AFH Ambrosia for Heads

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2017 (Battle 3): Talib Kweli vs. Joey Bada$$

We have our opinions on the best albums of 2017, but rather than simply list them, we thought it would be more interesting to hear what you, the readers, believe is the Best Rap Album of 2017. With that in mind, we decided to make our Best Rap Albums Of... Read more

Rapsody Takes Her Grammy-Nominated Song Out For A Night On The Town (Video)

Forget the club. In the expertly produced video, for Rapsody’s “Sassy,” the North Carolina MC and company ghost ride a beautifully restored whip to a hopping house party before closing the night at a jam-packed diner. If anyone has the right to celebrate, it’s Rapsody. She’s had a phenomenal year.... Read more

Who Had The Best Rap Album Of 2017 (Battle 1): Sean Price vs. Wu-Tang Clan

We have our opinions on the best albums of 2017, but rather than simply list them, we thought it would be more interesting to hear what you, the readers, believe is the Best Rap Album of 2017. With that in mind, we decided to make our Best Rap Albums Of... Read more

N*E*R*D Hand Kendrick Lamar The Mic Again. Their Second Collabo Flies (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

JSWISS’ Latest Video Shows His Dedication To Overcome & Be Heard

Up-and-coming New York MC JSWISS is getting all the right kind of attention, and the accolades are sure to continue following the release of this simple, but highly effective visual for “Dedicate.LoveSomethin,” the latest single from his No Music EP. “Dedicate.LoveSomethin” is produced by Brady Watt, a well-known bass player from New... Read more

Kendrick Lamar & N*E*R*D’s Collabo Is Inspired By Lethal Law Enforcement Stops (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

B-Real & Everlast Reunite On A New Song To Show They Can Still Shake ‘Em Up (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 and listen... Read more

Madlib, Talib Kweli & More Released New Music Today. Here’s Some Of The Best (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

Kendrick Lamar Explains Why Every Rapper Is Conscious

Kendrick Lamar is on the cover of the upcoming issue of Forbes magazine. The Compton, California superstar leads the way on the "30 Under 30" music issue. Less than six months after he celebrated his 30th trip around the sun, the TDE MC is reported by the publication to be... Read more

Eminem Lists All The Reasons Why He’s NOT A Rap God In A Powerful New Song (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

Fabolous & Jadakiss Put Their Masks On For A New Collabo With Future (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

9th Wonder Explains Why Soundbombing & Rawkus Kept His Hip-Hop Dreams Alive (Video)

Hip-Hop news and culture move fast, and it’s easy to miss significant developments. Every week, Ambrosia For Heads takes a look back at the LAST 7 days. This video series, hosted by Justin “The Company Man” Hunte examines the current issues with a colorful rundown of the what, where, and why. While the LAST... Read more

Doughboyz Cashout Member Roc Shot & Killed In Detroit

Yesterday (October 9) Doughboy Roc of CTE-affiliated group Doughboyz Cashout was fatally shot in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. The veteran rapper born Rodney Yeargin was 29 years old. Reports from the local CBS affiliate claim that Roc was fired upon while sitting in a car at Stoepel Street and... Read more

The CunninLynguists’ New Album Is Topical Southern Soul That Delights (Audio)

For more than 15 years, the CunninLynguists paved the road for a "Southern Underground." Kno and Deacon The Villain symbolically formed the group in the early 2000s after meeting at a Morehouse open mic event. 2001's Will Rap For Food followed, launching a string of soulful releases that embraced concepts, brooding... Read more

Bun B & Everlast Join Slaine & Termanology On A DJ Premier Production (Video)

UPDATE: Less than one week after the audio released, Slaine and Termanology's DJ Premier-produced title track featuring Bun B (UGK) and Everlast (House Of Pain) comes to video. Directed by John Columbo, the visual is built around seamless cuts (despite two distinct locations) and in-your-face bars on Preemo drums and... Read more

Kendrick Lamar & Chance The Rapper’s Place On The Forbes List Shows Conscious Rap Pays Off (Video)

Hip-Hop news and culture move fast, and it’s easy to miss significant developments. Every week, Ambrosia For Heads takes a look back at the LAST 7 days. This video series, hosted by Justin “The Company Man” Hunte examines the current issues with a colorful rundown of the what, where, and why. While the Last... Read more

