AFH Ambrosia for Heads

88-Keys Talks Accidental Technique, Aiming For Life-Changing Beats (Video Premiere)

The last in the four-part "Learn From Legends" video series (which all premiered on Ambrosia For Heads), producer Rodney Hazard sat in with Harlem-based producer/MC 88-Keys. With work back to the late 1990s, 88-Keys' story surrounds luminaries in every pocket of Hip-Hop, from Kanye West and Jay Z, to J-Live... Read more

Joey Bada$$ Goes To Town With A Freestyle Over Dre & Premier Beats (Audio)

Joey Bada$$ seemingly never is too fatigued for a freestyle. The Brooklyn, New Yorker who emerged from hallway cyphers and throwback-minded Rap activities is true to form. Stopping through the L.A. Leakers radio show, the hosts throw down some plates of production from the era Joey pulls from. Nimbly, he... Read more

Did You Know DJ Premier & Large Professor Share A Birthday? DJ Eclipse Does (Mix)

While DJ Premier  remixed plenty of classic artists spanning three decades and nearly every genre, when it came to Gang Starr, remixes weren't typically the move—especially by another beat-maker. There were some exceptions however, and one trusted person who remixed one particular rare a la carte 1992 single ("Gotta Get... Read more

Producer J-Zone Speaks on Classic Break Beats and How to Chop Samples (Video Premiere)

For more than 15 years, Queens, New York's J-Zone has had a career in music that is as unconventional as his sound. A lover of records, both old Funk, R&B, and other sources of breaks, as well as rugged Hip-Hop (Ultramagnetic MC's, Mob Style, C-Bo), Zone's entrance into the industry... Read more

Big Shug & DJ Premier Wave The Gang Starr Flag In This Dedication To The Craft (Video)

Big Shug is more than 20 years strong in hittin' Heads off with straightforward, working man verses. The Boston, Massachusetts MC who was a member of Gang Starr prior to No More Mr. Nice Guy clearly put in his work. "I Bleed For This" focuses on that. With a slow and... Read more

Lil Fame Talks Production Techniques, M.O.P. Beginnings and Biggie Smalls (Video Premiere)

Following last week's opening entry to the "Learn From The Legends" video series (Da Beatminerz), producer Rodney Hazard stays in Brooklyn, New York to talk to another 20-plus-year innovator in Lil Fame. These days, simply "Fame," the M.O.P. co-founding MC/producer has not only supplied some of his group's biggest hits,... Read more

Da Beatminerz Share Their Production Secrets with an Up and Coming Producer (Video Premiere)

For more than 20 years, Da Beatminerz helped define a predominant, defiantly Brooklyn, New York sound. With low end bass, heavily filtered samples, and rich sonic textures, the Bushwick-based crew has been sought out by major labels and indie labels alike, making 12" deep cuts and Rap classics played everyday... Read more

Talib Kweli Lights the Way to the Premiere of Game of Thrones (Audio)

HBO's epic series Game of Thrones returns a little over a month from now on April 12th. As they did before last season's premiere, HBO has commissioned some esteemed MCs for a thematic mixtape leading up to Episode 1 of Season 5. The first release from the second installment of... Read more

Scarface, Stalley & Troy Ave Over a DJ Premier Beat? That’s Crazy (Audio)

DJ EFN is on the precipice of releasing one of the year's best compilation albums. The LP, titled Another Time, features a smorgasbord of artists including MC Eiht, Sean Price, Joell Ortiz, Kxng Crooked (pka Crooked I), Juvenile, Masta Ace, Talib Kweli, Ras Kass, Black Milk, Kurupt, M.O.P., Inspectah Deck... Read more

The Militia Is Coming…Hear 3 Snippets Of Big Shug’s Next Album, All Produced By DJ Premier (Audio)

Gang Starr Heads know all about Big Shug. A member of the Gang Starr Foundation, the Boston, Massachusetts-based MC would appear on all of Guru & DJ Premier's albums from Hard To Earn through The Ownerz. Hard-nosed, fly, and wise, Shug paid dues in the wings for years, before becoming... Read more

David Banner, N.O.R.E., Jon Connor & Sizzla Are Warriors Within DJ EFN’s All-Star Arsenal (Audio Premiere)

Less than a month away from his Another Time superstar-stacked album, DJ EFN premieres "Warrior" with Ambrosia For Heads. The song links longtime EFN affiliate N.O.R.E. together with another former Penalty Records star in David Banner, as well as Flint, Michigan Aftermath Entertainment MC Jon Connor. Jamaican Reggae star Sizzla... Read more

