executive behind the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson, and Janet Jackson had suffered a stroke and survived an injury in... Read more

June 27, 2018 News

Donald Glover Explains How To Stay Woke At Work About Sexual Harassment (Video)

Actress Rashida Jones may walk with the Hollywood crowd by day, but her soul is deeply connected to music and empowering others. Her latest endeavor doesn’t really toe either line, however. Working with an organization that is finally addressing sexual assault and harassment, called Time’s Up, Jones directed a clever... Read more

June 26, 2018 Lifestyle, Video

DOOM, DJ Muggs & Freddie Gibbs Serve Eye For An Eye Justice To Real-Life Killers (Video)

Last week, DJ Muggs and DOOM announced plans for a fast-track collaborative project simply titled Muggs x DOOM due this Friday (June 29). With that word came first single "Death Wish," which features Freddie Gibbs (the same Friday that he released his self-titled album). Approaching release date, the trio unleashes... Read more

June 26, 2018 Video

Rakim Performs With A Live Band & It Sounds INCREDIBLE (Video)

Rakim's making his most recent return to Hip-Hop in a big way. The Long Island, New York legend's latest release was a song called "King's Paradise" which is being used for Marvel's Luke Cage Season 2 soundtrack. Now, the oft-praised God MC has decided to participate in NPR's "Tiny Desk... Read more

June 25, 2018 Video

Black Thought Explains Why He Believes He’s Never Been Better (Video)

Less than one month since it was released, Black Thought's "Dostoyevsky" shines as a brilliant 2018 Hip-Hop song and the latest great Tariq Trotter and Rapsody collaboration. From The Roots MC's Streams Of Thought, Vol. 1 EP with 9th Wonder and The Soul Council, the work is on Ambrosia For Heads'... Read more

June 25, 2018 Video

Tonedeff Never Got All Of His Props As An MC. Many Can Relate To His Powerful Story (Video)

The late 1990s Underground Hip-Hop movement produced would-be stars like Eminem, Yasiin Bey, El-P, and Aloe Blacc. However, for every one of those examples of the mainstream embracing a particular voice, style, or message, there are hundreds of artists who seemingly never got their just due. Tonedeff is one of... Read more

June 25, 2018 Exclusive, TV/Film, Video

Skillz Is Back And He’s Bringing Mad FUNK (Video)

It's been four years since Skillz (aka Mad Skillz) has dropped a project, but that doesn't mean that the renowned MC/DJ has not been active. Late last year, it was announced that he’d be an artist-in-residence at the University of Richmond (near where he grew up) starting this year. It's... Read more

June 25, 2018 Video

Anita Baker’s Lifetime Achievement Tribute Performance Brings Us All Joy (Video)

Last night (June 24), Anita Baker received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2018 BET Awards. The gesture places the iconic songstress in the company of Prince, James Brown, Smokey Robinson, and others. One of music's "quiet storms," Baker's career is profiled, from her real messages of love, loss, and... Read more

June 25, 2018 Video

Meek Mill Uses His Freedom To Deliver The Year’s Most Powerful Performance (Video)

Moments ago, Meek Mill took the stage at the 2018 BET Awards. Just several weeks since being released from prison, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania MC was introduced by Black Thought, Questlove, Kevin Hart, and Lil Uzi Vert (who calls the MC by his early hometown mixtape name "Meek Millz"), with statistics... Read more

June 24, 2018 Video

J. Cole’s Passionate Performance Calls For Meditation Instead Of Medication (Video)

Tonight (June 24), J. Cole performed at the 2018 BET Awards. Cole used the televised stage to lead with the introduction to April's K.O.D album. Wale was the first person that viewers saw, sitting on a stage chair, staring at a television. The moment comes a year and a half... Read more

June 24, 2018 Video

Jay Rock Opens The BET Awards & Takes A Victory Lap (Video)