Bun B Kicks True Reality Rap In A Sea Of Fakers & It Sounds Incredible (Audio)

Production duo Beatnick & K-Salaam is gearing up to release The Bluest Flame album (October 13). The Canadian pair works with Talib Kweli, Blu, Tech N9ne, and others on the upcoming self-released project. Following the "Fight Night (Remix)" with Kweli and Blu, they drop "Keep It 100" with Bun B... Read more

Bun B Previews The Vulnerability That Will Make His “Bernard” Album Truly Real (Video)

For 25 years plus, Bun B has made music that's been a reality check. Songs like "One Day" coped with short life expectancy and constant loss. "I Left It Wet For You" was a cruel account of creepin' on the low. "Pocket Full Of Stones" was not a story of... Read more

Shaq Flagrantly Fouls Lavar Ball With A Rap, Masta Ace Stands Up For Kap & More (Video)

Hip-Hop news and culture move fast, and it's easy to miss significant developments. Every week, Ambrosia For Heads takes a look back at the Last 7 days. This video series, hosted by Justin "The Company Man" Hunte examines the current issues with a colorful rundown of the what, where, and why. While the Last... Read more

Last Of A Dying Breed: Why Scarface Is The Greatest MC Of All Time (Video)

Scarface is an MC who is a keystone within a legendary group, the Geto Boys. However, he also maintains a solo catalog that is arguably even more impressive. Brad Jordan's career expands nearly 30 years, and the Houston, Texas legend has made a powerful impact with the fans, the critics,... Read more

An Insider Reveals How Suge & Death Row Got Those Unlikely Guest Appearances (Video)

When Death Row Records launched in the early 1990s, they used Hollywood's SOLAR Records Studios to lay their tracks. After making "Deep Cover" for the SOLAR's soundtrack of the same name, Dr. Dre recorded and mixed The Chronic with some of the very same consoles and equipment used to make... Read more

Stalley Announces New LP & Raps As An Independent Agent On “Madden 96” (Audio)

In 2014, Buckeye State rapper Stalley dropped his first and only LP, through Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group, Ohio. With mixtapes dating back nearly a decade, the Massillon native has earned the respect of Hip-Hop fans through his sheer talent, though collaborations with the likes of Big K.R.I.T., Scarface, Skyzoo... Read more

An Argument For Why Black Thought Is The Greatest MC Of All Time (Video)

For almost 25 years, Black Thought has been putting his raspy voiced verses to record. The constant MC for The Roots crew has made a dozen albums, seemingly performed as much as any Rap artist, and is now typically on television five nights per week. More than just simply hard... Read more

2 Chainz Shows He Has Freestyle Fire In His DNA As He Rips Kendrick’s Hit (Video)

Though an immensely successful rapper with six Grammy nominations (and one win), six Platinum (or better) selling singles, and even more juggernaut appearances as a featured guest on some of Rap's hottest records, 2 Chainz isn't a rapper whose name immediately comes up when discussing the best freestylers in the... Read more

David Banner Raps From The Perspective Of A Tree Used To Hang Black Men (Audio)

For nearly 20 years, David Banner has spoken deeply and frequently about issues of race in and out of the recording booth. The MC/producer double-threat hails from Jackson, Mississippi, a place with some ugliness in its past, especially with regards to the prejudice, violence, and institutional racism against Blacks and... Read more

Lupe Fiasco Is Sick Of Hearing Wack Rappers Over Trap Beats. He Shows Them How To Do It (Video)

In February, Lupe Fiasco released DROGAS Light, his first album since 2015's Tetsuo & Youth. Despite talk of his retiring from Rap (including statements he made himself), it appears the Chicago, Illinois rapper has no such plans, at least in the immediate future. Shortly after the LP's release, Lupe performed the single... Read more

Finding The GOAT Producer. Which 2 Should Join The Top 30?