Kenn Starr & Black Milk’s Collaboration Says A Lasting Goodbye (Video Premiere)

Every so often, an MC completely captures the love of the art, with the jaded response of those who receive the music (fans and otherwise). Records like Main Flow & Talib Kweli's "Hip-Hop Worth Dying For," Little Brother's "The Listening," Torae & Marco Polo's "Crashing Down," catches the zeitgeist of... Read more

DJ Premier Can Rock Without…Or WITH A Band. Catch ‘Em Rehearsing (Video)

If you're not in Japan this month, you might not be able to catch DJ Premier's new five-piece band in the flesh. Thanks to some cameras in the new studio though, you can. Premo is on the cuts with a brass, drums, and keys section. Some vocals from The Notorious... Read more

DJ Premier & Royce Da 5’9″ Announce The PRhyme Tour Dates, With 2 Exciting Opening Acts

In the midst of ongoing success surrounding their self-titled 2014 album, PRhyme is taking the show on the road. DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9" have announced that they will begin the US PRhyme Tour in less than one month, beginning officially on February 18, and running through 2015's South... Read more

DJ Premier Forms 5-Piece Band & Announces Japan Tour Dates

From The Roots, to the Beastie Boys, to Stetsasonic, to Atmosphere, Hip-Hop has had some amazing acts that double as bands. DJ Premier, a legendary producer and turntablist, has announced a band that he will lead. The Gang Starr icon formed a five-person band, with his deejaying as the center-piece.... Read more

Raekwon & Ghostface Killah Premiere the Trailer for a Documentary on The Purple Tape (Video)

Nas' Illmatic was not the only Hip-Hop classic worthy of a documentary. Over the weekend at The Sundance Film Festival, a trailer was premiered for The Purple Tape Files, a forthcoming film about the making of Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., guest starring Ghostface Killah as Tony Starks. The... 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

DJ Premier Crosses The Ocean To Make A Rowdy Cut For England’s Four Owls (Audio)

From Craig David to the Brand New Heavies, DJ Premier has been one of the Hip-Hop mainstays who has been open with overseas collaboration. The Gang Starr producer/DJ seemingly sees no boundaries in Hip-Hop, and has been particularly open to making joints with artists from the United Kingdom. That quality... Read more

Joey Bada$$ Drops Wisdom While DJ Premier Drops A Scorching Beat (Audio)

"B4.Da.$$" is the title of Joey Bada$$' studio debut, releasing this coming Tuesday (January 20) on Pro Era/Cinematic/Sony Red. The Brooklyn, New York MC reflects this title, not just as a conveniently clever time-capsule of his rise to stardom, or an ah-ha to the doubters and skeptics. Rather, the Pro... Read more

Skyzoo & Torae Are The Latest To Rap On DJ Premier’s Bars In The Booth Series (Video)

With previous sessions featuring Jakk Frost, Dres, A.G., and Loaded Lux, Session 7 of DJ Premier's "Bars In The Booth" video series features the Barrel Brothers duo, Skyzoo & Torae. Now a true duo, this pair found success in the late 2000s, working collaboratively with Premier, on 12" singles also... 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

DJ Premier Announces His First Solo Album, Last Session @ 320

Less than one week into his new studio home in Astoria, Queens, big news is coming from DJ Premier. The longtime Gang Starr producer/DJ has announced his first solo album, Last Session @ 320. Planned for 2015, the title is presumably an homage to the 37th Street address of his... 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

After More Than 25 Years, DJ Premier & MF DOOM Will Work Together

Twenty five years ago, DJ Premier and MF DOOM (then known as Zev Love X) were getting comfortable in the industry. Premier, care of the group Gang Starr, was less than a year removed from releasing debut LP No More Mr. Nice Guy on Wild Pitch Records with partner and... Read more

Phonte, DJ Premier & Royce Da 5’9″ Geek Out About Rap, Memories & Battles (Video)

Structure isn't everything in Hip-Hop interviews. Sometimes organic, natural, nonrestrictive discussions go a heck of a lot farther. In their ongoing PRhyme media campaign, DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9" get an unlikely guest in Phonte. The Stashed orchestrates a casual discussion about a number of things with these three... Read more

Premier & Royce Talk About Fighting Through the Hard Times and Being in a Good Place (Audio)

Here's a deceptively candid interview of PRhyme (DJ Premier & Royce Da 5'9") by NW3 Radio. After glossing over fascinating stories like Rock the Bells once offering Gang Starr $2 million to perform and Rakim once being arrested at a Royce show in NYC, the two men speak from the... Read more

