AFH Ambrosia for Heads

Kendrick Lamar Announces His New Album’s Title & Release Date

Last week, on April 14, Kendrick Lamar's most recent album, DAMN., celebrated its fifth anniversary. Four days later, K-Dot awakened a news cycle regarding his next LP. Today (April 18), the Compton, California superstar responded to a Twitter user who dismissed Kendrick Lamar as "officially retired." The tweet was from... Read more

ScHoolBoy Q’s 1st Song In Years Celebrates His Growth

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So…let Ambrosia For Heads sift 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, it’s better than it’s ever been. Not only can we go back... Read more

Phife Dawg’s Final Album Releases. It Features Q-Tip, Little Brother & More

Today (March 22) marks six years since Phife Dawg tragically passed away at 45 years old due to kidney failure. At the time, the A Tribe Called Quest co-founder was secretly working on a reunion album with Q-Tip, Jarobi, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. That 2016 LP, We got it from... Read more

Celebrate Black Stories Through These Films For Black History Month

"Yeah, I'll check out a movie / But it'll take a Black one to move me," Chuck D famously rapped on Public Enemy's "Burn Hollywood Burn." While Black filmmakers, actors, and stories have been making authentic reflections for decades, Chuck D's call to action continues to be answered with each... Read more

Nas’ Directorial Debut Celebrates Video Music Box

Tomorrow (December 3), Nas will make his directorial debut with You're Watching Video Music Box. The Showtime documentary, produced by Mass Appeal, celebrates the show created by "Uncle" Ralph McDaniels that initially aired on New York City's WNYC-TV channel. A Queens native, McDaniels launched the show in 1983 and featured music... Read more

Hip-Hop Now Has Its Own US Holiday

For many Hip-Hop Heads, August 11 has marked a special day on the yearly calendar. On that day, in 1973, DJ Kool Herc (aka Clive Campbell) threw a back-to-school party with his sister Cindy Campbell. The event took place at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in New York's Bronx borough. Herc is... Read more

MC Lyte, Lil Kim, Monie Love & Rapsody Celebrate Queen Latifah (Video)

2021's BET Awards were a celebration of Black women from start to finish. The 3+ hour show was hosted by Taraji P. Henson and featured performances and appearances by Issa Rae, Megan Thee Stallion, Andra Day and more. It also revealed to the world that Cardi B was expecting her... Read more

New York Has Made December 18 Earl “DMX” Simmons Day

This April continues to deliver significant losses to music fans, especially in the Hip-Hop community. The month has included the passings of DMX, Black Rob, and now, Shock G. On this week's episode of What's The Headline (embedded below as video and audio), the Ambrosia For Heads team remembers the... Read more

JAY-Z’s Sale Of TIDAL Will Transform How Artists Are Paid For Music

Just weeks after selling half of his stake in Ace of Spades, JAY-Z made another power move. Hip-Hop's first billionaire mogul sold his stake in Tidal to investor Jack Dorsey's Square company in a reportedly $297 million deal this month. Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter, also leads the mobile payment company, which now welcomes... Read more

Dave Chappelle Explains Why He Defends The Rights Of All Standup Comedians (Video)

In a ceremony held last October, Dave Chappelle was formally presented with the Mark Twain Prize For American Humor at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. Alongside family and friends, including Yasiin Bey, Common, Kenan Thompson, Jon Stewart, and Tiffany Haddish, Chappelle’s more than 30 years in comedy... Read more

Cypress Hill Tour Manager Dan McKay Applies His DIY Punk Background To Rap Legends

It is important to draw a line in the sand when aiming to be ahead of your time. For Dan McKay, the hardworking tour manager behind Cypress Hill, he saw how becoming a well-oiled machine was key to becoming the "King James" of touring Hip-Hop talent. Getting his start as... Read more

Oscar-Nominated “Do The Right Thing” Actor Danny Aiello Has Passed Away At Age 86

Last night (December 12), actor Danny Aiello died at the age of 86 in New Jersey. A native New Yorker, Aiello was nominated for an Academy Award for his role of "Sal Fragione" in Spike Lee's 1989 film Do The Right Thing. He also appeared in The Godfather Part II,... Read more

Fabolous Uses The Bulls Theme Music To Show He’s The Jordan Of Rap (Video)

Fabolous is well known for his various mixtapes series, including There Is No Competition, The S.O.U.L. Tape, and Summertime Shootouts. On Friday (November 29), he released the third and final volume of Summertime Shootouts, subtitled Coldest Summer Ever. Interestingly, even though these drops are named for the hot season, they... Read more