“Finding the GOAT Producer," the third installment of Ambrosia For Heads’s annual battle series, features Hip-Hop’s greatest producers vying for the #1 spot. Thirty producers were pre-selected by a panel of experts, and two slots have been reserved for wild-card entries, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no deserving beat... Read more

Rick Ross & Smoke DZA Roll Like Superheroes On A Pete Rock Track (Video)

One of the most exciting collaborations of Smoke DZA & Pete Rock's 2016 release Don't Smoke Rock is "Black Superhero Car." This song pairs Rick Ross over "Chocolate Boy Wonder" production for the first time in his career. Ross, who has long been an advocate of Smoke DZA's, sounds great... Read more

2016’s Boldest & Most Important Political Statements In Hip-Hop & Beyond

2016 has been a rough year. From seemingly endless celebrity deaths to a political campaign unlike any other to racial tensions dominating headlines, these last 12 months have been riddled with great sorrow. But as history continues to remind us, out of great pain comes great resilience, and actors, athletes,... Read more

Here Are The Best Hip-Hop Performances & Videos Of 2016

2016 has been a unique year. With it, Hip-Hop had a lot to say, visually. Poets new and old, independent and well-heeled, used their art to promote awareness, suggest change, and when appropriate, provide distraction. At a time when the music video largely lives online, artists made statements—about themselves, their... Read more

The Symphony 2016 Was Just 1 Of The Truly Amazing Performances & Videos Of The Year

2016 has been a unique year. With it, Hip-Hop had a lot to say, visually. Poets new and old, independent and well-heeled, used their art to promote awareness, suggest change, and when appropriate, provide distraction. At a time when the music video largely lives online, artists made statements—about themselves, their... Read more

Pete Rock Discusses His Smoke DZA Collabo Album & Who Would Be In His Dream Band (Video)

Last Friday (December 2), Smoke DZA & Pete Rock released their first collaborative album, Don't Smoke Rock. The Babygrande Records LP features Rick Ross, Royce 5'9", Jadakiss, Mac Miller, Styles P, Big K.R.I.T., and Cam'ron (among others) on 13 brand-new Pete Rock productions. DZA, who has known Pete since he... Read more

Rick Ross Raps On His First Pete Rock Track & Smokes It (Audio)

On Rick Ross's most recent album, 2015's Black Market, he notably recruited DJ Premier for some scratches. In '16, Rozay works with another legendary DJ/producer, blessing a Pete Rock track, from P.R. and Smoke DZA's Don't Smoke Rock collaborative LP (December 2). "Black Superhero Car" is reminiscent of Wale, Jadakiss,... Read more

Pete Rock & Smoke DZA Look To Create Milestones With Jadakiss & Styles P (Audio)

On December 2, Pete Rock and Smoke DZA will release Don't Smoke Rock, a collaborative project that's been in the works for some time. The relationship began in 2014, when the legendary producer contributed to the Harlem rapper's Dream.ZONE.Achieve and two years later, Heads are being treated to an entire LP of... Read more

There Was Scary Good Hip-Hop In October. Here’s Some Of The Best (Audio)

October was a scary month for a number of reasons. Of course, itended with Halloween, but it also featured some of the most low rent politics the country has ever seen, with even the FBI getting into the action. What's even more frightening, amongst all the jockeying for position, there... Read more

Cyhi The Prynce & Matt Citron Take Their Atlanta Anthem To The Streets (Video)

Backed by Atlanta, Georgia mainstay DJ and producer Greg Street, Matt Citron has been a newly buzzing artist in 2016. Aside from Street, one of the biggest cosigns the MC has received has been from fellow ATLien Cyhi The Prynce. The G.O.O.D. Music microphone sharpshooter and Matt released "404" in... Read more

Pete Rock & Smoke DZA Release The 1st Single From Their Joint Album & It’s Limitless (Audio)

A year to the day since Ambrosia for Heads reported that Pete Rock would be producing Smoke DZA's new album in its entirety, the two have emerged on this Halloween with the first single from the much-awaited joint LP. Don't Smoke Rock is the aptly hybridized title for the project,... Read more

Kxng Crooked Shoots Back At Racist Police With A Lyrical Demand For Justice (Audio)

For many this election season, the issues of police brutality and the militarization of law enforcement in this country are front-and-center, as racially charged discourse continues to emerge. Police versus citizens has become a prominent theme in music today, with Hip-Hop artists like T.I., Big K.R.I.T., and Nas making the... Read more

Talib Kweli & Rick Ross Are An Unexpected But Lethal Combination (Audio)