Your Old Droog Freestyles Over Some Vintage DJ Premier (Video)

Your Old Droog stopped by NYC's Hot 97 for his first interview with Peter Rosenberg. Droog spoke about his ethnic origins, raising his status this year, traveling to Europe and more. At a little over ten minutes in, Rosenberg put him to the test and Droog stepped up with nearly... Read more

Royce Da 5’9″ & DJ Premier Shift Between 1992 & 2014 In A Non Album Track (Video)

As if the nine-track, acclaimed PRhyme album was not enough, DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9" vibe overtop Adrian Younge samples for a bonus round. "PRhyme Time" playfully shifts between 1992 and 2014, with varying BMW coupes, sneakers, and fashion signaling the metamorphosis. In the track, Nickel Nine slams skeptics... Read more

Kendrick Lamar World Premieres a New Song on The Colbert Report (Video)

As The Colbert Report winds down, Kendrick Lamar had the distinct honor of being the show's last musical guest ever. Following in the footsteps of artists like Paul McCartney, R.E.M., Jack White and Nas, Kendrick stepped up with a world premiere of a brand new untitled song. Not to be... Read more

Royce Da 5’9″, DJ Premier & Adrian Younge Takeover the Boiler Room (Video)

Royce Da 5'9", DJ Premier and Adrian Younge, the collective known as PRhyme, tookover the Boiler Room recently for a night for true music Heads. The event, which was held at New York's Chung King Studios, began with a DJ set by Younge, where he spun 45s of breaks used... Read more

Royce Da 5’9″ & DJ Premier Shut Down The Backroom With a Hot Verse & Beat (Video)

PRhyme (Royce Da 5'9" and DJ Premier) were the latest to hit The Backroom on 106 & Park, and the dynamic duo shut it down. Royce kicked a blistering verse that was part new and part from PRhyme's song "To Me, To U," all over a custom-made Premier beat. Press... Read more

Royce Da 5’9″ Hid The PRhyme Guests From DJ Premier At First (Video)

Yesterday, PRhyme's self-titled album released. The three-man crew of DJ Premier, Royce Da 5'9" and Adrian Younge rolled out their fourth segment of the "Raiders Of The Lost Art" documentary series. Tracing the group through their release party performance earlier in the week, Royce admits, "I didn't tell Preme about... Read more

DJ Premier Ranks PRhyme Among Best Albums; Royce Da 5’9″ Talks Sobriety Saving His Life (Video Interview)

We are less than one week away from PRhyme (December 9), the self-titled project by the newly-formed group of Royce Da 5'9", DJ Premier, and Adrian Younge. Late last month, in HeadQCourterz Studios, Nickel and Premo sat down with AFH TV to discuss, at length, the album. In the nearly... Read more

DJ Premier Mixes Up A Special Set For Def Jam’s 30th Anniversary (Audio)

In his career, neither DJ Premier nor his group Gang Starr were ever signed to Def Jam Records. However, the HeadQCourterz Studios producer has worked with an arsenal of Def Jam's talent over the years, ranging from Jay Z and Method Man, Ludacris to Kanye West, to Teflon and WC.... Read more

Royce Da 5’9″, DJ Premier & Adrian Younge Are In Their PRhyme (Album Review)

In what felt like the last days of Underground Hip-Hop, a relative unknown named Royce Da 5’9” teamed with DJ Premier to release a 1999 12” single, “Boom.” Although Game Recordings placed their trademark bikini-clad “Hip-Hop Honey” on the picture cover single, no alluring marketing tools were necessary, as the... Read more

Hear All of DJ Premier & Royce Da 5’9″‘s PRhyme EP a Week Early (Audio Stream)

Since announcing they would be releasing a joint project as a super group named PRhyme, DJ Premier & Royce Da 5'9" have had the Hip-Hop world at the edge of their collective seats. The duo have since released singles, videos and teasers that have stoked the fire. Now, a week... Read more

You KNOW Bumpy Knuckles Got Bars In DJ Premier’s Studio Booth (Video)

Still waters run deep. Bumpy Knuckles and DJ Premier crossed paths back in 1997, when they recorded a pair of songs with O.C. for Jewelz. The energy stuck, as Bumpy earned the coveted spot on appearing on Gang Starr's seminal LP, 1998's Moment Of Truth. On "The Militia," the artist also known... Read more

Jon Stewart Looks Back At Premiering The Roots On TV In 1995 (Video)

