AFH Ambrosia for Heads

Your Old Droog Joins Lil Fame, Sean Price & Milano On This Dusty Throwback (Audio)

Aside from a Mac Miller cut ("Sleepers..."), Your Old Droog got on without much vocal assistance. Droog's staple producer DJ Skizz gave him the ultimate cast of hardcore New York MCs on "Hot Breath." The budding sensation is joined by Heltah Skeltah's Sean Price, M.O.P.'s Lil Fame, and even D.I.T.C.... Read more

Rick Ross, Jay Z & Timbaland’s Movin Bass Began As A Tink Song. Hear It (Audio)

Released one week ago, Rick Ross and Jay Z's latest tandem, "Movin' Bass" premiered. This latest collision happened on a jolting Timbaland beat. However, this week suggests that the high-profile union actually began as a beat and song intended for a much lesser-known artist: Tink. Tink is Timbo's latest protege,... Read more

J. Cole Loves His Fans’ Company More Than Their Money (Video)

Less than a month away from his 2014 Forest Hills Drive album, his third LP, J. Cole and The Fader released this intimate look at J. Cole's reasoning behind his Dollar And A Dream Tour. The North Carolina MC/producer seems to be focused heavily on his own small town beginnings.... Read more

Sadat X & Cormega Can Put Their Feet Up After All They’ve Achieved (Video)

After six months in audio, Sadat X & Cormega's "On Fire" video comes to life. Finding the pair of great MCs in luxurious New York City elements, the song celebrates the consistency, pedigree, and popularity of the two artists with history going back to the late '80s. This comes from... Read more

It’s Official. J. Cole is Releasing His Next Album on December 9th (Video)

After listings for a J. Cole album popped up on iTunes and Amazon earlier, rumors spread that the Roc Nation MC was releasing his 3rd major label album on December 9th. Well, it's official. Jermaine has confirmed via Twitter and YouTube that his next album will be called 2014 Forest... Read more

CL Smooth Bobs & Weaves On This Bouncy Shuko Beat (Audio)

CL Smooth is not big on an abundance of appearances. Instead the New Rochelle, New Yorker looks on at Hip-Hop from afar, admiring his contributions, especially those over two revered LPs and an EP with Pete Rock. However, Shuko, the German producer whose beats have sounded great alongside the likes... Read more

If James Brown Were A Rapper In 2014, He’d Sound Like Mystikal On This Funky Number (Audio)

With his own YMCMB debut, Original, on seeming delay, Mystikal has been a bit mysterious since leaving prison. While he's been at work with Mannie Fresh, and made some Rich Gang appearances, the 1990s star and onetime No Limit free agent acquisition is certainly quiet, relatively speaking. Mark Ronson, the... Read more

Eminem Released Infinite 18 Years Ago Today

With the anticipated release of his 9th studio album, Shady XV, Eminem continues to prove that he still has a ton of fire left in his gut. Look no further for proof of this fact than with the release of his 18 minute lyrical massacre, "Shady CVXPHER," that recently set... Read more

Crooked I Confirms Name-Change To Kxng Crooked

Heads who listened closely to this week's "Shady cXVpher" may have heard Slaughterhouse's Crooked I refer to himself as "Kxng Crooked." MTV News today confirmed today (November 12) that the moniker is more than just a braggy line. "Everything needs to change and everything has to evolve. Creatively, I just... Read more

Juvenile Fits 2014’s YMCMB Sound & He Says Some Real Things Alongside Drake’s Chorus (Audio)

Juvenile is Cash Money for the second time in his career, after a lot of on-again, off-again status with his former label, as well as his (still estranged) producer, Mannie Fresh. Back in the paperwork, Juvy made his debut on "Sho Me Love." With a very simple, straightforward Drake chorus,... Read more

Big Daddy Kane Says He Asked Kool Moe Dee For A Battle When He Was 14 (Video)

In a new interview with Vlad TV, Big Daddy Kane opens up about what he was doing in 1982 and 1983. Five years before Long Live The Kane, the would-be Brooklyn, New York superstar was traveling the streets of New York, looking for challenges. He even took aim at one... Read more

Freddie Gibbs’ Next Studio Album Is Announced

Following his first Top 200 charts appearance, care of 2014's Pinata album with Madlib, Freddie Gibbs is back in the lab. Since the critically-acclaimed March album, a commercial benchmark for the Gary, Indiana native, Gibbs has released The Tonite Show, with producer The World's Freshest. Already, Gibbs released the first... Read more

