AFH Ambrosia for Heads

Swizz Beatz Premieres A New Song Featuring Nas, Jay Z, DMX & Jadakiss And It’s Unreal (Video)

Note: To hear the track, skip to 2:27:15 in the long video, or play the short clip just below. Although they have both reached G.O.A.T. status among Hip-Hop producers, with catalogs of hits rivaled by few, at their cores, Just Blaze and Swizz Beatz are still DJs too. With nothing... Read more

Finding The GOAT Producer: DJ Premier vs. Rick Rubin. Who Is Better?

“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 will be reserved for wild-card entries, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no... Read more

Act 2 Of DJ Premier & Miguel’s Collabo Is For The Love (Video)

March 13 UPDATE: The video has been released to "2 Lovin U" by Miguel & DJ Premier: Original February 21 post: Just over one week ago, Miguel was nominated for two Grammy Awards for his 2015 Wildheart album, and its corresponding single "Coffee." That ByStorm/RCA Records LP featured Tha Dogg... Read more

Finding The GOAT Producer: DJ Premier vs. Large Professor. Who Is Better? (Audio)

“Finding the GOAT Producer” begins. The third installment of Ambrosia For Heads' 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 2 slots will be reserved for wild-card entries, including the possibility for write-in candidates, to insure no deserving... Read more

MC Eiht Reveals Why His Album With DJ Premier Is A Return To Quality Over Quantity (Video)

In the dozen years between 1994 and 2006, MC Eiht released more than 17 albums of new music. The Compton's Most Wanted front man focused on his solo career (while still doing collaborations with C.M.W., Spice 1, Brotha Lynch Hung and others) and did so at a wildly prolific rate.... Read more

No More Mr. Nice Guy. DJ Premier Tells MCs & NYC DJs To Step Their Games Up (Video)

DJ Premier is known for being one of Hip-Hop's gap-bridgers. The Gang Starr producer/DJ has been a sonic leader in Hip-Hop for nearly 30 years. He has worked with artists who released records before him like Rakim and Just-Ice as well as 2010s breakouts such as Joey Bada$$ and King... Read more

Yasiin Bey Premieres New Music In An Intimate 15-Minute Set (Video)

Yasiin Bey is reportedly said to be hanging up his red microphone soon. The Brooklyn, New Yorker formerly known as Mos Def has vowed that he is soon taking a hiatus from albums and performing. As there are an estimated three LPs set to release in the near future, the... Read more

Rakim & DJ Premier’s Song Has A Message Of Wisdom, Strength & Moving Forward (Audio)

In 1999, the world was gearing up for Y2K with great angst and uncertainty. Going by the numbers this week, approximately half of the American voters are feeling angst and uncertainty in an upcoming change of offices, from the White House, to Congress, and at state levels. In a week... Read more

DJ Premier & Prince Paul Discuss Hip-Hop’s Generation Gap & Why We All Need Perspective (Video)

DJ Premier and Prince Paul are two legendary producers in Hip-Hop (and beyond) with discographies that span back to the 1980s. Back then, Preemo joined Guru to launch the album-making years of Gang Starr. In the very same 1989 that No More Mr. Nice Guy released, Paul celebrated strong accolades... Read more

MC Eiht’s Upcoming Album Includes This DJ Premier Remix (Audio)

MC Eiht and Compton's Most Wanted have a long history with DJ Premier and Gang Starr. In 1992, Preemo remixed "Def Wish II" from the critically-acclaimed Music To Driveby album. Two years later, Eiht dropped a "Geah!" on Premier's answering machine for Hard To Earn's "Aiight Chill" interlude. Even though... 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

Freeway Premieres His Latest Lyrical Bomb Drop (Audio)

The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania MC known by Freeway and respected the world over is no stranger to inter-regional collaborations. Having released projects with the Jacka from Oakland, California; Jake One from Seattle, Washington; Statik Selektah of Boston, Massachusetts; and of course his extensive work with Mr. New York himself, Jay Z,... Read more

ScHoolboy Q Releases A Grim Short Film Premiering His Song “By Any Means” (Video)

It's been an active week for ScHoolboy Q. Days ago, he teased a short film, directed by Jack Begert & Dave Free of tHe little Homies, for his forthcoming Blank Face LP (July 8), and yesterday, he revealed the eclectic and star-studded tracklist for the album. Now, he releases the... Read more

Joey Bada$$ Is A Freestyle Supa Star Over Classic DJ Premier (Video)

Legendary New York City radio personality Funkmaster Flex recently launched a new series on his program that keeps the freestyle format simple. Its first episode, "Freestyle #001" featured Pro Era's Nyck Caution, the Brooklyn MC whose recent mixtape Disguise the Limit has garnered critical acclaim. On its third installment, Flex... Read more