In the last 15 years, Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" has been a destination for some Hip-Hop-savvy performances. Sitting down with another TV host Head, Jimmy Fallon, Jon Stewart looked across the set at The Roots. Casually, Stewart (who is promoting the new film he co-produced, Rose Water) recalled giving... Read more

Get A Deeper Look At A Joint From M.O.P.’s New EP With Cuts By DJ Premier (Audio)

M.O.P.'s new EP, Street Certified is now available. Within the Nature Sounds-released effort, executive produced by DJ Premier is "Heistmasters (Still At It)." The cut is produced by DJ Skizz (Your Old Droog, O.C., Roc Marciano), with Preem on the cuts. Within, Billy Danze and Lil Fame kick some classic... Read more

Royce Da 5’9″ & DJ Premier Bring Adrian Younge’s Role In PRhyme To Focus (Video)

In the studio, the same HeadQCourterz that's said to be closing, DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9" plug away at the PRhyme album (December 9). In the second installment of "Raiders Of The Lost Art," Bun B narrates, while Preem and Nickel explain the role of third member, Adrian Younge.... Read more

DJ Premier’s HeadQCourterz / D&D Studios To Become Luxury Apartments?

For 30 years, D&D Studios has been a destination recording studio in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Encased above 320 37th Street, the lab has been a longtime home to Gang Starr's DJ Premier, who co-owns the studio today, re-named HeadQCourterz in honor of Gang Starr's slain friend. A report... Read more

DJ Premier Honors Fab 5 Freddy With A Wild Style Quick Mix (Video)

Whether as a filmmaker, a VJ, or an artist, Fab 5 Freddy has played an integral role in Hip-Hop culture since the early 1980s, and even before. A New York icon, Freddy connected the Downtown art and Punk scenes of the 1980s with the Hip-Hop musical movement of The Bronx,... Read more

DJ Premier & Royce Da 5’9″ Show No Courtesy to Hip-Hop Pretenders (Video)

As the year goes on, the Hip-Hop keeps getting stronger. Weeks ago, DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9" made an announcement that left many Heads licking their chops in anticipation. The two were coming together to form a new supergroup, Premier's first since the legendary Gang Starr. What's more, the... Read more

Royce Da 5’9″ & DJ Premier Take The PRhyme Message To The Next Level (Video)

Fresh off of premiering the "PRhyme" title track, Royce Da 5'9" and DJ Premier unload the visual. With some cool imagery, boom shots, and big production value, the video takes Royce's points from the song, in a stream of consciousness, and elaborates them in living color. Footage of Nickel Nine's... Read more

Royce Da 5’9″ & DJ Premier Give All Access In The First Part of This Gripping Mini-Documentary (Video)

On the simple surface, Royce Da 5'9" & DJ Premier's PRhyme project may seem like a purist's buffet of rhymes and beats. However, there's much more to this storyline in the two careers that frequently intersected over the last 15 years. In part one to the "Raiders Of The Lost... Read more

With DJ Premier Executive Producing, M.O.P Drops Street Certified Artwork & Tracklisting

Three years removed from their Sparta LP with German production outfit The Snowgoons, M.O.P. brings it back Stateside for their first EP. Street Certified is a nine-track effort, releasing November 18 (one week from today). Coming on Nature Sounds (Blu, J Dilla, Havoc), this release is executive produced by DJ... Read more

Hear Royce Da 5’9″ & DJ Premier’s Foundation In Their PRhyme Title Track (Audio)

Nearly 15 years after "Boom," Royce Da 5'9" & DJ Premier's full-length together, as PRhyme, is less than one month away. The actualization of the pair's longstanding working relationship to a true LP welcomes guests ranging from Jay Electronica to Killer Mike, Mac Miller to Common. However, for the title... Read more

Slaughterhouse & DJ Premier Open Up Shop Then Tear It Down (Video)

Less than 24 hours after Slaughterhouse's "Ya'll Ready Know" released in audio, the DJ Premier collaboration comes in living color. The impact of Crooked I, Royce Da 5'9", Joell Ortiz, and Joe Budden's full-fledged run-in with DJ Premier is clear in the video, as Preem is prominently featured, arguably the... Read more

Slaughterhouse & DJ Premier Come Together Fully? Results Are As Expected! (Audio)

Half of Slaughterhouse (Royce Da 5'9" and Joell Ortiz) have extensively worked with DJ Premier, while Crooked I and Joe Budden have not. Back in 2009, before Eminem and Shady Records took backing of the four-man lyrical militia, on a tight eOne Entertainment budget, it was DJ Premier who hosted... 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