AFH Ambrosia for Heads

DOOM Punishes Childish MCs On His First Verses Of 2018 (Audio)

Last Friday, Joey Bada$$ paid tribute to MF DOOM on his single, "King To A God." “I sell rhymes like dimes that leaves MFs doomed / Since my first tunes I’ve been raisin’ hell from the tombs / I’m getting hotter every June / You say you with the smoke,... Read more

Joey Bada$$ Says His Rhymes Leave MFs Doomed…(Audio)

Joey Bada$$ is taking no days off thus far in 2018. Earlier this month, he earned his first platinum certification, for All-AmeriKKKan Bada$$' "Devastated." Yesterday (January 18), the Brooklyn rapper's bold Prince cover made waves and now, on the eve of his birthday, he's shared new single. "King to a God"... Read more

Nas Lends His Words To A Remix For A$AP Rocky Affiliate Joe Fox (Audio)

Nas has dropped guest verses for folks he believes in, across genre. British singer Joe Fox was a powerful force on A$AP Rocky's At.Long.Last.A$AP album in 2015. He appeared on five songs, several of which were video singles. The singer's delivery sounds like something out of the late '60s, coming... Read more

Grandmaster Flash Calls Out Kool Herc’s DJ Skills In A Push For Peace (Video)

One week ago today, Hip-Hop celebrated its 44th birthday. That day is associated with an August 11 Bronx, New York party where DJ Kool Herc (aka Clive Campbell) prolonged the dance section of a record by using two turntables with copies of the same disc. For the event, an incredible... Read more

O.D.B. Was One Of The First To Co-Sign Kanye As An MC. The Receipt Proves It (Audio)

In 2002, during an era where mainstream Hip-Hop appeared heavily saturated with gangsterism and hustler narratives, a preppy, middle-class, pink Polo shirt-rockin’ producer from the Chicago suburbs shocked the Rap game by signing to Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records at its pinnacle. While renowned for his distinctive, soulful production, Kanye West had... Read more

The Comeback Kid: Meek Mill Has Lost Many Battles, But He Just Might Win The War (Video)

Hip-Hop Heads will soon see whether or not Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. will hold the #1 spot on the 200, or if that distinction goes to Tyler, The Creator's Flower Boy, or Meek Mill's Wins & Losses. Projections favor the latter two, which would be a first for the Odd Future front-man... Read more

Brand Nubian’s First Concert Shows They Were All For One From The Start (Video)

On December 4, 1990, Brand Nubian dropped their debut album, One For All, on Elektra Records. Six days later, on December 10, they performed it for the first time at the Hard To The Left Rap Party, an artist showcase put together by the label. Shot by none other than... Read more

Reminisce On Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s Mecca & The Soul Brother 25 Years Later (Video)

On June 9, 1992, two men from the outskirts of New York City paired up to form an MC-producer duo that remains the benchmark for any pair eager to leave a mark on Hip-Hop. Pete Rock and CL Smooth of Mt. Vernon dropped Mecca and the Soul Brother, a powerhouse... Read more

Kool G Rap Is A 30-Year Lyrical Legend. Listen To A Sneak Preview Of His New Album (Audio)

Kool G Rap is frequently considered one of Hip-Hop's greatest MCs. For 31 years, the Queens, New Yorker has helped bring Rap out of an era of simpler deliveries to compound rhyme structures, fast paced flows, and an unrivaled use of cadence. Additionally, he is one of the pioneers of... Read more

“The Breaks” Is Returning For Another Season And Moving To A New Channel

This month, The Breaks aired its first season as an episodic show. Set at the top of the 1990s, the series follows the lives and movements of several young people trying to make it in the music industry. From DJ/producers, aspiring record execs, to radio, the show created by author... Read more

Today We Celebrate The Life & Legacy Of Prince With A Rebirth Of The Flesh (Audio)

A year ago today, the world was rocked by the sudden and unexpected death of Prince Rogers Nelson. It set off an outpouring of love, grief and tributes that continue to this day. At no time in his career was Prince's name more ubiquitous. In fact, he has been the... Read more