Ghostface Killah To Drop A Hardcore Hip-Hop Album Really Soon, Unearths First Single (Audio)

This will have the Wu-Tang Clan controversy Heads abuzz... One week after W.T.C. is plotting A Better Tomorrow, Ghostface Killah will release 36 Seasons (December 9). What's more is that this LP teams Ghost with fellow New York City rhyme-monsters such as Kool G Rap, AZ, and Pharoahe Monch. Perhaps... Read more

Who Wants Some Rare Early Cuts From Jay Z, DMX, The Beatnuts & Black Sheep? (Mixtape)

A lot of the would-be Hip-Hop stars of the 1990s put in studio recording work years before their names got hot. Moreover, the artists, their early labels, and teams had to go to risky expense of pressing these moments to wax in hopes of breakin' even, or perhaps giving them... Read more

Following Raekwon, Inspectah Deck Makes A Heartfelt Soul-Inspired Tape (Mixtape)

After Raekwon eloquently concluded his "TBT" R&B/Soul/Pop tribute series with a mixtape, We Wanna Thank You, another Wu-Tang Clan member is paying homage to the soulful songs of yesteryear. Inspectah Deck made Cynthia's Son, a mixtape reworking, sampling, and tapping into songs favored by the Bronx, New York MC's late... Read more

Big Sean’s IDFWU Football Visual Brings ‘Em Out, Including E-40 & Kanye West (Video)

Big Sean's done it again. The G.O.O.D Music MC's "IDFWU (I Don't Fuck With You)" single has become a viral hit. With that in mind, the Detroit wordsmith (joined by ageless veteran E-40) unveiled the visual to the single. Using the highly-topical world of football, Sean invites (Coach) Kanye West,... Read more

Taylor Swift Rocks Out To Kendrick Lamar, K-Dot Freestyles Over Taylor Swift (Audio)

While plenty of Rap superstars shun interviews and duck possibly awkward media spots, Kendrick Lamar—although reclusive, welcomes the attention. Hours after Taylor Swift celebrated her milestone first-week sales by vibing out to some good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar, the Compton, California superstar was probed for a reaction while... Read more

M.O.P. & Busta Rhymes Show You The Life They Represent (Video)

In preparation for their new EP, M.O.P. release the visual for "Broad Daylight," featuring Busta Rhymes. The video plays like a violent metaphor for Fame, Danze and Busta's menacing lyrics about what happens to soft competition when they mix it up with hardscrabble veterans. Flipmode Squad and First Family go... Read more

Kendrick Lamar Continues To Spread The Love With i (Video)

Kendrick Lamar continues his mission to save lives musically with the official video to his lead single, "i." Kendrick clearly understands the grasp his music has within the Hip-Hop realm and even more importantly, he understands that the people who listen to his music believe in it and look to... Read more

DJ Khaled Holds it Down with Rick Ross, Fabolous, Ace Hood & Usher (Audio)

DJ Khaled resets the lineup on the remix to "Hold You Down." He keeps it smoothed out on the R&B tip but recruits Rick Ross, Fabolous, Ace Hood and Usher on the vocals. Check it out. Related: Finding The GOAT: Rick Ross vs. Fabolous…Who You Got?... Read more

DJ Quik, Suga Free & Dom Kennedy Hit The Seas For Their New Splash (Video)

From the recently-released Midnight Life, DJ Quik's "Life Jacket" is one of the smoother offerings. Joined by 20-year affiliate Suga Free, as well as one of the artists the Compton, California mainstay has inspired, Dom Kennedy, the trio take to the waters with some female company for the independent single.... Read more

Joe Budden Looks Into The Camera To Let One Of His Exes Know It’s Real (Video)

Following the release of "Ordinary Love Shit, Part 4 (Keep Running)," Joe Budden lets you know it's real, with the video. From a perhaps metaphoric cell, Joe looks the camera in the lens and tells it as it is, to him. This is masterful relationship rap from one of the... Read more

Travel To Big K.R.I.T.’s Planet Of Cadillactica A Week Early (Album Stream)

With the new week, Big K.R.I.T. has looked to NPR First Listen (for the second straight time) to premiere his sophomore major label album, Cadillactica (November 11) more than a week early. Guests on the Cinematic/Def Jam Records affair, per usual, include many of K.R.I.T's inspirations, including the likes of... Read more

