AFH Ambrosia for Heads

Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Consequence Explain Why ATCQ Was Angry About The Grammys (Video)

To most, the 2018 Grammys represented a strong field of what Hip-Hop music had to offer in the previous year, but many believed that a few were snubbed in the nominees for Best Rap Album. The decision not to select A Tribe Called Quest was a particular sore spot for... Read more

Maseo Details How Beats Stetsasonic Rejected Helped Form De La Soul’s 1st Album (Video)

De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising is a benchmark Hip-Hop album. The introduction of Posdnuos, Trugoy (nka Dave), and Maseo proved to be a crucial link in the evolution of Native Tongues. It also showcased the producer who Maseo today credits as De La's "fourth member." Following the... Read more

Craig G Returns To Battle Rap & He’s Ready To Juice The Competition

Much like many aspects of Hip-Hop, Battle Rap today looks (and sounds) a lot different than it did when it originated. With the help of some of the pioneers, like MC Craig G, Heads may get new glimpses at its past glory. The documented freestyle master and Juice Crew member... Read more

U-God Says The $2 Million Wu-Tang Album Ain’t Nuthin’ To Get Excited Over (Video)

Wu-Tang Clan co-founder U-God is the latest guest on The Breakfast Club. This week, the Staten Island, New York MC published his memoir, Raw: My Journey Into The Wu-Tang. According to Charlamagne Tha God, who read the text, Lamont Hawkins' pre-music days may be the most compelling aspect of the... Read more

Luke Cage Season 2 Episodes Are Titled After Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth Songs

Fans of Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth now have more incentive to watch the upcoming season of Luke Cage. Viewers of the Marvel series know that its soundtrack is heavily inspired by 1980s and 1990s Hip-Hop. Launching June 22, all of Season 2's episodes are titled after Pete Rock &... Read more

Sade Releases Her First Song In 7 Years & It’s Spectacular (Audio)

Already, 2018 has been a surprisingly big year for soundtracks. Just when that appeared to be a medium misplaced in the decade, some of music's most powerful voices are proving otherwise. Last month, Kendrick Lamar and his Top Dawg family hit fans with the musical companion to Black Panther. The... Read more

Martin Shkreli Must Forfeit The Only Copy Of Wu-Tang Clan’s “Once Upon A Time In Shaolin” LP

After previous speculation and deliberation, Martin Shkreli is finally going to have to turn over the one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album Once Upon A Time In Shaolin as part of his forthcoming criminal sentence. Judge Kiyo Matsumoto ruled today (March 5) that in order to help pay off a $7.36 million... Read more

Common Did Not Win Another Oscar But His Freestyle Still Gave Him Glory (Video)

Common did not win his second Oscar award last night (March 4). The Chicago, Illinois MC, actor, and author was nominated for “Best Original Song" for his "Stand Up For Something," which appeared in the film, Marshall. That category (also featuring a nomination for past Common collaborator) Mary J. Blige... Read more

Wu-Tang Clan To Perform 36 Chambers At 2018 Soundset Festival

Rhymesayers Entertainment's 11th annual Soundset lineup is announced. For 2018, the Minneapolis, Minnesota Hip-Hop festival will feature some of RSE's founders and quite active artists. Event co-organizers Atmosphere will perform on the heels of reissuing their 1997 debut Overcast!. Slug, Ant, and company will be joined by Evidence, following last... Read more

Keith Murray Announces The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World Part 2 (Video)

Following EPMD's temporary breakup and dissolving of the Hit Squad in 1993, MC/producer Erick Sermon set forth on his solo career and formed his triumvirate Def Squad crew with Redman and then-upstart Keith Murray. The latter MC turned Heads made a strong first impression with his home run-hitting clean-up verse... Read more

VERY Few People Can Rap With Method Man. Blimes Brixton Is 1 Of Them (Video)

Blimes Brixton is a versatile MC (and singer) from the heart of San Francisco, California. She has been putting in serious work throughout recent years, including a decorated Battle Rap career and some history with the region's pioneer: Too Short. The daughter of a Blues musician and granddaughter of a... Read more

Common & Questlove Share Stories About Bargaining For Beats From J Dilla & D’Angelo

On January 25, Common was the guest for the first live audience recording of Questlove Supreme. At Manhattan's Gramercy Theater, Questlove, Laiya, Suga Steve, and Boss Bill interviewed Common for nearly two hours. Ambrosia For Heads was front and center for the event. Today (February 21), that interview is available... Read more

Black Panther Is Not A Movie. It’s A Movement & It’s Bigger Than Box Office Success.