Fresh on the heels of releasing his third album, Jay Rock was given center stage at the 2018 BET Awards. The Watts, California MC stood in no one's shadow as he performed "Win," the second single from Redemption. Awards host Jamie Foxx joined the Top Dawg Entertainment MC on stage... Read more

June 24, 2018 Video

Rakim Shows He’s Still A Super Hero On A New Song For Luke Cage (Video)

Season 2 of Luke Cage premiered yesterday (June 22) and, as with the first season, the show continues to be steeped in Hip-Hop. Written by journalist Cheo Hodari Coker, who cut his teeth writing for VIBE magazine where he did some of the definitive interviews of The Notorious B.I.G., the... Read more

June 23, 2018 TV, TV/Film, Video

DJ Muggs & DOOM Tease Their Upcoming EP With A Banger Featuring Freddie Gibbs (Audio)

When it comes to collaboration tracks and albums with artists, there is a high percentage rate that Heads will get a quality product when DJ Muggs, MF DOOM, or Freddie Gibbs are involved in the effort. The stakes have been raised even more for a hardcore rapper's delight as these three... Read more

June 22, 2018 Audio

Redman Releases A Song That Reminds Us Why We All Love Hip-Hop (Video)

Since the 1990s Redman has been able to remain one of the most consistent MCs. While many who hit their peak at a young age and understandably decline over the years, the New Jersey native's been able to remain a force to be reckoned with, both through his catalog and the... Read more

June 22, 2018 Audio, Video

Busta Rhymes & Westside Gunn Break Bones With Verses, Not Sticks & Stones (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

June 22, 2018 Audio

Token’s New Video Looks At The Toll Social Media Has Taken On Our Self Esteem

Token is using the platform he's building to take on one of his generation's biggest internal battles: body image and social media's exploitation of it. Now, via his latest video, the Boston-based rapper uses his own experiences to relay the struggle kids face in school and on the Internet. Directed by... Read more

June 21, 2018 Video

A Suspect Has Been Arrested For The Murder Of XXXTentacion

Three days after the violent murder of XXXTentacion, many are still reeling at the talented artist's death. Now, the Broward County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that they have a suspect in custody for the shooting. Dedrick D. Williams was arrested Wednesday (June 20) evening and charged with first degree murder,... Read more

June 21, 2018 News

The 14 Best Hip-Hop Releases So Far In 2018 (Audio & Video)

Approaching 2018’s midpoint, the year has been absolutely incredible for Hip-Hop and Rap music. For many artists, the album is now shorter than it has ever been. Releases are more concentrated and digestible than they have been been in decades. Moreover, the MC/producer double-threat is winning, as is the chemistry... Read more

June 21, 2018 Food for Thought

Havoc Releases 2 Mobb Deep Freestyles To Celebrate Prodigy 1 Year After His Passing (Audio)

One year ago today Prodigy unexpectedly passed away Hip-Hop has not been the same. It's all been helpful for those who were truly touched by his spirit and life's work. What's also great to help cope is anytime new music surfaces from the Mobb camp, and that's what happened Wednesday... Read more

June 20, 2018 Audio

L’Orange and Solemn Brigham Take It Back To The Lower Levels (Video)

Over the years Mello Music Group has become recognized as one of the top indie labels in Hip-Hop. More specifically, they have become known as the home for collaborative albums between fan-favorite MCs and producers. MMG boardsmen Apollo Brown, Gensu Dean, and L’Orange have all made a name for themselves... Read more

June 20, 2018 Ready Or Not

Jay Rock & J. Cole Are A Deadly Combination Lyrically And In Their New Video

With June 15's Redemption, Jay Rock released his first album since suffering a nearly fatal dirt-bike accident in 2016. The album's title and much of its content deal with themes of triumph over adversity, including singles "King's Dead," "WIN" and "The Bloodiest." With his J. Cole collabo, "OSOM (Out Of Sight,... Read more

June 20, 2018 Video

Pusha-T’s Jarring Video Shows The Brutality & Force That Some Of Us Know Too Well