A.G., Sadat X & Neek the Exotic Abuse this Throwback Jazz Sample (Audio)

DJ JS-1 assembles A.G., Sadat X and Neek the Exotic on a 90's-flavored jazz loop, as they run down tales from back in the day. Check out "Sample Abusers." Related: Finding The GOAT: Kool G Rap vs. Sadat X…Who You Got?... Read more

Happy Birthday to Pharoahe Monch. Here’s a Celebratory Mix of His Music (Audio)

Happy Birthday to Pharoahe Monch who turned 42 on Halloween. To celebrate the date, OkayPlayer commissioned DJ Raydar Ellis to put together a mix of Monch's music. Ellis dug deep in the crates pulling out gems from Pharoahe's solo career, his days with Organized Konfusion, featured appearances and more. Check... Read more

Scarface Takes A Long, Honest Look Back At The Diary 20 Years Later

Twenty years ago, Scarface released his third solo album, The Diary. A five-mic album in The Source, the Rap-A-Lot Records effort is cemented as one of the benchmarks in Brad Jordan's extensive, near 30-year career. With a platinum plaque and two charting singles, the effort had popularity, despite incredibly dark... Read more

Get The Sum Of Raekwon’s Soul/R&B 21-Song TBT Series (Mixtape)

For 20 straight weeks, Raekwon the Chef sliced up some of his personal favorite R&B/Soul/Pop delicacies. Rae' left the vocals in tact on songs from the '70s, '80s, '90s, and a tip-toe of 2000s as he hopped on the tracks and proved that he could get a lil' Ghostdeini himself.... Read more

Snoop Dogg & DJ Premier Recall Making The Final Gang Starr Song, An MC Eiht Battle (Video)

Snoop Dogg's GGN interview series is reaching that whole other level. Tha Doggfather welcomes DJ Premier to the guest seat. Snoop and Premo, who have worked together a number of times, still find a way to unearth some really grabbing stuff here. Going back to the final Gang Starr album,... Read more

Wu-Tang Clan Has A History Of Iconic Artwork. How’s A Better Tomorrow Stack Up?

Wu-Tang Clan's album artwork, collectively and as individually artists, has been that of pop culture. Re-popularized on t-shirts, posters, and the like, the images of the New York Rap collective are as timeless as the verses from RZA and the family. It's been revealed that W.T.C's sixth album, A Better... Read more

Big K.R.I.T. & Raphael Saadiq Search For The Lost Soul In The World (Audio)

With Cadillactica two weeks away (November 11), Big K.R.I.T.'s Raphael Saadiq-assisted "Soul Food" hits the web. Ray sounds as a crisp as he has in 10 years, and as integral to a Rap song as ever, as Krizzle breaks down the missing soul, from the relationships, to the streets, to... Read more

The Universal Zulu Nation’s 41st Anniversary Is In November & Your Favorite Artists Are Involved…

On November 6-9, New York City will play host to the Universal Zulu Nation's 41st anniversary. Over the course of seven planned events (with possibly more coming), those involved include Afrika Bambaataa, Black Moon, 9th Wonder, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Sadat X, Da Beatminerz, Psycho Les, DJ Jazzy Jay, Kool... Read more

Ever See This Cypher with Big Pun, DMX, Mos Def, Canibus, John Forte & Mic Geronimo? (Video)

Some moments are worth re-living...Like this cypher between Big Pun, DMX, Mos Def, Canibus, John Forte and Mic Geronimo. Back in the day, the 6 skilled MCs were at a table sharing a true Hip-Hop moment and decided to have a friendly cypher. Onlookers included Toure, Irv Gotti and others... Read more

MC Lyte Makes The Perfect Visual For Her Latest Common Collabo (Video)

Following last month's "Dear John," MC Lyte & Common's latest collaboration gets a narrative video. The song about men taking on a greater role in their families amidst the stressful and demanding circumstances gets a video that highlights fatherhood, especially Black fatherhood, including some celebrity cameos. This concept is executed... Read more

Raekwon Phone Taps Into Some Faith Evans & Carl Thomas Heat (Audio)

Raekwon's TBT series rolls on, with an early '00s tilt. Chef looks to Faith Evans & Carl Thomas' "Can't Believe," which is not even his first Faith nod. The song notably swacked the basis of the beat to The Firm's "Phone Tap," made by Rae's friends and collaborators Nas, AZ,... Read more