There have been literally hundreds of interviews with the cast of Black Panther, and thousands of write-ups about the film's commercial and cultural impact. However, there’s a moment that occurs in a Sway In The Morning town hall discussion with the entire cast that captures the essence of why this... Read more

Nas Speaks On The Importance Of Black History In EVERY Month (Video)

Just last week, PBS aired an incredible performance with Nas and the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The televised special saw the Queensbridge native rap the entirety of his debut, Illmatic – an LP that has been archived as a part of a project at... Read more

Skyzoo’s New Album May Be The Crown Jewel In His Catalog (Audio)

Brooklyn, New York veteran Skyzoo has self-released In Celebration Of Us. With "Baker's Dozen" (an homage to D'Angelo's "Devil's Pie") making great headway, "Crown Holder" is the perfect follow-up punch. Like the Apollo Brown-produced first single, this track is laced by a past full-LP collaborator. This time it is !llmind (who... Read more

Kendrick Lamar Opens The Grammys With Dave Chappelle & A BANG (Video)

Kendrick Lamar opened the 60th Grammy Awards with a performance. Ahead of tonight's live televised event, the Compton, California MC was already awarded three trophies for "Best Music Video," "Best Rap Song," and "Best Rap Performance." In all three categories, it was DAMN. single "HUMBLE" that scored the win. When... Read more

Ice-T Reveals New Jack City Sequel Plot & Why The Film Was Never Made (Audio)

In March of 2016, Ambrosia For Heads celebrated New Jack City's 25th anniversary by examining its creation and legacy with revealing interviews with two men responsible (Barry Michael Cooper and Thomas Lee-Wright) for the film's story, development, and unforgettable characters. One of those conversations, an interview with film screenwriter Barry... Read more

Sade & Mobb Deep Get Mashed Up By J. Rocc For One Quiet Storm (Audio)

Sade has music that works for just about any mood. Beat Junkies founder, JayLib member, and Soundbombing, Vol. 2 co-host J. Rocc grasps this fact and melded her soulful melodies with the rugged flow of Mobb Deep in Thug Ballads. He combines the right Sade instrumental back-drops and vocals with just... Read more

Cam O’bi Produced For Chance, SZA & Kendrick & Now He’s Flying Solo (Audio)

Chicago has never lost its position as one of the country's biggest exporters of Hip-Hop talent, but its influence isn't limited to global superstars like Common, Kanye West and Chance The Rapper. In the last few years, Chi-town artists like Mick Jenkins, Noname, Jamila Woods, Saba, theMIND, Fredo Santana and... Read more

Melle Mel Explains Why He Didn’t Think “The Message” Would Be Successful (Video)

Grandmaster Melle Mel is regarded as one of Hip-Hop's first generation MC icons. The lyrical front-man of Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five helped move the fledgling genre of Rap from the party to a reflection of street reality. In his staggering discography, Melvin Glover was successful in both realms.... Read more

Ambrosia For Heads Presents: G.O.A.T. Producers – The Pete Rock Edition (Playlist)

Ambrosia For Heads' G.O.A.T. Producers series takes in-depth looks at the production discographies of some of Hip-Hop and R&B's greatest of all-time producers. As part of an exclusive partnership with Pandora, each installment explores the hits, the deep cuts, the rarities, the remixes and more. This edition showcases the production catalog... Read more

Lyric Jones Celebrates Solidarity & Getting By In “Got Bills” (Video)

Boston-born, L.A.-based Lyric Jones describes herself as “MC, Vocalist, Drummer,” while also noting that she is the only MC around these days who can play the drums, while she delivers her rhymes. Now this visual for “Got Bills” directed by Jones also shows she is an artist with a strong... Read more

Nipsey Hussle Explains Why He’s Joining Forces With A Major Label (Video)

Nipsey Hussle, who has created his success independently, is on the verge of dropping his first album backed by a major label. Victory Lap is poised to release on February 16, 2018, via All Money In No Money Out/Atlantic Records, and many Heads have wondered why someone who has time... Read more

Timbaland Describes The Musical Chemistry Between Him & JAY-Z (Video)

Timbaland hopes that 2018 will signal a true comeback season. The four-time Grammy Award-winner recently revealed that he battled a nearly fatal Oxycontin addiction in 2014. Once a mainstay on the singles charts by way of his hit-making productions and collaborations, Tim Mosley had a much quieter 2017. Now the... Read more

Elzhi & Khrysis Announce Their Collabo Group With A Musical Preview (Audio)

In the hours leading up to 2018, some Hip-Hop news was announced that Heads might have missed. Jamla Records' founder 9th Wonder revealed that this new year promises an exciting collaborative group from two esteemed veterans of Rap music and verse. Detroit, Michigan MC Elzhi and North Carolina producer Khrysis... Read more