Troy Ave Defends His Attacks On Capital STEEZ & Details His Shooting (Video)

Troy Ave's career has massively changed since his 2015 album, Major Without A Deal. The Brooklyn, New York MC independently rose through the ranks to reach the Top 200 charts, with an LP that included appearances by 50 Cent, Puff Daddy, Cam'ron, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Ma$e, and Fabolous. At least... Read more

Nas Powers Up With His First Verse Of The Year (Audio)

Last month, during a DJ battle between Just Blaze and Swizz Beatz, the Ruff Ryders producer brought out the big guns. Swizzy played a never-before heard song by Nas, Jay Z, Jadakiss, and DMX. On one hand, the record called back to the late '90s and early 2000s, when Ruff... Read more

20 Years Later Here Are So Many Things About Biggie Smalls You Didn’t Know

Twenty years ago today (March 9, 1997), Hip-Hop lost a true king when Biggie Smalls died. The MC also known as The Notorious B.I.G. had risen to form in less than five years, after making early appearances beside Heavy D, Mary J. Blige, and Super Cat. By the time Biggie... 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

Snoop Dogg’s Dippin’ From Death Row To No Limit May Have Saved His Career & Life (Audio)

In early 1998, Snoop Dogg left Death Row Records for No Limit. In a reported $4 million deal brokered by Priority Records, the Long Beach, California MC went from the breakout star signed by Dr. Dre at the top of the decade to the key acquisition of the reigning independent... 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

Teddy Riley Receives 2016 Soul Train Legend Award & Performs A Medley Of Hits (Video)

In the canon of great producers, few stand taller than Teddy Riley. From the mid-80s to the mid-90s, the talented songwriter, artist and trackmaster had such a defining movement, an entire genre was created to describe his sound. New Jack City Is Turning 25. New Revelations From Its Writer Will... Read more

Erykah Badu Gets Real About Producing the Soul Train Awards & More (Video)

Known lovingly by her fans as Queen Badu, Erykah is indeed a reigning force in music and beyond. The devoted mother is deeply involved in promoting the importance of education, and has contributed her energies to solving cold rape cases. A native of Dallas, Texas, Erykah Badu is often promoting... Read more

E-40 Has A New Double Album Coming. The First Single Is On One (Audio)

E-40 is an artist who has created a career that's nearly 30 years old. The Vallejo, California Rap kingpin is a master of reinvention, while forever staying true to who he was as a self-made Mail Man, slangin' CDs and tapes out of an Oldsmobile Cutlass since the late '80s.... Read more

Redman, Lloyd Banks, Jadakiss & Obie Trice Set Up A New Standard For Collabos (Audio)

After signing to Eminem's Shady Records in 2000, fellow Detroit native Obie Trice (real name, no gimmicks) dropped his debut album Cheers, three years later. Production from Eminem, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Mr. Porter and others made it a heavy hitter, as did guest appearances from Busta Rhymes, D12, 50 Cent,... Read more

AZ Vows “Doe Or Die 2” Will Be His Final Album & It’s Coming This Year (Audio)

It has been more than seven years since Brooklyn, New York MC AZ has released an official album. In 2010, the co-founder of The Firm dropped a special 15th anniversary homage to his debut Doe Or Die. In that time, the Quiet Money lyricist has vowed that like peers Nas,... Read more

A3C Honors 1996 With Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Redman, Too Short & Bun B

This year’s upcoming A3C Festival in Atlanta, Georgia will look back on the year 1996. The five-day event, beginning October 5 on over 75 stages in the city’s Old 4th Ward and surrounding areas, will feature headlining performances by some of the top acts from 20 years ago — all... Read more

Nas, Jay Z & More Help Celebrate 20-Years Of Bad Boy In Epic Fashion (Video)

Last month, Puff Daddy joined Hot 97's Ebro In The Morning show to announce that he was reuniting his Bad Boy Entertainment family to celebrate 20 years of the iconic label that dominated music in the mid to late 90s. At the time, the media mogul revealed that, in addition... Read more

Ice Cube & Kendrick Lamar Keep George Clinton’s Funk Torch LIT (Video)