Pusha-T has released the full version of the "If You Know You Know" music video. The visual accompaniment to the opening Daytona track began as a series of vertical shorts on streaming platforms. Now fully-produced, the first full visual from the Kanye West-produced G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam Records release raises the... Read more

June 20, 2018 Video

Chadwick Boseman Celebrates A Real Life Super Hero With His MTV Movie Award (Video)

Chadwick Boseman has become a real-life superhero to millions of people around the world, thanks to his role as the fictional superhero Black Panther. In that role, he represented ideals of pride, virtue, strength and triumph over adversity. The monumental success of Black Panther at box offices worldwide only amplified what... Read more

June 19, 2018 Lifestyle, TV/Film, Video

Dr. Dre’s Next Film Project Is Bringing Marvin Gaye’s Life To The Big Screen

Dr. Dre has a great history of mixing music and film, and he's using that experience in attempting to bring to life the story of Marvin Gaye on the big screen. Dre famously was a producer for the 2015 N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton, and now he's reportedly in the... Read more

June 19, 2018 News, TV/Film

Lauryn Hill Adds Nas, Chappelle, De La Soul & More To Miseducation 20th Anniversary Tour

As previously reported, L-Boogie is embarking on a tour to commemorate the 20th anniversary of The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill. Next month, the New Jersey songstress and MC is celebrating the milestone by touring her beloved solo debut work. However, she has sweetened the deal with a plethora of tour... Read more

June 18, 2018 Fresh

Hip-Hop Steps Up In A Big Way At A Time When DJ Spinna Needs Our Help

On June 11 one of the most respected DJ/producers in modern music, Vincent Williams aka DJ Spinna sustained a ruptured appendix and had to have emergency surgery. His friend Moe Choi started a GoFundMe campaign to pay for his soaring medical expenses and cover lost wages. The esteemed DJ, producer,... Read more

June 18, 2018 News

JAY-Z Is Now President Of Puma’s Basketball Operations

A little over a decade ago, JAY-Z finished four years as the President of Def Jam Records. Shawn Carter helped give the label that distributed his Roc-A-Fella Records releases a face-lift and was part of signing a new regime that included Rick Ross, Jeezy, The Roots, and Ghostface Killah, among... Read more

June 18, 2018 Lifestyle, News

XXXTentacion Has Been Killed In Florida Shooting

This afternoon (June 18), rapper XXXTentacion was fatally shot near Miami, Florida. He was reportedly in his vehicle leaving a motorcycle dealer when two men allegedly approached the car, shot him, and then fled the scene. The 20-year-old artist born Jahseh Onfroy has passed away from the gunshot wounds, according... Read more

June 18, 2018 News

There’s A New Super Power In Hip-Hop & R&B And Her Name Is Tierra Whack (Video)

Tierra Whack has taken the traditional mode of the "concept album" to a different (and sometimes bizarre) place. The Philadelphia native began her career as a teenaged Dizzle Dizz, but even a name change has done little to sway the visionary from creating her brand of whack-o, thought-provoking and unorthodox... Read more

June 18, 2018 Video

Rhymefest Rates Kanye’s Rhymes & Identifies The Beginning Of His Downfall (Video)

Che "Rhymefest" Smith and Kanye West had a bit of a public falling out recently. Well, actually, it was more like the two longtime friends and collaborators ending up at odds, with Kim Kardashian West in the middle. For those that may have missed or not followed, 'Fest had publicly... Read more

June 18, 2018 Video

Does Rhyme Still Pay? Slug & Evidence Weigh In On A Dope Vanderslice Beat (Audio Premiere)

Producer Vanderslice has been a source of dusty sounds for years. From the town of Phoenixville, outside of Philadelphia, the beat-miner has worked with Prodigy, Freddie Gibbs, Apathy, Roc Marciano, and others. He has released a string of instrumental and producer-compilation style albums. 'Slice's next LP is called The Best... Read more

June 18, 2018 Audio, Exclusive