AFH Ambrosia for Heads

The Bridge

Swizz Beatz' Monster Mondays have almost made up for the lack of G.O.O.D. Fridays. Almost…Check out We Keep It Rockin' with Maino, Jadakiss, Jim Jones and Joell Ortiz.

They go in on the classic beat used by the Ultramagnetic MCs on Funky and then 2Pac and Dr. Dre on California Love. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktpNWX2Qn58 Click here to download.  Here's California Love for the West Side: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWOsbGP5Ox4 ...and Funky for the East Coast OG's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oV13dHUfEM    ... Read more

Here's some new music from Uncle Snoop Dogg ft Hustle Boys, who sound like the 2010 version of Tha Dogg Pound. The video is called For the Good Times. [fbshare]

This one looks like it was funded by Landy cognac but the music is cool, so it's all good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dAfOTb-Abg&feature=player_embedded Check the comparison to Tha Dogg Pound: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pvR48FvXy4 The West Side is making a long-awaited comeback.... Read more

Blu continues to rep hard for the underground. Check out this performance of a new song called EaseYourMind.

Here's another Blu song (with Exile) called In Remembrance from one of my favorite albums of 2007 called Below the Heavens. Both the lyrics and the track are on point. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIhY62SRWXY... Read more

I slept on Show Tufli a bit, but better late than never…Check out the video for 1st Class Ticket.

Show Tufli has an interesting story.  When he was 17 he had a stroke and was paralyzed for 40 days.  He overcame that and is now trying to conquer the rap game.  The song he spit over this chopped up sample of Erykah Badu's Window Seat is a nice start.:... Read more

Even Yelawolf wants to keep it old school right now. Check out his verses over the tracks for So Fresh, So Clean and Shook Ones.

[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.978750&w=425&h=350&fv=fake%3D1] Here are the originals (2 of the best duos of all time): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwD4gA7F_qk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP0wsET8__Y  ... Read more

Cee Lo Green's singing is dope no doubt but remember when he used to be a rapper? Here's a reminder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuWB9Nhoypw And here's his latest (singing) video for his song called It's OK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGe3GFWEO2I&feature=player_embedded... Read more

Sean Price is the latest to rock the Rising to the Top track on Sabado Gigante. He does it justice. Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13D_7NvKdyI Click here to download.  Here's some of the hip-hop lineage for this track: This one is for the new heads: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UAAVv5e7kg Any old heads in the house? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NANIUizP18 And here's the classic original silky smooth Rising From the Top from Keni Burke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7K7O5ziHmk... Read more

Here's another hot one from 1982 (Statik Selektah and Termanology) ft Ghetto and Ea$y Money. This one's called Shut it Down (Virgin MegaStore Boys) ft Ghetto and Ea$y Money.

Statik Selektah's track features a nice flip of one of Chante Moore's quiet storm classics as one of the samples.  For more on 1982, including a free EP, click here. And, here's the Chante Moore (and Keith Washington) song that was chopped (and sped) up quite nicely.... Read more

KiD CuDi seems a lot happier when he's perfoming. Maybe Mr. Rager is just for the studio. Check out his performance of REVOFEV on the Conan O'Brien Show.

It's pretty dope that he's wearing a Prince shirt too. Speaking of Prince, in the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine, ?uestlove lists his top 10 favorite Prince songs of all time.  One of them is this extended version of Little Red Corvette that is super ill:... Read more

Raheem DeVaughn is one of the dopest singers to ever bless the mic. He's not hip-hop but it's in his roots. The legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff was one of the first to put him on when he was just Raheem. Check out his new mixtape called Jackin' 4 Beats.

Click here to listen to and download the mixtape.  He did indeed jack these beats so most of them will sound familiar to you.  The track list is below.  First, here are a couple of songs Raheem did with Jazzy Jeff from back in the day on Jazzy Jeff's The... Read more

Do you dig The Joy by Kanye West ft Curtis Mayfield, Jay-Z, Charlie Wilson and KiD CuDi? Pete Rock's instant classic track was originally set for a group called Strong Arm Steady and was called "Makings of You." Check it out.

