AFH Ambrosia for Heads

10 Years Later, Dave Chappelle Brings His Block Party Indoors, And Who’s He Sharing The Stage With?

A decade ago, Dave Chappelle famously held his "Block Party" in Brooklyn, New York. Held for free at a secret location, the event was the subject of a Michel Gondry-directed film. The Ohio comedian/actor curated a concert, sharing the stage with an extremely rare reunited Fugees performance, in addition to... Read more

The Week in Hip-Hop Video Brought Hot Freestyles, Powerful Music Videos & More (Video Playlist)

This week in video brought 2 killer freestyles from Logic, strong new music videos from Ice-T, CyHi the Prynce, Buckshot & Pro Era, and Schoolboy Q, a mini-doc showing Erykah Badu tracing her roots, The Roots playing their new album with an orchestra, the definitive D'Angelo interview and much more.... Read more

Me’Shell Ndegeocello Releases a Dramatic Re-Interpretation of Whodini’s Friends (Audio)

Throughout her illustrious 20+ year career, Me'Shell Ndegeocello has been an unconventional artist. From her first single, "If That's Your Boyfriend," through the present, she has been unafraid to tackle seemingly any subject, no matter how taboo. As of late, she has covered music that influenced her, including Prince. Her... Read more

9th Wonder Prepares For His Hip-Hop Fellowship At Harvard, Kendrick Lamar & DJ Premier Speak On It (Video)

In addition to the Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship at Harvard, 9th Wonder is currently a fellow at the Ivy League university. He will spend three years working on a research project at Harvard’s W.E.B. Dubois Institute. 9th, who has taught for years at North Carolina Central University (alongside Kid, from... Read more

Act 2: Hip-Hop, You’re the Love of My Life…(Audio Playlist)

On this Valentine's Day, here's a playlist that takes a look at the unique relationship between Hip-Hop & Love. You'll hear songs from BDP, Eric B. & Rakim, Kendrick Lamar, LL Cool J, Jay Z, Erykah Badu & Common, OutKast, 2Pac, Biggie and many more. Some are about love for... Read more

How’s About Some New Slum Village Over An Unreleased Jay Dee Beat? J Dilla Forever! (Audio)

In honor of 40 years to the day since J Dilla's birth, the donutty treats just keep coming. Slum Village, which presently includes group co-founder T3, as well as (J Dilla's younger brother) Illa J and Young RJ teamed with some unreleased material, in the way of beats and rhymes,... Read more

Big K.R.I.T. Reworks A Gary Clark, Jr. Single & It Sounds Amazing (Audio)

Big K.R.I.T. and Gary Clark, Jr. have both stepped into the mainstream around the same time. Both major label artists bring cult audiences with them since their Internet-obscure days, and a sound that few could replicate. While people tend to associate K.R.I.T.'s sounds less with guitars as much as pounding... Read more

Who’s Better, JAY-Z or KRS-One? Here’s What Brother Ali Had to Say (Video)

Brother Ali connected with Mass Appeal and weighed in on many debates including KRS-One vs. Jay Z, Rakim vs. Melle Mel, Erykah Badu vs. Lauryn Hill and more. Check out what he had to say about each below. Related: Brother Ali – Left In The Deck (Free Album)... Read more

DJ Quik Decodes Jay Z’s Justify My Thug (Video)

Back in 2003, when the production was announced for Jay Z's The Black Album, there were two big curiosities: 9th Wonder and DJ Quik. While DJ Premier, Ski Beatz, and Irv Gotti were notably absent from what was billed as Jay's curtain-call album, he helped get Little Brother's co-founder the... Read more

Janelle Monae – The Electric Lady (Full Album Stream)

Janelle Monae gives a full preview of her album which promises to provide the soundtrack for a funky Fall. The Electric Lady includes features from Prince, Erykah Badu, Solange, Big Boi, Cee-Lo, Miguel and more. Check out the full stream below. Related: Janelle Monae – Q.U.E.E.N. ft Erykah Badu (Video)... Read more

Janelle Monae – Prime Time ft Miguel

Here's a new song from Janelle Monae and Miguel that feels a lot like Purple Rain-era Prince, in a GREAT way. Check out Prime Time. Related: Janelle Monae – Q.U.E.E.N. ft Erykah Badu (Video)... Read more

DJ Jazzy Jeff & Mick Boogie – Summertime Vol. 4 (Mixtape)