DJ Premier Gives The Inside Story On The Making Of Jay Z’s Reasonable Doubt 20 Years Later

Twenty years ago, Jay Z had a hustler's ambition of releasing an album and then walking away. His lifestyle already afforded the finer things in life, so he was not making the music for the money. Rather, in his 26 years of life, he had accumulated some formidable stories that he... Read more

DJ Premier & Dilated Peoples Reunite To Bring Torii Wolf Into The Mix (Audio)

Nearly 15 years ago, Dilated Peoples and DJ Premier crossed paths on their sophomore album, Expansion Team. The trio from Los Angeles, California did just that, on an LP that also featured production from Questlove, The Beatnuts, and Da Beatminerz. Preemo's Gang Starr brother Guru would also appear on the... Read more

Common Premieres 2 Powerful New Verses From His Upcoming Album (Video)

Today (May 31) Common was a guest on Sway In The Morning. In the last year and a half, Common has added Oscar awards, Golden Globe awards, and another Grammy to his stash of trophy accolades. Meanwhile, he put a beef to bed and made a blockbuster film and a... Read more

DJ Premier’s 1st Fully-Produced Album Since PRhyme Is A Radical Departure. Meet Torii Wolf (Video)

Over the course of his 30 years in music, DJ Premier has been one of the most respected names in Hip-Hop. The iconic DJ and producer has worked with countless revered artists, including Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Jay Z, Kanye West, Common, Mos Def, Dr. Dre and more, always adding... Read more

King Harris II Colors His Own West Coast Reality Into An Ice-T Classic (Audio Premiere)

Oxnard, California (by way of Long Beach) MC King Harris II is gearing up for the release of his Nightmare On Wolff Street album tomorrow, on "Friday the 13th" no less. After making impactful appearances on albums by Tech N9ne and E-40, the diligent MC (who also happens to be... Read more

Masta Ace Premieres “Young Black Intelligent” & Champions The Art Of Storytelling (Audio)

This week (May 13), Masta Ace will release his fifth solo album, The Falling Season. Although the LP follows the conceptual storyline of 2012's DOOM-supported MA_DOOM: Son Of Yvonne, it also reportedly also stands in the cult-championed lineage of 2001's Disposable Arts and 2004's Long Hot Summer. Released on Ace's... Read more

Styles P & Sheek Louch Unearth A Deep DJ Premier Cut And Put Their Shine On It (Audio)

The LOX have a bond that cannot be broken. Even when they are pursuing solo projects, the 20+ year collective of Styles P, Sheek Louch and Jadakiss are never far from each other, as they frequently serve as guests on one another's tracks. In the last 24 hours, Styles and... Read more

Chance The Rapper Premieres A New Song About His Many “Blessings” (Video)

Jimmy Fallon said it best on last night's episode of The Tonight Show. "People are going crazy over this tonight. The internet's gonna go nuts for this one," he said before introducing Chance the Rapper as his musical guest. The Chicago MC will be releasing his third mixtape - fittingly... Read more

DJ Premier Shares the First Taste of Another Winning Collaboration (Audio)

DJ Premier's track record for collaborating with young artists outside the confines of the traditional Hip-Hop sound is arguably one of the best. From his work with Anderson .Paak to Yuna, Premo's ability to curate heat without changing the sound of his musical partner makes him the true embodiment of... Read more

Nas Joins The Weeknd To Premiere The “Tell Your Friends” Remix At The Met Gala (Video)

Last night, the annual Met Gala took place in New York City. Billed as "the party of the year," the event is a benefit ball for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute, the only department of the Met that has to fund itself. As "the Oscars of the East,"... Read more

Prodigy Gives Away An Album Bundle Featuring Ghostface, Slick Rick, KRS-One & DJ Premier

Two weeks after Prodigy released the first R.I.P. album bundle, he completes the trilogy with his third and final installment. R.I.P. 3 features major Hip-Hop influences upon Mobb Deep such as KRS-One and Slick Rick, as well as peers ranging from Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, to Alchemist, Cormega,... Read more

Joell Ortiz Wrecks A DJ Premier Beat Like A Supa Star (Video)

Joell Ortiz's new collaboration album with producer Domingo will be released tomorrow (March 15). The project, titled That's Hip-Hop, is an ode to music that puts a premium on top-notch lyricism, and Ortiz is happy to oblige. The Slaughterhouse spitter also invited several other respected wordsmiths to join him in... Read more

Yuna Rocks A DJ Premier Track Better Than Most MCs Do (Video)

