AFH Ambrosia for Heads

Lord Finesse Freaks The SP-1200 & Offers 5-Minutes Of Delightful Instrumental Snippets (Audio)

Lord Finesse is a giant behind the boards. The Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy knew it. Dr. Dre knows it. From 2001 to Ready To Die to Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous to Word...Life, the Bronx, New York legend has production credits on classic albums, not to mention his own three acclaimed releases. The... Read more

Lord Finesse Went Up To Fat Beats In 1996 & Showed Why He’s One Of The Nicest (Video)

Nineteen years ago this month, Lord Finesse released his latest studio album. The Awakening, on the recently-relaunched Penalty Records, included scorching beats, almost all of which were created by the "funky technician" himself. However, the rhymes may have shined the hardest, with Finesse just in full Rap bravado mode, and... Read more

One Producer Took AZ’s Whole A.W.O.L. Album & Gave It A Facelift (Album Stream)

Ten years ago, AZ Tha Visualiza left the major label system (after a decade in) and found an independent stride. After success under Kedar Massenburg's Motown Records with "Problems," The Firm lyricist was a blue-chip acquisition for eOne Entertainment. There, AZ made an album in A.W.O.L. seemingly apathetic towards radio support.... Read more

DJ Nu-Mark Makes His Worlds Combine In This Dope Pharcyde Vs. Jurassic 5 Mash-Up (Mixtape)

DJ Nu-Mark's career has been tied into Jurassic 5 and The Pharcyde. Quite obviously, the producer/DJ was a founding member of the Unity Committee (later J5), and in recent years, he's been releasing some strong product with SlimKid3 (Tre Hardson), a founding member of The Pharcyde. Thereby, if anybody has... Read more

Do Remember: Fat Joe, Nas, Big Pun, Raekwon & Jadakiss’ John Blaze (Video)

1998 was a critical turning point for Fat Joe. Two albums deep, the Bronx, New Yorker had made Represent and Jealous Ones Envy with the hardcore Hip-Hop Head in mind and in spirit. With Joe's brazen delivery, sharp cadence, and keen ear for intricate sample-based production, he had risen the... Read more

Royce Da 5’9″, O.C., REKS & Your Old Droog On A Track Together? On A Buckwild Beat No Less! (Audio)

One week after bringing Killer Mike and Crooked I (Kxng Crooked) together on a stick of audio dynamite, the powder kegs are far from depleted. "Revolutionary Ride Music" is orchestrated by EFN, who bridged generations of MCs by combining Royce Da 5'9", O.C., REKS, and Your Old Droog. If that... Read more

Sadat X’s Next Album, Sum Of A Man To Be Produced Exclusively By Diamond D

On Monday (January 26), Ambrosia For Heads premiered the latest video from Diamond D's The Diam Piece. "The Game," produced by Diamond, featured Hempstead, Long Island MC/producer Grand Daddy I.U., delivering several verses around New York City, and a Bronx bar. Speaking with AFH, Diamond also confirmed that after a... Read more

Diamond D & Grand Daddy I.U. Premiere “The Game,” Talk First Collaboration (Video)

Late last year, Bronx, New York MC/producer/DJ Diamond D released his fourth album, The Diam Piece (which remains available for full, authorized stream on YouTube), in addition to Google Play and iTunes). The Diggin' In The Crates (D.I.T.C.) co-founder produced the album, released on his own Dymond Mine Records and... Read more

O.C. May Be One Of The Only Artists Who Can Claim To Have Received A Free Jay Z Feature

D.I.T.C. MC O.C. has several championed releases, stemming from his 1994 Wild Pitch Records debut, Word...Life, his 1997 Payday follow-up, Jewelz, his near-bootleg release Starchild, to his Apollo Brown tandem, Trophies. 2001's Bon Appetit is not one of O's more celebrated works, though the Brooklyn, New Yorker maintains it's the... Read more

R.A. The Rugged Man Makes An Artful & Powerful Indictment Against The Media (Video)

Back in 2013, Long Island, New York Hip-Hop veteran R.A. The Rugged Man released a monster in Legends Never Die. The Nature Sounds release garnered due praise, and one of the dense moments within was the track "Media Midgets." Produced by 20-plus-year collaborator Buckwild (D.I.T.C.) and mixed by super-engineer Chris... Read more

Do Remember: Haze Presents…NY Reality Check 101 (Mixed By DJ Premier)

This week, it was announced that 2015 will see the release of DJ Premier's first solo album, Last Session @320. The album and its title are an homage to the closing of HeadQCourterz Studios (f/k/a D&D Studios), which had been Premier's professional home for nearly 25 years. As fans eagerly... Read more