Even though he is straight out of New Jersey, George Clinton has had a profound impact on West Coast Hip-Hop. The colorful grooves, dynamic showmanship, and heavy bass hits of Parliament, Funkadelic, and Clinton's solo work deeply influenced the music of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and... Read more

A Tribe Called Quest Release A Statement On the Loss of Phife Dawg

Following the death of Phife Dawg yesterday (March 22), A Tribe Called Quest has come forward to release a statement. Between 1990 and 1998, Phife released five albums with the team of Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Additionally, Jarobi was involved with the group upon its inception. As published by... Read more

Mister Cee Explains Why Biggie’s “Ready To Die” Sounds Like 2 Different Albums

This morning (March 9), Brooklyn, New York DJ/producer/radio personality Mister Cee appeared on Sway In The Morning. On the 19th anniversary of The Notorious B.I.G.'s tragic (and unsolved) murder, Cee recalled his hand in turning a street-corner MC into arguably Rap's greatest ever. Beginning the interview, Mister Cee recalls friend... Read more

Rap-A-Lot’s J. Prince & Bun B Will Hold A 2016 South By Southwest Keynote Conversation

Thirty years ago, James "J" Prince founded Houston, Texas-based Rap-A-Lot Records. Ever since, the independent label has played a heavy hand in the careers of Scarface and the Geto Boys, Bun B, Devin The Dude, Do Or Die, Pimp C, Trae Tha Truth, 5th Ward Boyz, Facemob, Seagram, Mike Dean,... Read more

Pete Rock Receives The First Annual J Dilla Imhotep Award From Ma Dukes (Video)

Last night (February 5), the first annual J Dilla Imhotep Award was presented at J Dilla Weekend Festival in Miami, Florida. The event is hosted and partially organized by J Dilla's mother, Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey. Just five days before the 10th anniversary of her son's untimely death, Ma Duke's... Read more

Ambrosia For Heads Present…Our Picks For The 15 Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2015

2015 watched a lot change in the music industry. Streaming culture kept Heads on the edge of their seats, as Hip-Hop superstars "pushed the button" on a whim. Reclusive legends released new product, while patient veterans made massive breakthroughs. No matter large or small, burgeoning or veteran, all artists seemed... Read more

Hip-Hop’s Shining Moments of 2015: The Big, The Small, & The Revolutionary

Each and every year, there is no shortage of moments in time which crystallize the development of Hip-Hop's growth, and 2015 is no different. Over the course of the previous 12 months, the culture played larger-than-life roles in film, health, politics, television, and of course, music history. Here are just... Read more

Jadakiss & Nipsey Hussle Spend a Day on the Block, Where Some Things Never Change (Video)

On November 20, Jadakiss released Top 5 Dead or Alive, an album with an ambitious title but a fitting one for many Heads, considering its source. A day before, he dropped a heater of a track in "Rain," featuring stand-out verses from Nas and Styles P. The same day as... Read more

Outkast’s Aquemini vs. Mos Def’s Black On Both Sides. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory vs. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth’s Mecca And The Soul Brother. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

15 Years After Releasing “Mama’s Gun,” Erykah Badu Remains As Cleva As Ever (Editorial)

At the time of its release, Erykah Badu's sophomore album was often labeled as the sister album to D'Angelo's Voodoo, which had dropped 10 months earlier. Released on November 21, 2000, Badu's Mama's Gun was intimate, soul-baring, and one of the leaders of the Neo-Soul movement that presented an alternative... Read more

Dr. Dre’s 2001 vs. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth’s Mecca And The Soul Brother. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

A New Report Details The Number of Platinum Hip-Hop Albums By City

As far as music is concerned, a musician's hometown can be as heavy an influence in the development of one's sound as is talent. In many respects, the world can be carved up into musical regions, with borders based on native sounds as distinctively clear as the geographic markers like... Read more

Joell Ortiz Warns That Surviving Life in the Hood Isn’t Child’s Play (Audio)