Props to NahRight.com for the scoop.  If you missed The Joy, do yourself a BIG favor and cop it right now here.  It's arguably the best of the G.O.O.D. Friday releases. 13 Makings of You by letskeepgoing Click here to download.  As dope as Pete Rock's production is, this track... Read more

Ice Cube's new song Nothing Like L.A. is nothing like his vintage joints from the 80's and 90's but I'm not mad at it.

Check out the performance from the George Lopez show: Need more Cube in your life?  Here's something old: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWfbGGZE07M And something (relatively) new to show you the big homie's still got it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-UXqndiBHE... Read more

People Under the Stairs created an underground classic with their 2002 album titled O.S.T. They have some other bangers since then and their latest video is an ode to beer called Beer…it's deeper than that though. Peep the legacy.

Props for the Laverne and Shirley spoof in the beginning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbuk0TSWzqc&feature=player_embedded#! If you're not up on People Under the Stairs, they are West Coast retro backpackers.  They're rhymes are all about party and bullsh*t and they're flow is strictly old school.  Here are some of their better joints from the... Read more

You may remember Reek Da Villain from BET's Hip-Hop Awards Cypher. Money is ill. Check out Mechanics (the remix) ft Busta Rhymes and Swizz Beatz

The fact that he's riding the track that Method Man crushed on Bring the Pain just makes it more ill. Here's Meth's joint: And, the original track was called I'm Your Mechanical Man by Jerry Butler (the sampled part comes in at around the 3:00 mark but the whole song... Read more

Nicki Minaj is the new girl in town but Jean Grae has been holding it down for the ladies for the better part of a decade. Check out Bridge, produced by the innovator RJD2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lt4qJCdAYc Click here to download.  Both Jean Grae and RJD2 are dope at their craft but each has taken a backseat to others in the game who have achieved more popularity for one reason or another.  For Jean, it's clearly Nicki now and RJD2 (he created the theme song to... Read more

Imagine if Souls of Mischief had done gangsta rap. Hmm…it probably would have sounded something like Ridin' and Smokin' by Fashawn ft Night and Dirty Money. Check this out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIlrOWcmPaI&feature=player_embedded I actually think these cats were truly inspired by Souls of Mischief.  Peep the flow in '93 Til Infinity and check out the close up panoramic solo shots in the video.  See a pattern?  ... Read more

Diggy Simmons is reppin' Queens HARD. This time he does it with a freestyle over Mobb Deep's classic Shook Ones.

This kid is about to blow. Diggy Simmons- {Shook Ones Freestyle} from philthegod. on Vimeo. The Bridge is on a whole different level with this one.  Here's Shook Ones by one of Queensbridge's finest, Mobb Deep: And, of course Diggy made his debut rhyming over this classic Nas track.... Read more

There's a reason why Faith Evans and Biggie got married. She has hip-hop in her blood. In her latest song They Wanna Know ft Ras Kass she rips Nas' One Love track. Check it out.

Ras Kass verse is just aiight but Faith makes up for it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8Lra0lW-Z0 Click here to download. Here's the classic Nas joint: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yKDMrX8LlY And, in case you missed Faith singing over Biggie's Everyday Struggle, check this out.  ... Read more

The Foodchain are a lot like Little Brother, from the deep dirty funky basslines to the singing on the hooks. Check out Reverse Psychology and see if you agree. Even if you're not feeling the comparison it's still funky…

According to Nahright.com, these dudes recently signed with Statik Selektah. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psSWq73cHig&feature=player_embedded Hating the Little Brother comparison?  Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49EPf3Ds80I... Read more

New Nicki Minaj ft Kanye West! Nuff said.