DJ Jazzy Jeff & Mick Boogie release their 4th annual Summertime mix just in time for the long weekend. As usual, it's a diverse blend of artists including Talib Kweli, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Souls of Mischief, Main Source, Guy, D'Angelo, Camp Lo, OutKast, Missy, SWV, Little Brother, Junior M.A.F.I.A.,... Read more

Kendrick Lamar Performs at the BET Awards (Video)

Kendrick Lamar had a BIG look at the BET Awards last night, being the only performer to hit the stage 3 times. Check out his performances of Problems with A$AP Rocky & 2 Chainz, How Many Drinks with Miguel, m.A.A.d. city and B*tch, Don't Kill My Vibe with the one... Read more

Living Legends: Queen Latifah (Video Playlist)

All hail the Queen...Latifah, that is. As one of the first ladies of hip-hop, she blazed the trail not only for women MCs but also for positivity and self-respect in hip-hop. After nearly 25 years in the game, her reign continues as an artist, actress and overall luminary. Today, we... Read more

They Die By Dawn – The Bullits ft Yasiin Bey, Jay Electronica & Lucy Liu (Video)

The video for They Die By Dawn, the collabo between Yasiin Bey, Jay Electronica, Lucy Liu and The Bullits, plays like an extended trailer for the eponymous film which looks pretty epic. The movie is a virtual who's who, with appearances from Giancarlo Esposito, Michael Kenneth Williams, Rosario Dawson, Erykah... Read more

Kendrick Lamar Talks About Dealing With Fame (Audio)

Will we ever get that joint album from Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole? Only time will tell. In the meantime, here are some thoughts that Kendrick laid down as a lead up to the release of Cole's Born Sinner album. Kendrick talks about how his parents introduced him to hip-hop,... Read more

Kendrick Lamar – B*tch, Don’t Kill My Vibe (Video)

Wow. Kendrick Lamar's video for B*tch, Don't Kill My Vibe has a guest appearance from Mike Epps, several references to Swimming Pools (Drank) and a funeral for one VERY tired recent hip-hop cliche. You have to watch this one to the end...Check it out below. Related: Kendrick Lamar Speaks With... Read more

Sheek Louch & Ghostface Killah – Young, Gifted & Black

Sheek Louch & Ghostface Killah flow over one of Big Daddy Kane's classics. Check out Young, Gifted & Black. Related: Ghostface Killah & Sheek Louch – Drivin’ Around ft Erykah Badu (Audio)... Read more

The Bullits – They Die By Dawn ft Yasiin Bey, Jay Electronica & Lucy Liu + They Die By Dawn Trailer (Video)

Whoa. Here's something you don't hear every day--Yasiin Bey and Jay Electronica flowing over a Spaghetti Western track. The song is for an upcoming Western featuring Erykah Badu, The Wire's Michael Kenneth Williams, Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito, Rosario Dawson, Isaiah Washington, Bokeem Woodbine and more. Both the soundtrack and the... Read more

SPOTLIGHT: GrandeMarshall – Thuggin Shidd Pt II (Video)

Every now and then some hot music slips through the cracks and we're late to the party. GrandeMarshall falls into that category. The Philly spitter has an incredible flow, dope lyrics and an ear for beats that we believe separates him from the ever-expanding track. Here's the video for his... Read more

Alicia Keys – Fire We Make ft Maxwell

Alicia Keys and Maxwell. Just the names sound soulful. Check out this incredible duet from them called Fire We Make. Hot. Related: A new soul mix featuring Maxwell, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Lauryn Hill and more (Audio)... Read more

Can’t wait for that Ghostface Killah & Sheek Louch Wu Block album? Here’s a 24-minute sampler from the album to hold you till it hits stores on 11/27 (Audio)

With features from Raekwon, Jadakiss, Styles P, Erykah Badu, Masta Killa, Method Man and more, it's about to be 1 of the hottest of the year. Check out the snippets and album track list below. Related: Ghostface Killah’s definition of a Good A$$ Night (Video) Here's the track list: 1... Read more

9th Wonder to release collabo albums with both Murs and Buckshot on 11/13 (Video)

The mighty 9th Wonder is handling all the production on not 1 but 2 albums that will be released on November 13th. The will include The Final Adventure, his 5th and final collabo album with Murs and The Solution, his 3rd album with Buckshot. Check out a video featuring the... Read more

Here’s a dope mixtape of some of Common’s best tracks from over the years.