The Coup’s Boots Riley Shares A Heartfelt Statement About Pam The Funkstress

As reported late last week (December 22), the iconic Bay Area DJ, Pam the Funkstress (aka Pamela Warren), tragically passed away after recently undergoing organ transplant surgery. Considered a trailblazer for all subsequent female DJs, Pam was a celebrated member of The Coup, and later became recognized as “Purple Pam”... Read more

Phonte & Elzhi Reunite On A New Song & They Are Razor Sharp (Audio)

When Little Brother released The Minstrel Show, it was a huge moment for many Hip-Hop Heads. The North Carolina-based trio that won the hearts of fans with 2003's The Listening joined Atlantic Records and seemingly represented a real chance for putting a disenfranchised side of the genre back on radio,... Read more

Puff Daddy Speaks On Working To Be A Living & Breathing Example Of Black Excellence

Sean "Puffy Daddy" Combs is the latest guest on The Touré Show. The founder of Bad Boy Worldwide recently sat before a live Manhattan audience and spoke about his family, his health, and trailblazing role in Black culture for nearly one hour. Unlike some recent interviews with Diddy, this conversation... Read more

Sadat X, Punchline & Fokis Imagine A World Where They Have It Their Way (Video)

Hip-Hop has long been a beacon of hope to people wishing for a better tomorrow. From the fantasy of Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" to the rags to riches trajectory on Biggie's "Juicy," to Nas' wishful "If I Ruled The World," some great records live by dreams. New York City Hip-Hop... Read more

Michael Rapaport Reveals Tupac, Leo & More Were Part Of The Original “Higher Learning” Cast (Video)

Michael Rapaport's acting career goes back nearly 30 years. In an array of roles, one of his most memorable is that of 1995's Higher Learning. In the John Singleton film about college and diversity, Rapaport played "Remy," a student who transforms into a skinhead. However, that role was first attached... Read more

Russell Simmons Is The Latest To Be Accused In A Wave Of Sexual Misconduct

In recent weeks, celebrities, media moguls, and politicians have been accused of past sexual misconduct. Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and Louis C.K. are just some of the very public figures who have been named in these allegations. This weekend, Hip-Hop, fashion, and comedy mogul Russell Simmons is the latest to... Read more

CyHi The Prynce Explains Why He Likens JAY-Z To A Modern Day Martin Luther King (Video)

CyHi The Prynce is recognized for his ability to combine the spiritual and political in his rhymes, so it’s no surprise he relates to the world and the people within it through a similar lens. When speaking with Billboard this week, CyHi likened JAY-Z, the man he considers his mentor, to Civil... Read more

Sway Makes His 5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle Challenge Harder But Dee-1 Keeps The Faith (Video)

Sway & King Tech's Wake Up Show made the freestyle a mandatory calling card for any MC who wanted to promote something. That tradition goes back to the '90s. In the 2010s, Sway In The Morning's 5 Fingers Of Death challenge is what keeps some MCs up at night. The stage has... Read more

Big K.R.I.T. Kicks The Freestyle Of His Career & One Of The Year’s Best (Video)

Big K.R.I.T. is underrated. Over the last seven years, he has given Hip-Hop some of its finest moments. His mixtapes K.R.I.T. Wuz Here and Return of 4eva were among the best in their respective years. 2012's "Mt. Olympus" was arguably the most potent response record to Kendrick Lamar's "Control" verse... Read more

Why Eminem Is His Own Toughest Critic (Video)

After great anticipation, Eminem began his Revival yesterday (November 10). "Walk On Water" is a single with a fitting title. Until the song released, no one knew that Beyoncé would be on the track, or that its production would be unlike anything Marshall Mathers ever rocked from Dr. Dre, the... Read more

Irv Gotti Says He Stopped Suge Knight From Releasing A Jennifer Lopez Sex Tape (Video)

In 2002, Irv Gotti produced two #1 remix singles for Jennifer Lopez. As a supplement to the actress-singer's quadruple-platinum J.Lo LP, she took a page from Mary J. Blige by releasing J To Tha L-O!: The Remixes. Like it's companion, the Epic Records remix album went to #1, featuring Hip-Hop guests... Read more

Lil’ Kim Confirms Recent Accounts Of Biggie’s Violence With Details Of Her Own (Video)

Last month, So So Def Records founder Jermaine Dupri told Drink Champs about witnessing Biggie Smalls threaten Lil' Kim at gunpoint during an Usher studio session. Dupri, who produced the resulting song ("Just Like Me") alleged, "So what [Biggie] did was he wrote the rap for Lil’ Kim…This was the... Read more

How Nas & De La Soul Battled For The Future Of Hip-Hop & Splintered It Forever (Video)