The End Of An Era For Hardcore Hip-Hop…DJ Premier’s Studio Closes Its Doors Today

Nas' Illmatic recorded there. The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready To Die recorded there. Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt recorded there. And nearly every song by Gang Starr, in addition to every track produced by DJ Premier since 1992 was recorded there. Today, on January 7, 2015, Premo announced that D&D Studios a/k/a HeadQCourterz... Read more

Finding the GOAT: Pick Yet Another ’90s Great Wild Card For Round 2?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

Finding the GOAT: Pick Another ’90s Great Wild Card For Round 2?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

Gangrene’s Oh No Makes A Thumping Beat Out Of Nintendo 64 Samples (Video)

Oh No is the next contestant on the Rhythm Roulette platform. Part of Gangrene, blood brother of Madlib, the Oxnard, California producer/MC wanted to do things a little differently for Mass Appeal's series. That said, Oh No The Disrupt goes D.I.T.C., but not in the record crates. Rather, he uses... Read more

Finding The GOAT: Eazy-E vs. Lord Finesse…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

Finding The GOAT: Diamond D vs. Dr. Dre…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

Diamond D & Pete Rock Bring Colorful Images To Sweet Sounds (Video)

Both producer/MCs, Diamond D and Pete Rock seem to get far more props on the boards than on the mic. However, each of these guys has memorable verses, and over 20 years of crowd movin'. "Only Way 2 Go" is one of the finest moments on this year's Diam Piece... Read more

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

Finding The GOAT: Big L vs. Fat Joe…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

Diamond D’s Got An August Album Featuring Pete Rock, The Pharcyde, Rapsody & Kurupt

Founding D.I.T.C. member Diamond D has announced his first album since 2008. The Bronx, New York-born MC/producer/DJ credited with discovering Fat Joe will release his fourth studio LP, The Diam Piece on August 26, 2014. After 25 years of making music (dating back to his Strong City Records outfit The... Read more

Catch Animated O.C., A.G. & Roc Marciano In DJ Skizz’s Dope Visual (Video)

Last year, veteran New York City radio DJ Skizz released B.Q.E., a compilation-style LP, featuring a plethora of NYC lyricists. This underground favorite continues to make noise a year later, as Skizz and Soulspazm Records continue the looks. For the D.I.T.C./The U.N.-look "Light Years," a Futprnts Workshop-produced animation features portraits... Read more

Celebrate A Decade Of The Alchemist’s Audio Evolution (Mixtape)

Although his sounds are versatile, Alchemist's status in Hip-Hop spans nearly 20 years. The Beverly Hills High School alum (classmates with Step Brothers partner Evidence) has since put in major work with the likes of Eminem, Lil Wayne, Infamous Mobb, Cam'ron, Screwball, Jadakiss, Bumpy Knuckles, Nas, Roc Marciano, and a... Read more

Hear The Whole Diamond D-Produced Album, Doomsday, By Big Rec (Album Stream)

This year, AFH has shed a little light on Atlanta-based underground Hip-Hop veteran Big Rec. Rec is the latest protege of D.I.T.C. producer Diamond D. Diamond is credited with discovering Fat Joe, who he's worked with throughout the last 25 years, as well as having a hand in the development... Read more

DJ Kool Herc & Grandmaster Caz To Throw A Free Bronx Block Party 41 Years Later

Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis don't do many free Rock & Roll shows. The Clash don't play too many Punk shows anymore. However, Hip-Hop Heads are blessed with the opportunity to still see pioneers at work, and for not a single penny. This weekend, Hip-Hop's Godfather, DJ Kool Herc,... Read more

The Giant Is Greater, As A.G. Steps Into DJ Premier’s Bars In The Booth Series (Video)

After rocking out with The Black Sheep's Dres and Papoose, DJ Premier keeps things in that New York City gritty getting down with A.G. The Diggin' In The Crates crew/Showbiz & A.G. MC goes back over 25 years with Preem, when the two worked together in some of the Bronx... Read more

Enter Mayhem Lauren’s New York State Of Mind Through A Freestyle (Video)

Mayhem Lauren fuels up with "Danny's House of Pizza" before unleashing his New York peppered bars for Statik Selektah and the crew at Shade 45. The Queens rapper continues to push his New York state of mind with strong work on his recently released project, Silk Pyramids, which features production... Read more

Big REC Chops Up His Unstoppable Bars Over A Diamond D Beat (Video)

From Fat Joe to Illegal to Big L, Diamond D knows how to give an MC the soundscapes for lasting impact. The D.I.T.C. co-founder's latest protege, Big REC, has a style unlike those typically associated with the Bronx O.G., and co-founder of Ultimate Force. "Unstoppable" shows REC trying his hand... Read more