Ready for Common's The Dreamer, The Believer to drop? Until then, here's a new mixtape that was done by DJ Soul & OkayPlayer which features some as Common best joints (solo and features). You'll hear his classics (like I Used to Love H.E.R. and Resurrection), ill features (like The Bizness... Read more

M*Knight – KnightVision Vol 2 (Video Mix)

Here's another incredible video mix from M*Knight. This one features a lot of current music from Kendrick Lamar, ElZhi, Stalley, Dom Kennedy, David Dallas, Freddie Gibbs, Pac Div, Murs, tabi Bonney, Curren$y, J*Davey, Erykah Badu, Black Milk and more (see below for the full tracklist). Once again, it's a true... Read more

Kendrick Lamar interview by LRG (Video)

Here's an interview of Kendrick Lamar where he discusses some of his current musical inspirations. He cites artists like Bilal, Floetry, D'Angelo and Erykah Badu as influences on his melody and general sound. That shows in the soulfulness that is heard throughout Section 80. Check out the interview below as... Read more

Can you imagine DJ Premier and Nas rocking a classical music track? You don’t need to…as part of a documentary by RE: GENERATION about the history of music, Primo was commissioned to create a classical music track and he and Nas did a collabo with the Berklee School of Music Orchestra.

The film also chronicles the journey of 4 other producers creating music outside of their traditional genres, including Mark Ronson making a jazz track with Erykah Badu.  The film won't be released until 2012, but you can check out a trailer featuring Premier preparing for his track below.  Seeing how... Read more

Here’s a Playlist of Some of the Best Chappelle Show Performances (Video Playlist)

Chappelle Show gets its much deserved props for its place in sketch comedy history, but it does not get enough recognition for its role as a major platform for showcasing hip-hop and soul performances. In addition to having impeccable taste in acts, the show had a knack for presenting artists... Read more

Nas headlined Rock The Bells in NYC. Here’s a video playlist that gives a taste of his performance. You’ll see Represent, Made You Look, It Ain’t Hard to Tell, The World Is Mine, If I Ruled the World, Live at the BBQ, Nas is Like and more.

Rock the Bells touched down in NYC on Saturday. Several iconic artists blessed the stage including Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Mobb Deep, Black Star, Black Moon, Raekwon & Ghostface and more. Nasty Nas had the headlining spot. Here's a playlist of many of his performances. You'll see Represent, Made You... Read more

Common speaks on the making of his classic album Be including working with the legendary J. Dilla for the last time. Check it out.

Common's installment of the Classic Albums by Classic Artists series may be the best one yet.  He gives a lot of behind the scenes details on the making of Be.  He discusses tracks like The Food and The Corner in depth and speaks about the last time he ever worked... Read more

Strange Fruit Project – A Dreamer’s Journey (Album Sampler)

Strange Fruit Project dropped a really dope album a few years ago, featuring the likes of Erykah Badu and Little Brother.  Sounds like they have another hot one coming...Check out this sampler of their new album, A Dreamer's Journey, which drops on 9/1.  Shout out to Thought Leaks as a... Read more

This week’s Soul Cooking mix features newer soul…but let’s not call it Neo.

If you dig artists like Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, Maxwell, Jill Scott, India.Arie and Lauryn Hill, this one is for you.  Put this one on with the BBQ and let it marinate.... Read more

I slept on Show Tufli a bit, but better late than never…Check out the video for 1st Class Ticket.

Show Tufli has an interesting story.  When he was 17 he had a stroke and was paralyzed for 40 days.  He overcame that and is now trying to conquer the rap game.  The song he spit over this chopped up sample of Erykah Badu's Window Seat is a nice start.:... Read more

Speaking of good Fridays, check out J. Cole’s new mixtape Friday Night Lights. Is he that next dude?

I saw J. Cole the day he finished this.  He had fire in his eyes.  Dude went IN on Too Deep for the intro which features Erykah Badu's timeless Didn't Cha Know track. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfEGX0rNOvA Listen to the whole mixtape and download it below: Download Mixtape... Read more

Statik Selektah is known for dropping classic mixtapes but now he is dropping singles. Check out 1982 ft Bun B

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TRzymRKa3Y&feature=player_embedded And, in case you're not familiar with Statik Selektah's mixtapes, check out The Look of Love, the tribute to J. Dilla he did with Q-Tip a few years ago.  It's vintage Dilla.  Click here to download the mixtape.  The tracklist is below: 01 - Q-Tip - One Love Intro... Read more

Freddie Gibbs put his spin on a classic Dr Dre beat (really Isaac Hayes) on his latest song Something New and did it real justice.