Wanderlust - the overwhelming desire to travel - may be one of the most relatable concepts in the human experience. Whether geographically or otherwise, thoughts of arriving elsewhere can be freeing or suffocating, and Malaysian singer Yuna explores that dichotomy beautifully in her DJ Premier-produced single "Places to Go." Having... Read more

This Documentary Treats Masta Ace’s “Disposable Arts” Like The Masterpiece It Is (Video Premiere)

Fifteen years ago this October, Masta Ace released his sophomore solo album, Disposable Arts. The Jcor Records release marked the Brooklyn, New York MC's first album after a six-year period. While signed to Big Beat/Atlantic Records, the Masta Ace Incorporated alum aimed to return to his solo catalog. The recordings... Read more

DJ Premier Remixes Kanye West & Makes Him Sound Like The Old Kanye (Audio)

Throughout the last decade, DJ Premier and Kanye West have worked together several times. Whether "Classic," "Everything I Am," or Common's "The Game," Preemo has been a reigning affiliate of the G.O.O.D. Music family, and one of West's influences. Thereby, the Gang Starr member takes it upon himself to remix... Read more

DJ Premier Does For Yuna What He Did For D’Angelo. Made A Soul Classic (Audio)

Yuna has enjoyed an extensive career over the last decade, crossing over from Malaysian Pop into a flagship artist at the storied Verve Records imprint. She has worked with The Neptunes (both Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, individually), and Sa-Ra Creative Partners' Om'Mas Keith. On her new single "Places To... Read more

Macklemore Releases “Buckshot” With KRS-One & DJ Premier. Is That “Real Hip-Hop” Enough? (Audio)

Ever since the blockbuster success of their album The Heist, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have been scapegoated as the poster children for the appropriation of Hip-Hop. To some, their catchy hooks and pop-influenced productions are anathema to the culture. The hate for the group was compounded by their win for... Read more

Casual & Saafir Go From Legendary Battle Opponents To Key Collaborators (Audio Premiere)

Almost 22 years ago, Casual and Saafir went off the rails (and reels) in a 1994 Wake Up Show (Sway & King Tech) syndicated radio battle. At the time, Casual had just released his Jive Records debut, Fear Itself, which featured "the Saucee Nomad" on one particular track. Saafir, who had... Read more

QBert, DJ Premier, Jazzy Jeff Speak On Evolution & Pressures Of DJs In Doc Trailer (Video)

Films like 2001's Scratch have covered the role of DJs in Hip-Hop music's genesis. However, the artist who uses turntables and mixers to create, alter, and present music live spans across genre. Soundtrack: The Story of the DJ is a forthcoming film that examines the mix-master. The film, made by... Read more

Mick Jenkins’ Clever Lyricism Is Accentuated In A Marco Polo Remix (Audio Premiere)

Marco Polo is one of the Hip-Hop artists who is still bringing creativity and innovation to the remix medium. The veteran producer has provided his own spin on joints by PRhyme, Talib Kweli, and D.I.T.C. For his latest re-imagining, one-half of Double Barrel goes to the Windy City and comes... Read more

Bumpy Knuckles & DJ Premier Make That BOOM BAP That Gets Heads Emotional (Audio)

Over the last 20 years, Bumpy Knuckles and DJ Premier have made numerous powerful collaborations. From the work on O.C.'s Jewelz that was one of the earliest transitions of Freddie Foxxx to Bumpy Knuckles, to Gang Starr hit "The Militia," to Underground Hip-Hop anthem "Part Of My Life," this pair... Read more

ONYX’s Sonny Seeza Goes For His By Slamming A Classic Breakbeat (Audio Premiere)

ONYX's Sonny Seeza has been instrumental to the group's success since the early 1990s. Along with the high-profile personalities of MC/actors Sticky Fingaz and Fredro Starr, Sonny added a ruggedness, anger, and aggression that forever mean-mugged the face of Hip-Hop since. The Brooklyn, New Yorker is a platinum artist (thanks... Read more

DJ Premier Tells The Story Of This Photo With D’Angelo, Alchemist & J. Dilla, In His Words

DJ Premier tells Ambrosia For Heads the story about the night he, D'Angelo, Alchemist and J. Dilla gathered in the studio and took what would become an iconic photo. These are his words about the photo, that night, and the other supremely talented men with whom he posed: "Gang Starr... Read more

Dr. Dre’s “Compton” Is Remixed By One Of His Chronic Collaborators (Premiere)

Chris "The Glove" Taylor is the epitome of a West Coast Hip-Hop O.G. Taylor, who appeared alongside a young Ice-T in the film (and on the soundtrack) Breakin', has been creating sounds ever since. In addition to lots of work with King T, The Firm, and Xzibit, The Glove was... Read more

A Never Released DJ Premier Interview About “Step In The Arena” Surfaces For Its 25th Anniversary