The track is called Blazin' and for the 3rd time in 4 singles, she's used an 80's sample.  Coincidence? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbTNu5m1Lcw Click here to download. Here's the 80's sample.  Breakfast Club fans rejoice! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAdaQhitdKg... Read more

Time to Dig In The Crates. Rock with me for a minute. The Kid Daytona just murdered a track O.C. once used as a dope intro. Check out Lifted ft Styles P and Vaughn Anthony.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWjeQsDR_NQ Click here to download. Up on O.C.?  He was a part of D.I.T.C. (the Diggin' in the Crates crew).  Here's Born to Live, which features the intro on the album (but unfortunately not in the video...still a dope song): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4jg7oY9RvQ ...and his timeless classic, ironically called Times Up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzyaaMUCpWs... Read more

Speaking of good Fridays, check out J. Cole’s new mixtape Friday Night Lights. Is he that next dude?

I saw J. Cole the day he finished this.  He had fire in his eyes.  Dude went IN on Too Deep for the intro which features Erykah Badu's timeless Didn't Cha Know track. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfEGX0rNOvA Listen to the whole mixtape and download it below: Download Mixtape... Read more

DOM Kennedy had me at the Les Nubians sample. The fact that he has a dope song and video is just icing. Check out Locals Only. Music lovers get ready.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9UXCp9vyqQ&feature=player_embedded#! Here are the Les Nubians sample and their classic joint, Makeda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXFQ8ew8uzw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22HL5ZOOHGI... Read more

Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y are like the 2010 West Coast gangsta version of Mos Def and Talib Kweli (aka Blackstar). Check out Huey Newton which features a Toto sample…now THAT's gangsta.

Blackstar?! Blasphemy?!  Hear me out.  In 1999, very few people knew who Mos Def and Talib Kweli were.  They were both signed to Rawkus and somebody had the idea to put them together for an album to raise awareness ahead of their solo albums.  One hip-hop classic later, hip-hop heads... Read more

If you're an old R&B head, Spread My Wings by Mitchy Slick ft Talib Kweli will crack your cranium. They rhyme over the Troop classic of the same name.

Click here to listen and download. Here's the Troop joint (never thought I would post this): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd_krYK8NeA... Read more

Rihanna's Raining Men ft Nicki Minaj sounds like a mix of Beyonce's Diva and Single Ladies. Confused? Take a listen.

Click here to listen and download. Check out the beat on Diva. Sound familiar?  And the Diva beat sounds like this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNM5HW13_O8&ob=av2e Now check out the chorus on Put A Ring On It. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY    ... Read more

Big Remo's Go Ladies is a soulful Southern track produced by 9th Wonder.

Very different from this song also called Go Ladies, but still dope.... Read more

50 Cent and El DeBarge? For real? The song is actually pretty good…plus, you have to give props to DeBarge for the original to one of Biggie's best songs ever.

The song is called Switch Up the Format. Click here to download. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXEWh9HdVTw And the Biggie sample? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CinavBPMy-I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--TCriRfCS8... Read more

Brother Ali takes on slavery in his song and video for Breakin' Dawn. It hasn't been done this well since Public Enemy's Can't Truss It.

The video is a creative use of black and white animation.  The track is pretty ill, too.  It's got an Indian/Middle Eastern feel with the sitar sample.  This is a cool break from the norm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUbWozgMf4M&feature=player_embedded Here's Public Enemy's classic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am9BqZ6eA5c&ob=av2n  ... Read more

Little Brother fans probably remember Chaundon from some of his choice cameos with LB. Check out his new video for his upcoming solo project called No Excuses.

The video is called Y'all Don't Want It/No Excuses. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhwTuShxqrg&feature=player_embedded#! And, in case you missed those Little Brother/Chaundon collabos, check this out.  Hotness! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZGnaDTBluo... Read more

Ski Beatz' 24 Hour Karate School came and went quietly but he's already working on a project featuring Miles Davis remixes. Check out Blue and Green.

If you missed the 24 Hour Karate School project, it's worth copping.  Here's Blue and Green ft Nesby Phips: BLUE AND GREEN from Creative Control on Vimeo. ...and the original classic by Miles Davis:... Read more

Diggy Simmons is the latest to flow on the Dead Presidents track with his song As I Am. Who rocks the track better between Diggy, J. Cole and Jay-Z?