Styles P Goes Back to Phantom and the Ghost For His Latest Visual (Video)

Styles P shows off the versatility of his flow on "Smoke All Day" from his Phantom and the Ghost album. Usually at home with a steely flow over grimy beats, this one finds Ghost rapping over a soulful and melodic track...right in the pocket. Check out the video. Related: Finding... Read more

Ab-Soul Reveals His Music Industry Family, Getting Radio Fines To Nardwuar (Video)

One week after Ambrosia For Heads' "search for the GOAT" pitted Ab-Soul against Joe Budden, leave it to Nardwuar to present Soulo with a copy of Joe Budden, the album—something the Carson, California MC is apparently a massive fan of. This interview, Nardwuar's latest within the Black Hippy/Top Dawg Entertainment... Read more

Joe Budden Is A Master Of Ex-Rap, His Latest 5-Minute Journal Entry Proves It (Audio)

Longtime Joe Budden fans know that the Jersey City, New Jersey veteran has built a career off of breaking the fourth wall in his raps. From addiction to self-doubt, his paranoia and most open thoughts on Hip-Hop, Joe never holds back. And those who've been listening to the verses long... Read more

BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah Bring Elzhi Out For Gunshowers (Audio)

Ten years ago, would you ever imagine Ghostface Killah (then a key Def Jam acquisition) and Elzhi (then running with Slum Village) together? BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghost's Sour Soil makes that happen on "Gunshowers." This intricate instrumentation opens the gate for El' and Starks to bombard the microphone with sharp verbals,... Read more

DJ Quik Discusses His Extensive History, Details Origins Of MC Eiht Beef (Audio)

DJ Quik is on the media circuit once again. David Blake swung through New York City, appearing on Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds' Juan Epstein podcast. Working chronologically (beginning from 28:00), Quik goes from his days of slanging tapes that covered the left side of the Mississippi River, into Quik... Read more

Brandy, MC Lyte, Yo-Yo & Queen Latifah Perform I Wanna Be Down Remix (Video)

Nearly 20 years after the release of one of Hip-Hop's finest remixes, Brandy, MC Lyte, Yo-Yo and Queen Latifah reunited at the BET Hip Hop Awards for a sizzling performance of "I Wanna Be Down." You could feel the excitement in the building mounting as each MC took the visually... Read more

Big K.R.I.T. Kicks A So-Sincere Verse From Cadillactica On Sway In The Morning (Video)

Big K.R.I.T. doesn't freestyle. He tells Sway Calloway as much during this week's stop on Sway In The Morning. However, when urged to take a minute to gather an upcoming collection of couplets, after a quick freestlye over "Mind Playing Tricks on Me," K.R.I.T. comes out of nowhere with a... Read more

Big K.R.I.T. Releases the Title Track to Cadillactica (Audio)

Less than a month away from his sophomore album with Def Jam Records backing (November 11), Big K.R.I.T. offers up the title song from Cadillactica. The work fits snugly into Krizzle's catalog, on the basis of lyrics. However, the sound of the record shows some new progression from the MC/producer.... Read more

Ab-Soul Confirms That Longterm Mentality 3 Will Be His First Album In Stores (Video)

Ab-Soul has no fear in talking about his fetishes, the most romantic thing he's ever done for a ladyfriend, and how he's "eatin'" "to every extent of the word." However, along the way in the as-expectedly colorful Montreality interview, Ab confirms that Longterm Mentality 3 will commemorate his debut album,... Read more

Joe Budden & Crooked I Represent for the Crew on Devil in My House (Audio)

Joe Budden and Crooked I may make up one half of Slaughterhouse, but the fractions stop there. Each is a formidable MC unto himself and both stand on their own. Together? They create an East Coast/West Coast tandem that can go toe to toe with any other Rap twosome. On... Read more

Sometimes I Rap Fast, Sometimes I Rap Slow: The Evolution Of JAY-Z’s Flow (Food For Thought)

As another NFL season loads up, the sports news cycle is dominated by teams, offenses, depth charts and injury reports. Although not a fan (au contraire), I often marvel at the dynamic strategies of Bill Bellichick, Tom Brady, and the New England Patriots. From season-to-season, the three-time Super Bowl champions... Read more