Mayhem Lauren & Buckwild Build Some Silk Pyramids In Stereo (Album Stream)

A day early, Mayhem Lauren's studio debut album, Silk Pyramids is available for free audio stream. The album is a joint effort with Bronx, New York producer/D.I.T.C. member Buckwild. Lauren is previously known for his Outdoorsmen work and touring alongside Action Bronson. He began recording album known as Self-Induced Illness... Read more

Fat Joe Calls Himself A “KRS-One Groupie,” Performs Flow Joe On The Spot + Freestyles (Video)

Fat Joe's history can be deceiving. A household name, globally-recognized icon, Joe Crack is also a founding member of D.I.T.C., and has at least two albums that are hardcore Hip-Hop gems. If anybody knows this, it's Sway Calloway, who's has Joe on his shows for over 21 years and counting.... Read more

Is Mayhem Lauren The Next Great Artist Of The Future To Break Through On A Buckwild Beat? (Audio)

If you've seen a 2010-2012 Action Bronson show, you've probably witnessed Mayhem Lauren. The Lefrak City, Queens MC has a longstanding history with Bam-Bam Bronson as two members of The Outdoorsmen. Mayhem's solo career is building strongly lately, and the veteran bully-mouth lyricist has a whole project coming later this... Read more

Get The Story Of Lord Finesse Discovering Big L In A Record Store (Audio)

D.I.T.C.'s history is the kind of tales that legends are made of. From Diamond D discovering a young Fat Joe in the Bronx, "in Forest, across from Morris," and putting him on Ultimate Force's demo, to Afrika Bambaataa's right-hand-man DJ Jazzy Jay taking Lord Finesse, Diamond, and Showbiz under his... Read more

Buckwild Puts An Epic Spin On Big L’s Casualties Of A Dice Game (Audio)

D.I.T.C. were one of the dopest yet most unheralded crews of the 90's. The clique, which consisted of Showbiz & AG, Diamond D, Big L, Lord Finesse, Fat Joe, O.C. and Buckwild, influenced the sound of an entire coast and generation in that era and for decades to come. They... Read more

Lord Finesse Cuts Up The Breaks & Rare Grooves For An Impromptu Hour-Long Mix (Audio)

Lord Finesse is one of Hip-Hop's great triple threats. The Bronx, New Yorker came into the game as an esteemed MC, battling Percee P in famous footage, and coaching a young Big L on how to be cocky and relatable at the same time. Then, as part of D.I.T.C., "The... Read more

Buckwild Makes Beats That Make Rappers Shine. Check What He Does For Mayhem Lauren (Audio)

D.I.T.C.'s Buckwild sometimes feels like the lowest-profile producer within the clique. True, Diamond D, Lord Finesse, and Showbiz often get more name-checked recognition from MCs and aspiring producers, but it seems that Buckwild is the most prolific, especially within the last 15 years. The Bronx producer, who created Kurupt Money... Read more

Shabaam Sahdeeq, Wais P & Sha Stimuli Move That Dope Over An Amazing DJ Skizz Beat (Audio)

Last year, DJ Skizz's BQE album celebrated some New York Hip-Hop history, with members of The Juice Crew, D.I.T.C., M.O.P., and The Firm all on the same 2013 LP. This year, the NYC-based producer is already hitting the ground running. "That Dope" is made by Shabaam Sahdeeq. The MC was... Read more

Fat Joe Interpolates A Little Classic Queen Latifah Alongside Rick Ross & French Montana (Audio)

Back in 2010, Fat Joe took an unmistakable Soul II Soul vocal riff, and made it into a grimy summertime anthem alongside Young Jeezy for his first Darkside LP. While the faces have changed, the D.I.T.C. member-turned-global superstar has done it again. Interpolating Queen Latifah's catchy 1993 chorus from "Just... Read more

Diamond D & Pharoahe Monch’s Collaborations Continue In Rap Life (Video)

The D.I.T.C. x Organized Konfusion history goes beyond O.C. Pharoahe Monch and Diamond D have been working together since 1997's The Equinox, with additional work on Monch's solo albums. That action continues on "Rap Life." With Alchemist making a cameo, we see the two New York O.G.'s making the track,... Read more

DJ Premier Shows The Untouched Remnants Of D&D Studios, How A Fight With Guru Made A Gang Starr Classic (Video)

In Gang Starr's Hard To Earn 20th anniversary year, DJ Premier has done some special press concerning the group, the album, and the legendary status of his group with Guru. Today, DJ Premier, along with a host of others, work out of Midtown Manhattan's HeadCourterz Studios. Named after the late... Read more