The answer is clearly Jay-Z, but it's closer than you might think.  Take a listen: Diggy Simmons - As I Am http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt6wiO3M-HA J. Cole - Dead Presidents II (click here for his original version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNlkVXGAoIU Jay-Z - Dead Presidents (original version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC0_rcoX9XE Jay-Z - Dead Presidents (album version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYIsa_u_C-s Lonnie... Read more

Curren$y draws inspiration from one of the most unforgettable scenes in New Jack City for his Audio Dope 2 video.

Welcome to his version of The Carter: http://www.vimeo.com/15759215 and in case you haven't seen the original in a while: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRuGqLgnzkE&feature=related... Read more

There was not a lot cracking in hip-hop today so here’s a little insight into the music that has been influencing the biggest star in hip-hop–Jay-Z. It’s not what you would expect.

Ambrosia for heads has been keeping tabs on the recent musical influences of hip-hop's biggest stars.  Over the next few weeks, we will showcase what is moving those driving hip-hop music.  As with many cultural movements, those driving the culture often look to outside influences for their inspiration.  Hip-hop is... Read more

While we're on the G-funk tip, remember when Devin the Dude looked like he would be that next dude after his verse on Dr. Dre's Chronic 2001? He never blew up but he's still dropping bombs. Check out Jus Coolin'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID9hbOQ8-M8 Click here to download.  And, in case you missed the Dr. Dre reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6K7dB3T6ho... Read more

If you like Outkast’s first album or anything from Death Row Records, check out Ab-Soul’s All Feelin’. It’s a return to the funk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vaerNUTh44 Click here to download. Not feeling the Outkast comparison?  Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f5VKdK1c3Q... Read more

Speaking of great Snoop Dogg classics, check out John Legend and The Roots’ take on Little Ghetto Boy.

This one is off the full album collabo between John Legend and The Roots that will be dropping on 9/21.  The album is all covers of soul classics from the 60s and 70s that have a political theme. ExternalVideo.967034&w=425&h=350&fv=videoId%3D604473945001%26amp%3BplayerID%3D10172910001%26amp%3BplayerKey%3DAQ%252E%252E%2CAAAAAAAA5vE%252E%2CEeb-O-20Rk8OOHarFBBmNsbiBU9ieS50%26amp%3Bdomain%3Dembed%26amp%3BdynamicStreaming%3Dtrue Here's Dr. Dre's Lil Ghetto Boy from the Chronic featuring Snoop... Read more

Wow. Faith Evans MURDERED her version of Biggie’s classic Everyday Struggle. She didn’t even need Raekwon’s verse (but it didn’t hurt).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaXkcHmaFE0 Click here to download. Here's Biggie's track, in case it's been a while: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rogvlB2SP4k And, in case you're interested, here's the original track Biggie sampled, Either Way by Dave Grusin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pADrZfzPrAY&feature=player_embedded#!... Read more

New school is showing love to the old school today. Big K.R.I.T. rides a Souls of Mischief track on Somedayz

Somedayz – Big K.R.I.T. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oVgq-QrwRM Here’s the classic Souls of Mischief joint, ’93 til Infinity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP56Tf5fpjM&feature=player_embedded …as well as an ill version by Kidz in the Hall, Wheelz Fall Off (’06 Til): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VUxm8jRoNw&feature=player_embedded …finally the original, a song called Heather by Billy Cobham.  The sampled part start at 2:03 (wait... Read more

Freddie Gibbs put his spin on a classic Dr Dre beat (really Isaac Hayes) on his latest song Something New and did it real justice.

Check out the video showing a bit of the making of the song and click below for the download. Closed Sessions: Freddie Gibbs http://vimeo.com/14194755 Click here to download Something New. Also, check out a few other uses of the sample by Dr. Dre, as well as the original by Isaac... Read more