Dave Chappelle Accepts Comedy’s Highest Honor With Heartfelt Words For His Peers

On Sunday night (October 27), Dave Chappelle received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at Washington, D.C.'s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The prestigious award was given just miles from where the 46-year-old spent a big part of his youth. "That's why I love my art-form.... Read more

Griselda’s First Song From Their Shady Records Album Shows They Will Never Sell Out

The Griselda crew signed with Shady Records in the Spring of 2017. Within a couple of months, Westside Gunn and Conway The Machine dropped the single “Machine G*n Black” under their duo name of Hall N Nash. The Just Blaze-produced joint includes an intro by Eminem, Benny The Butcher on... Read more

DaBaby Makes A Song That Shows He’s A Grown-Up MC With A Real Message

Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, also known by his Rap moniker DaBaby, has been having a stellar campaign in 2019. After being featured in XXL's "Freshman" class this season, the 27-year-old MC released his debut album, Baby On Baby, which reached the top 25 of the Billboard 200 charts. It was accompanied... Read more

J. Cole, Lute & DaBaby Show Why NC Is 1 Of Hip-Hop’s Hottest States Under The Sun

Dreamville continues to celebrate this year's release of Revenge Of The Dreamers III with more and more visuals. The label's collaborative record dropped this summer and presented vocals from each member of the collective: J. Cole, J.I.D, Bas, Lute, Ari Lennox, Cozz, Omen, and EarthGang. Just a month ago, Heads... Read more

Puff Daddy Details How “I’ll Be Missing You” Saved His Life & Put Hope In Rap Music

Earlier this month, the third season of Hip-Hop Evolution released on Netflix. Hosted by veteran London, Ontario MC Shad, the documentary series continues to tell the stories of our culture through intimate interviews, rare footage, and all the right music. In Season 3, Episode 2, "Life After Death," Biggie's later... Read more

Danny Brown’s Q-Tip Produced Song Yields 1 Of The Year’s Weirdest Videos

This month marks three years since Danny Brown's last album, Atrocity Exhibit. After four solo releases, celebrated mixtapes, and a collaborative catalog that includes Black Milk-assisted project, D.B. is embarking on an exciting close to 2019. The Detroit, Michigan MC's Uknowhatimsayin¿ is the name of his fifth album. As reported... Read more

Little Brother’s 1st Music Video In Nearly A Decade Celebrates Their Magical Reunion

Little Brother delighted fans this week with a surprise album. Giving people less than 24 hours notice, Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh delivered May The Lord Watch on Tuesday (August 20). It marked the first L.B. project since 2010, and the group's fifth LP featured the blessing of founding third... Read more

The City Of Milwaukee Has Dedicated An Entire Week To Celebrating Hip-Hop

UPDATE: Brad Jordan (aka Scarface) is currently running for the office of Councilman in Houston, Texas. The Rap legend is helping lead "Hip-Hop Goes To The Polls," an event at this month's Hip-Hop Week MKE in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On August 23, from 1 to 3pm EST, Jordan will join Wisconsin Lt.... Read more

Wu-Tang, Pete Rock & Others Reunite To Celebrate 25+ Years Of Loud Records

Loud Records dominated the Rap music landscape in the 1990s and early 2000s. Steve Rifkind's label has some of the greatest all-time albums in the genre. To do so, Loud took chances by signing and supporting acts that defied the model at the major labels. Rifkind had been a leader... Read more

Snoop Dogg Celebrates Suge Knight On A Song About Forgiveness & Respect

Snoop Dogg has just released what is perhaps the most anticipated song from his upcoming I Wanna Thank Me album. Last week, the Long Beach, California veteran released a "Countdown" video with Swizz Beatz modeled after his breakthrough smash hit, 1992's "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang." With Swizzy's rendition of G-Funk,... Read more

Benny & Westside Gunn Confirm That Griselda Has Joined Roc Nation Management

On 2018's critically-acclaimed Tana Talk 3, Benny The Butcher used JAY-Z's blueprint to showcase his outlook on "'97 Hov." Now, Benny and Westside Gunn have announced that their Griselda Records movement is taking that relationship one big step closer. This week, the two Buffalo, New Yorker artists confirmed joining the... Read more

YBN Cordae Recites Nas & JAY-Z Verses Word For Word (Video)