Last month, producer 9th Wonder remembered July 2, 1996's impact on the Hip-Hop community. During one of the biggest commercial booms of Rap albums, Nas released It Was Written the same Tuesday that De La Soul dropped Stakes Is High. Those two releases, coming from artists running in the same... Read more

DJ Premier Supplies A$AP Ferg With The Ultimate Beat For The Streets (Audio)

While few can say that they saw it coming, DJ Premier collaborating with A$AP Ferg is not really all that surprising. Just look at the history. Preemo has galvanized Hip-Hop culture from coast-to-coast, North and South, old and new, for more than 25 years. Meanwhile, Ferg regularly serves catchy "Rap... Read more

Lyor Cohen Explains How Redman Led Def Jam’s Comeback (Video)

During the 1980s Def Jam Records reigned supreme. The label, which burgeoned in co-founder Rick Rubin's New York University dorm room, issued several classic albums from legendary artists. These include LL Cool J's Radio, Slick Rick's The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, Rock & Rock Hall of Fame inductees Beastie Boys and... Read more

Talib Kweli Details How He And Mos Def Became Family Before They Were Black Star (Video)

This week, Talib Kweli appeared on Desus & Mero to promote November 17's Radio Silence album. That LP reunites Kweli with Jay Electronica and Anderson .Paak, as well as features a range of guests, from Waka Flocka Flame to Freestyle Fellowship's Myka 9 to Rick Ross. In making his return... Read more

Soundbombing Was Released 20 Years Ago & Launched A Generation Of Underground Hip-Hop

Twenty years ago this week (October 14, 1997) New York-based independent Hip-Hop label Rawkus Records released Soundbombing Vol. 1. Rawkus' second full-length project boasted Black Moon/Da Beatminerz producer DJ Evil Dee on the mix, and atop its cover touted, "The Ultimate Guide To Underground Hip-Hop." Time would prove it most... Read more

Pusha T Details Grindin’ A Clipse Breakup Into Putting G.O.O.D. Numbers On The Board (Video)

Today, Pusha T is president of one of Hip-Hop's most recognized labels of the last dozen years. He's launched enduring fashion brands, committed himself to causes and charities, all in the path of a career built on elite Rap lyricism. In the latest episode of The Blueprint, King Push' sits... Read more

Kendrick Lamar Details What Saved Him From The Streets Of Compton

Kendrick Lamar credits discovering Malcolm X as a teen and a 100% commitment to his music as the two things that saved him from the streets of Compton, in an interview with Touré for VICE's i-D, published today (October 16). “[Malcolm X’s] ideas rooted my approach to music,” says the... Read more

Black Thought Is A Triple Threat. He Acts As Well As He Raps.

"I feel like whether acting or making music or visual arts or fashion, I feel like you're sort of using the same muscles, with emphasis on different elements at different times," Black Thought tells Ambrosia For Heads. It's the day after his birthday, and the man who always seems to introduce... Read more

Method Man Was Not Supposed To Be The First Wu Soloist. ODB Was & He Blew It (Video)

Method Man has always appeared to be Wu-Tang Clan's most accessible group member to the mainstream public. Even his fellow Wu Gambino Raekwon admitted in a 2013 Vlad TV interview that Meth had the most passion in the group to be their breakout star. Chef noted that was also why... Read more

Meet Eminem’s Newest Signee In The Rawest BET Cypher Of 2017 (Video)

Last night (October 10) Eminem's BET Hip Hop Awards cypher shook the universe, in what stands to be the MC's most political moment in a career that's never shied away from dissing public figures of all kinds. The previous time Marshall Mathers blessed the BET cypher stage, he brought his... Read more

Method Man Details The Life Experiences That Influenced His Complicated Role On The Deuce

For 13 episodes of The Wire, Wu-Tang Clan's Method Man played Melvin "Cheese" Wagstaff. Well into a career that included film and television roles, "Cheese" showed Meth build on his portrayal of a Baltimore drug dealer over multiple seasons. He is back at work with The Wire's creator, executive producers, and many... Read more

Ghostface Killah Is Launching His Own Currency To Bring Digital C.R.E.A.M. To The Masses

Throughout his career, Ghostface Killah has rapped about getting the money, these days he is launching a new (crypto) currency, via a new business, Cream Capital. The company name borrows from the Wu-Tang classic, "C.R.E.A.M." (“Cash Rules Everything Around Me”). Only this time, the business name substitutes “crypto” for “cash.”... Read more

Nas Was Only 16 When He Wrote Illmatic. He Reminisces On The Music That Made Him (Video)

Since his days of being "too scared to grab the mics in the park" and "breakin' into candy factories," Nas' youth is legendary. Since Illmatic, the son of Jazz trumpeter Olu Dara and Anne Jones chronicled his adolescence in rhyme. The Hip-Hop culture listened, and apparently related to an MC... Read more