Toronto, Ontario's MoSS is one of those longtime producers whose works are immediately known but not easily attributed to a name. With notches under his beatmaker belt that include Obie Trice's album Special Reserve, Ghostface Killah's "Kilos" from 2006's Fishscale, and Raekwon's "Have Mercy" off of Only Built 4 Cuban... Read more

Pimp C’s Diverse Musical Talents & Mental Health Struggles Remembered in His Definitive Biography (Interview)

This December marks eight years since Pimp C passed away. The man born Chad Butler built a career around making a well-seasoned gumbo with his far-reaching love of music. UGK, the Underground Kingz that Pimp C and Bun B established in the late 1980s, sprinkled Hip-Hop with elements of Blues,... Read more

Eric B. & Rakim’s Paid In Full vs. Boogie Down Productions’ By All Means Necessary. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

Rare 25-Year Old N.W.A. Photos & Collectibles Resurface, Care of a Longterm Fan (Interview)

Only now, in 2015, is N.W.A. a group that can test the waters of the digital era. It's been nearly 25 years since the group existed, and more than that since it had its famous five member lineup including Ice Cube. In 1988, there were no blogs, no streams, no... Read more

Pete Rock Reminisces Over “T.R.O.Y.” & Getting Emotional Hearing Tom Scott’s Sample (Audio)

One year ago, Pete Rock appeared on NPR's "Microphone Check" to discuss his catalog, remixes, and James Brown influence. At the midpoint of 2015, the Chocolate Boy Wonder (as he's been deemed) has a fresh batch of Petestrumentals available, care of Tucson, Arizona-based Mello Music Group. An MC/producer who got... Read more

On His 73rd Birthday, Curtis Mayfield’s Contributions To Hip-Hop Live On (Audio)

Today (June 3) would have been Curtis Mayfield's 73rd birthday. The iconic Soul, R&B, Doo-Wop and Rock & Roll vocalist died more than 15 years ago. However, his voice, his guitar, and his indelible swagger keep on pushing through the consciousness. Hip-Hop has put Curtis Mayfield on his rightful pedestal,... Read more

After 30 Years, DMC & DJ Premier Are Finally Working Together (Audio)

After several years of focusing on comics and other passions, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels has been making plans for a comeback to the Rap world. In the next installment of his appearance on Tim Einenkel's On The Library podcast, D talks about his current music projects.  The Run-DMC member begins this... Read more

Chris Rivers’ Latest Visual Examines The Battle for Greatness (Video)

As Heads may know, New York MC Chris Rivers is an avid boxer and is just as passionate about the sport as he is about his music. He participated in the 2014 Golden Gloves and has a goal of becoming heavyweight boxing champion of the world someday. The visual for... Read more

The Luniz Still Got “5 On It”—Just A Little Early This Year (Mixtape)

Earlier this week, Oakland, California duo the Luniz announced they were reuniting after a more than 10-year hiatus. MCs Yukmouth and Numbskull wasted no time delivering on the promise, releasing a new mixtape today titled High Timez. As with their signature hit "I Got 5 On It," the mixtape is... Read more

Surprise, Surprise. Kendrick Lamar’s New Album is Out Now! (News)

In yet another sign of the ever-changing record business in the digital age, Top Dawg Entertainment has delivered a very welcomed surprise to the Hip-Hop world. Kendrick Lamar's new album, To Pimp A Butterfly, which was originally slated for release on March 23, is now fully available for purchase. Nothing... Read more

Da Brat Rhymes on Big Sean’s Blessings and ABSOLUTELY SMASHES IT (Audio)

MC Lyte. Queen Latifah. Lauryn Hill. Missy. Those names are often mentioned in the discussion of great MCs who happen to be women, but now-a-days people act like they forgot about Da Brat...The first lady of So So Def Records was actually the first solo female rapper to have an... Read more

88-Keys Has Helped Shape Sounds For Q-Tip, Kanye West & Black Star, Here’s His Story (Audio)

Whether he's breaking ground with artists like Theophilus London with "Can't Stop," putting heat down for Jay Z & Kanye West's Watch The Throne album or helping architect songs that remain heavy in conversation after more than 15 years (see: Black Star "Thieves In The Night") 88-Keys' production credits make him... Read more