O.C. Is Forever A B-Boy. He Toasts To Lifetime Hip-Hop Heads In New Song (Audio)

O.C.'s been working lately. After dropping Ray's Cafe, an album with Bronx, New York producer/D.I.T.C. affiliate Ray West, Mush is back with "B-Boy Stance." The Brooklyn and Queens native (he's always claimed both) recalls his '80s childhood, and undying obsession with Hip-Hop at its purist level. Interestingly enough, the whole... Read more

A Rare 1994 Remix Surfaces From O.C.’s Word…Life Album By DJ Eclipse (Audio)

O.C.'s 1994 debut album, Word...Life, is among one of the albums that makes the year so special in the Hip-Hop memory. Known then as a longtime affiliate of Organized Konfusion, O stepped to the front with some help from Buckwild on the boards, Lord Finesse filling in, Roc Raida on... Read more

Bun B & Prodigy Link With Remy Banks & Charlie RED Over A Hitmen-Certified Beat (Audio)

Puffy's Hitmen were one of Hip-Hop's few examples of a hit factory. Mirrored after the producers, songwriters, and session musicians that drove the hit singles for labels like Motown, Stax, and Atco Records, this is something that's expensive and time-consuming. In other words, you'd better have a studio with many... Read more

Pharoahe Monch & Prince Po Chronicle The Cab Racism & Label Tensions That Created Stress

This week, Organized Konfusion's sophomore album, Stress: The Extinction Agenda turns 20 years old. Queens, New Yorkers Pharoahe Monch and Prince Po (fka Prince Poetry) are coming together for a rare headlining concert with longtime affiliates O.C. and Large Professor, among others, for a concert in Brooklyn, New York. NahRight... Read more

Organized Konfusion To Celebrate 20th Anniversary Of Stress: The Extinction Agenda With O.C. & Large Professor

In August of 1994, Pharoahe Monch and Prince Poetry released their second of three albums as Organized Konfusion. The Queens, New Yorkers followed their self-titled 1991 LP with a sophomore joint featuring involvement from Q-Tip, O.C., Buckwild, and a young producer entering the scene named Rockwilder. Within five years the... Read more

Diamond D Digs in the Crates and Pulls Out a Tough Beat for Big Rec (Audio)

Like D.I.T.C. brethren Lord Finesse and Showbiz, Diamond D is not big on a ton of production of output. The Bronx "best producer on the mic" responsible for Fat Joe's discovery has worked with everybody from Natalie Cole to Aim, but the Atlanta-based O.G. is a Head first. Over the... Read more

Guilty Simpson & Planet Asia Switch Seats With Apollo Brown & Gensu Dean (Audio)

Mello Music Group loves MC/producer tandem projects—especially combining complete strangers. They took veteran D.I.T.C. MC O.C. and introduced him to Detroit, Michigan producer Apollo Brown for 2012's Trophies. In the last 12 months, they took Fresno, Cali vet Planet Asia and linked him with New Yorker Gensu Dean for Abrasions.... Read more

O.C. Reflects On His Day With A Whole New Flow On A Dreamy Ray West Beat (Audio)

If you listen to O.C.'s 1994 debut album Word...Life you'll get some deeply introspective MC'ing. O is a master at calling back to childhood memories, or analyzing a situation differently after the fact. While he's worked with production kingpins like DJ Premier, Buckwild, and Da Beatminerz, O's beat-selection always puts... Read more

AFH: Best Hip-Hop of November 2013 (Audio Playlist)

The year is winding down, no doubt, but the good music kept coming in November. Here's a playlist of the best Hip-Hop to drop last month, including songs from Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, Joey Bada$$, Eminem, Masta Ace, Raekwon, Posdnuos, Rah Digga, Elzhi, Jay Z, Childish Gambino, Mac Miller, Jhene Aiko,... Read more

Molecules – Revenge (Video)

The Diggin' In The Crates (D.I.T.C) family tree is real. The New York city production/MC collective has close affiliations with Kid Capri, Roc Raida, Ghetto Dwellas, Money Boss Players, Big Pun, and KRS-One. Now longer one to rhyme, Showbiz (aka Show) laces a track for Molecules from The Legion. The... Read more

Deadly Venoms – 1998 Interview (Video)

In the era of Slaughterhouse, Black Hippy, Run The Jewels, CZARFACE and others, Heads are used to super-groups. One super-group that never got the shine they deserved is the Deadly Venoms (aka 5 Deadly Venoms). Not to be confused with the amazing Diamond D/D.I.T.C. posse cut from '97, this was... Read more