Gang Starr's second album, Step In The Arena, was released 25 years ago. The album was one of transition for the late Guru (Keith Elam) and his partner DJ Premier (Christopher Martin). The LP was the collective's first of the 1990s, a decade they would massively influence on the musical... Read more

Ras Kass is Making the Search for Lyrical Hip-Hop Easy with “The Chase” (Video Premiere)

In 2006, Nas dropped Hip-Hop Is Dead, an album which reflected his thoughts on the music industry's failure to promote high-quality, concept-driven, and lyrically centered music. Its release re-ignited a longstanding conversation about what "real" Hip-Hop is, a conversation that continues to permeate the culture. One artist who has never... Read more

Ball So Hard: DJ Premier & Royce Da 5’9″ Score The Theme Song To NBA Countdown (Video)

Releasing a star-studded deluxe edition of their stellar album, PRhyme, was not enough for DJ Premier & Royce Da 5'9". After collaborating with the likes of Black Thought, DOOM, Phonte, Logic and Joey Bada$$, they took their talents to ESPN and scored the new theme song for the network's NBA... Read more

Kendrick Lamar Premieres A New Song With An Absolutely Monstrous Performance (Video)

Kendrick Lamar performed on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon just hours ago (January 7). The Top Dawg Entertainment platinum star's first televised appearance of 2016 was nothing small. "Cornrow Kenny" (as he refers to himself by) closed out the NBC appearance with an all-new song, "Untitled 2." Supported by... Read more

Stream “The Breaks” and Hear DJ Premier’s First Film Score (Video)

On Monday night (January 4), Vh1 premiered The Breaks. The film, inspired by Dan Charnas' book, The Big Payback, dramatically captures three Hip-Hop hopefuls living in 1990 New York City. One dreams to work at a hit Rap management firm. Another character wants to be a successful producer, and discover... Read more

DJ Premier, Slum Village, Royce Da 5’9″, Rapsody & 9th Wonder To Perform At 2016 J Dilla Weekend

The second annual J Dilla Weekend has been announced. The Miami, Florida extension of Detroit, Michigan's longstanding J Dilla Day will take place on February 5-7, 2016. Hosted by Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey (Dilla's mother), the event continues a rich tradition of celebrating James Yancey's life and music through performances,... Read more

“The Breaks” Film Captures The Essence of 90s Hip-Hop Down to the DJ Premier Soundtrack (Video)

Last night (12/14), Vh1 had a screening of its upcoming film, The Breaks. The event took place at Harlem's acclaimed Red Rooster restaurant, hosted by owner Chef Marcus Samuelsson. Several key members of the production were present, including director and writer Seith Mann (Homeland, Ballers, The Walking Dead, Californication), writer... Read more

Black Thought Finally Rhymes Over A DJ Premier Beat & He Smashes It (Audio)

When DJ Premier, Royce Da 5'9", and Adrian Younge started mapping out the self-title album known as PRhyme, The Roots' Black Thought was a planned guest. However, the Grammy Award-winning band's longtime manager/producer Rich Nichols passed away in mid-2014, halting plans. In 2016, as PRhyme readies a deluxe edition release... Read more

DJ Premier, Royce Da 5’9″ & Joey Bada$$ Say We’re In a New Golden Era (Audio)

The term is used a lot when discussing Hip-Hop. Generally speaking, the Golden Era or Golden Age is used to describe a bygone era, one that rose to prominence in the mid- to early '90s, when lyricism was considered to be the supreme skill required to be considered a true... Read more

See Why Anderson .Paak Has Co-Signs from Dre, Premier, 9th Wonder, Madlib & More (Video)

As Anderson .Paak continues his unstoppable rise to much deserved and overdue acclaim, there's an aspect to his multi-dimensional range of talents that many folks have yet to see, and that's his live performance. Appearances on some of the year's biggest records - namely Dr. Dre's Compton and the Game's... Read more

Travi$ Scott’s Family Ties To DJ Premier & Love Of Thrash-Metal Gets Revealed (Video)

Once again, oddball audiophile Nardwuar has linked up with another of today's most popular artists to chat about topics predictable and otherwise. This time, the Vancouver, British Columbia mainstay met with Houston rapper Travi$ Scott, whose debut album Rodeo has been oft-cited as one of the year's most exciting. Also... Read more

Rick Ross & DJ Premier’s Black Market Collabo Holds Weight (Audio)

Nearly a decade ago, when Rick Ross' stardom jumped off via "Hustlin'," he was a mid-2000s tour de force. In the time since, Ricky Rozay has made some of Rap's biggest anthems, and showed even some skeptics why he won over the ears of Erick Sermon, then-Def Jam President Jay... Read more