Last week, Suitland, Maryland MC YBN Cordae released his solo debut, The Lost Boy. The YBN band-mate of Alabama's Nahmir and Texas' Almighty Jay has a largely different sound and message than his crew, especially on this album. With involvement from J. Cole, Pusha-T, and Chance The Rapper, The Lost... Read more

Nas Celebrates Prodigy & Queens On A Stellar Pete Rock Track (Audio)

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So…let Ambrosia For Heads 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... Read more

Nipsey Hussle Was Being Celebrated AND Investigated By LAPD

A new report reveals Nipsey Hussle was under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department at the time of his untimely passing. According to the New York Times, authorities at the LAPD and the city attorney's office opened an investigation into the Slauson rapper and his The Marathon Clothing store... Read more

Chance & YBN Cordae’s Lyrics & Beat Prove They’re Making Hip-Hop For All Ages (Video)

Maryland-raised 21-year-old rapper YBN Cordae has been making a name for himself these past few years. His Young Boss Ni**as collective has been booming for several years, breaking through many walls care of YBN Nahmir's debut viral 2017 hit, "Rubbin Off The Paint." Then came follow-up looks such as "Have... Read more

Drake Accuses Pusha-T Of Snitching In A New Song Celebrating The Raptors

Just over 48 hours after his beloved Toronto Raptors earned their first NBA championship, Drake delivered new music as promised. Throughout the basketball playoffs, the music superstar had a hard time staying on the sidelines. Instead, the OVO founder seemingly always wanted in on the action. From controversial exchanges with... Read more

Watch The Beastie Boys’ Documentary Celebrating 25 Years Of Ill Communication

Following the release of the Beastie Boys Book in late 2018, Michael Diamond (aka Mike D) and Adam Horovitz (aka Ad-Rock) have been in the public eye. Since the book hit store shelves, the two MC/producers expounded on the Beasties' bitter split with Def Jam, the group very nearly calling... Read more

Benny The Butcher Welcomes RJ Payne To His Team. They Celebrate By Bodying A Beat

Benny The Butcher and his Griselda Records team are in the midst of a banner year. After a Westside Gunn mixtape (Fourth Rope) and a new Conway The Machine project (EiF3), this month saw the release of "Headlines," featuring the three of them alongside DJ Premier production. Later in 2019,... Read more

Joey Bada$$ Brings Back Rap City’s Booth With Beast Coast & Big Tigger (Video)

At just 24 years old, Joey Bada$$ has been a purveyor of 1990s and 2000s Rap styles throughout the last decade—even if he was not around to firsthand witness all of it. The Pro Era front-man often represents a Brooklyn not unlike crews such as the Boot Camp Clik and... Read more

JAY-Z Celebrates Nipsey Hussle With A Freestyle About Self-Empowerment (Video)

JAY-Z and Nipsey Hussle had a special bond. In many ways, the two men mirrored one another, albeit from different generations and different coasts. Both were entrepreneurs imbued with a hustler's spirit, who used the lessons they learned from the streets, both good and bad, as tools of motivation for... Read more

20 Years Ago Today, MF DOOM Was Born

MF DOOM's Operation: Doomsday came to the surface 20 years ago today, on April 20, 1999. Birthed out of tragedy and commercial frustrations, Metal Face DOOM, real name Daniel Dumile, created a solo album shrouded in mystery, multi-syllabic rhymes, and technically rough, back-to-the-future production. The display was weird, cartoonish, and... Read more

Watch The Livestream Of The Nipsey Hussle Celebration Of Life Memorial

Today (April 11), Nipsey Hussle will be laid to rest in his hometown of Los Angeles, California. Less than two weeks ago, on March 31 the 33-year-old born Ermias Davidson Asghedom was fatally shot outside of his Crenshaw District store, The Marathon. Now thousands of family, friends, fans, and other... Read more

Anderson .Paak’s New Song Celebrates LeBron James For His Activism (Audio)

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So…let Ambrosia For Heads 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... Read more

Dave Chappelle Teaches Will Smith How To Do Standup Comedy (Video)

Will Smith is many things. Actor, MC, humanitarian, father, social media influencer and husband are some of the titles he holds. However, the West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native says that standup comedy is a fascination of his that gives him fear. Smith's role on The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, in film,... Read more

2 Chainz Celebrates Black Wealth & Buys The Block In His New Video

Last Friday (March 1), 2 Chainz released Rap Or Go To The League. It's the Atlanta, Georgia MC's first album in two years and documents the artist's growing stature as a rapper's rapper. For some fans over the last decade, Chainz has been more closely associated with Trap music than... Read more