When it comes to unlikely pairings in Hip-Hop, there are likely few more unanticipated that a collaboration between Talib Kweli and Rick Ross. For nearly his entire career, Kweli has been closely associated with "Conscious Rap," due to his thought-provoking rhymes about politics, race relations and other substantive matters. By... Read more

The U.S. Government Is Going to Start Tracking Violent Police Encounters

Beyond the troubling rate of frequency with which American citizens are killed by police, another piece of the complex social issue presented itself as equally confounding, for many. Earlier this year, the fact that the federal government lacked a comprehensive means of tracking officer-involved violence became more well known than... Read more

Did Chris Rivers Have The Best Verse Of The 2016 BET Cyphers? (Video)

For many Heads, the handful of cyphers that take place during the BET Hip-Hop Awards telecast are some of the most exciting aspects of the event. This year, fans had plenty to look forward to, with State Property, Dead Prez, Biv & Devoe, and others using 2016 to showcase scorching... Read more

Biv & DeVoe Host A BET Cypher With Some New Editions Of Their Empire (Video)

The members of New Edition have been entertaining audiences for nearly 35 years, and they show no signs of slowing down. The group consisting of Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant, Ricky Bell, Ronnie DeVoe and, at times Bobby Brown and Johnny Gill has experienced a resurgence in 2016, in anticipation of... Read more

Andre 3000, Nas, Method Man & More Made Sure Hip-Hop Did Not Fall In September (Audio)

September is always a month of change. More than just the Fall season, it brings back to school, the return of the NFL, a blitz of new TV shows and several other things that signal a changing of the winds. For Hip-Hop, September of 2016 held one of the biggest... Read more

Token Torches The BET Hip-Hop Cypher While DJ Premier Cuts The Record (Video)

The 2016 Hip Hop Awards are airing on BET on Tuesday, October 4, and with them come the annual Cyphers. While this year's Cypher participants have not yet been announced, several details have surfaced about the show which was taped in Atlanta, GA on Saturday, September 17. Snoop Dogg Is... Read more

T.I.’s New EP Is His Most Political Work Yet. It’s Us Or Else (Audio)

With the release of "Warzone," T.I. shared with the world his most powerful video to date. By visualizing an America in which innocent victims of police shootings are White and the officers Black, the multi-platinum rapper made the boldest political statement of his career and added his voice to the... Read more

Common & Stevie Wonder’s Snapshot of Black America Is Raw & Uncut (Video)

Common's 2014 album Nobody's Smiling not only signified a reforged musical partnership with producer No I.D., but also a concept record inspired by Chicago. The MC's hometown continues to be plagued by skyrocketing rates of gun violence, and while it manages to be a hotbed for vibrant talent including Chance... Read more

Lupe Fiasco Serves Up an Oral History of “Food & Liquor” 10 Years Later (Audio)

For Lupe Fiasco fans, September 19, 2006 marked the arrival of one of the best debut albums from an MC in the 21st century. With Food & Liquor, the Chicago, Illinois storyteller was extending a discography he'd launched a year prior with his Fahrenheit 1/15 Part I: The Truth Is... Read more

9th Wonder Makes A Powerful Case For Tolerance Between Generations In Hip-Hop

In recent weeks, there have been several incidents, primarily on social media, that suggest a generational divide within Hip-Hop. Three of the biggest breakout stars of the last year ran into isolated incidents, and collided with some of Rap's veterans. Beyond simply music, age played a factor in the conflicts... Read more

20 Years Later, OutKast’s ATLiens Is A Masterpiece Of Space & Time

True to its extraterrestrial theme, OutKast's 1996 sophomore album ATLiens was of another world. Like the "Paid In Full" vocal sample proclaimed, André 3000 and Big Boi added "new color, new dimension, and new value" to the mid-'90s Hip-Hop ethos. Arguably, this came at a time when Hip-Hop's soul needed... Read more

Joey Bada$$ Fans Should Not Be Devastated. He Didn’t Sell Out… (Video)

Earlier this week (August 10), Joey Bada$$ released the self-directed video to "Devastated." Dropped in May as a standalone official single, the song is a departure from the sounds of last year's Top 5 charting debut, B4.Da.$$ and previous mixtape work. "Devastated" features a Pop-tinged chorus and an uptempo beat.... Read more