Big K.R.I.T. Has Long Been A King. Now, He Celebrates Beautiful Queens

Born in North Dakota and raised in Georgia, Atlanta based artist Elhae's career in music began with his family in church. After learning to play the piano, compose his own music, and sing alongside his mother in the local church's choir, Elhae's passion grew. Since, Elhae released his first official... Read more

Jay Rock Celebrates His Grammy With Some G-Funk

Two weeks ago, Jay Rock won his first Grammy Award. The win came from the song "King's Dead." That video single featuring Kendrick Lamar, Future, and James Blake appeared on the chart-topping Black Panther soundtrack one year ago. Then, the Mike WiLL Made It, Sounwave, 30 Roc, and Twon Beatz-produced... Read more

Back In The Day, Ill Al Skratch Made An Anthem For Real Friends In Every Hood

Hip-Hop has had a connection to R&B since its inception. From shared session players and producers, to artists being on the same labels or under the same management, to straight up collaborations, the two genres have gone hand-in-hand for decades. However, there is a keen difference between putting an R&B... Read more

It’s Official! February 13 Is Mad Skillz Day

Twenty-three years ago this week (February 13, 1996), rapper Mad Skillz released his debut album, From Where???. The Big Beat/Atlantic Records title referenced the fact that the artist born Shaqwan Donnie Lewis represented Richmond, Virginia. That city was a new source of talent in the eyes and ears of many Rap... Read more

Tha Alkaholiks Take Their Party On Tour To Celebrate 25 Years Of 21 & Over

Twenty-five years ago last August, Tha Alkaholiks' 21 & Over was released on the fledgling Loud Records. At a time of Gangsta Rap, the West Coast-based group the trio of Tash, J-Ro, and E-Swift had a new kind of flavor. The collective was mentored by Compton Rap O.G., King T. However,... Read more

Erick Sermon & Big K.R.I.T. Join Forces To Celebrate Southern Women (Audio)

Erick Sermon's eighth solo studio album Vernia has been in the works for more than a year. The Hip-Hop legend drops off a new single to whet fans appetite on the LP that they pre-funded. "That Girl" is a strong release from the EPMD MC/producer and celebrates women of the... Read more

In 2011, Murs & Tabi Bonney Made A Proper Song Celebrating Love For Hip-Hop

Whether or not it always seems it, love is at the core of Hip-Hop. Whodini made "One Love." Common looked back at the challenges of his affair with "I Used To Love H.E.R." Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth reminded Heads that "Lots Of Lovin'" was necessary to make any good... Read more

Buckwild Gives Terror Squad Some D.I.T.C. Fire To Celebrate Big Pun (Audio)

Last week (February 7) marked 19 years since Big Pun tragically passed away. Although much of the music from the legendary lyricist has released since his death, friends and collaborators continue to find ways to light his legacy. Diggin' In The Crates producer Buckwild uploaded a new joint to celebrate... Read more

DMX Announces It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot 20th Anniversary Tour Dates

Last May, DMX's debut album, It's Dark And Hell Is Hot turned 20 years old. Earl Simmons was behind bars for the anniversary, stemming from a violation of bail surrounding a tax evasion conviction. After leaving Gilmer Federal Correctional Institution in Glenville, West Virginia last month, Dark Man X is... Read more

The Black Eyed Peas Are On A New Vibration. They’ve Got The Jazz (Video)

The Black Eyed Peas released their Masters Of The Sun Vol. 1 album last October, and they continue to showcase visuals from the LP that features Nas, Phife Dawg, De La Soul's Plug 1, and Slick Rick. The California veterans just dropped their video for "VIBRATIONS, pt.1 pt.2," one of... Read more

Kris Kasanova Celebrates The Hustler’s Spirit On New Song “This Side”

Kris Kasanova has positioned himself to be a vibrant voice in Hip-Hop and an artist to watch. He's put in work on the independent scene through this decade. Now, the Red Hook, Brooklyn native kicks off a hopeful 2019 with his latest single, “This Side.” The single celebrates life by hustling for... Read more

Early Hip-Hop Records Sampled James Brown. His 1st Funk Record Sampled Miles Davis.

If the debate for the King of R&B is up for grabs, followers of the late great James Brown can rest easy, as his position among the greatest to ever do it, is secure as a Master padlock. Known indelibly as the “Godfather of Soul Music,” Brown’s career covered successive... Read more