Check out the video showing a bit of the making of the song and click below for the download. Closed Sessions: Freddie Gibbs http://vimeo.com/14194755 Click here to download Something New. Also, check out a few other uses of the sample by Dr. Dre, as well as the original by Isaac... Read more

So Soulful

Listening to Rick Ross talk about his soulful musical influences inspired this playlist.  It features Curtis Mayfield, Mary J. Blige and others cited by the Teflon Don.  Tracklist below. Summer Madness - Kool & The Gang I Can’t Help It - Michael Jackson Give Me Your Love - Curtis Mayfield Holding... Read more

Meditations on Hip-Hop, Vol. Too

Think of this as hip-hop for chilling, sitting back and relaxing or just marinating.  It’s hip-hop for a rainy day.  Just hit play, sit back and let it ride.  Tracklist is below. Kick it to the Beat – J-Live The Lights – Nicolay & Kay Do You Think About Me... Read more

Q-Tip Explains The Changes In Hip-Hop That Led To ATCQ’s Breakup

Q-Tip and Elton John have worked together on music. Elton appeared on A Tribe Called Quest's final album, courtesy of the song "Solid Wall Of Sound." The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame-inducted British songwriter, singer, and pianist provided additional vocals to the track that sampled his "Bennie And The... Read more

Nas Was Only 16 When He Wrote Illmatic. He Reminisces On The Music That Made Him (Video)

Since his days of being "too scared to grab the mics in the park" and "breakin' into candy factories," Nas' youth is legendary. Since Illmatic, the son of Jazz trumpeter Olu Dara and Anne Jones chronicled his adolescence in rhyme. The Hip-Hop culture listened, and apparently related to an MC... Read more

Nas To Executive Produce “Street Dreams” Biographical Television Series

Approaching 21 years after he made his second album, It Was Written with top single "Street Dreams," these titles remain powerful statements in the life and career of Nas. After production and writing involvement in recent Netflix series The Get Down as well as film The Land (and its corresponding... Read more

Nas Says We Need Racial “Healing” & Looks To Muhammad Ali For Guidance (Video)

Earlier this year, the world lost an icon in Muhammad Ali. The legendary boxer and civil-rights activist made history inside and outside of the ring, by boldly standing up against the U.S. government when conscripted into the military in protest of the Vietnam War, and adopting the Islamic faith and... Read more

Donald Trump Is Just the Start. YG Is Ready To Take On the System.

With the Democratic National Convention well underway, the November arrival of America's presidential election is nearing closer, and things are reaching a fever pitch. Many artists within the Hip-Hop community are taking to the studio and stage to record political messages for posterity, helping raise awareness and inspire entire movements.... Read more

9th Wonder Explains How J Dilla Changed The Sound of Hip-Hop and Fathered “Neo Soul” In The Process (Interview)

After the ascendance of greats like DJ Premier, Pete Rock and Q-Tip in the 90s. There was a new wave of producers that would come to prominence in the 2000s who would carry the torch for Hip-Hop and take it in new directions. This new generation of beatmakers included the... Read more

Black Milk Produces A Strong Quick-strike For Ratking’s Wiki (Audio)

Over the last 15 years, Black Milk has worked with a total cross-section of Hip-Hop artists. From GZA to Bilal, Lloyd Banks to Proof, the Detroit, Michigan producer/MC has always found a way to fit in. One MC Black has found chemistry with is Danny Brown. The "Black and Brown"... Read more

RZA To Direct Film “Coco,” Starring Common & Jill Scott

In the Fall of 1991, RZA (as Prince Rakeem) had a Tommy Boy Records EP, Ooh, I Love You Rakeem, which would prove to be a jumping off point for the Wu-Tang Clan. That same season, a Chicago, Illinois MC named Common Sense appeared in the October, 1991 "Unsigned Hype"... Read more

Big Daddy Kane Says He’ll Finally Battle Rakim For Half A Million Dollars (Video)

This week, VladTV asked Big Daddy Kane, in the multi-part interview, if he'd battle longtime rival, contender as one of the greatest MCs of all-time, Rakim. Specifically, DJ Vlad  proposed the notion of the Brooklyn, New York Juice Crew legend taking on his Long Island, New York contemporary for a... Read more

Here’s an Amazing Mix of Music from the Legendary Roots Crew from Qool DJ Marv (Audio)

Here's an amazing mix of music from The Legendary Roots Crew courtesy of Qool DJ Marv. Marv got his start in Philly around the same time The Roots were coming up. With his impeccable ear and seamless blends, there are few more qualified to document the sounds of the venerable... Read more

Did You Know Missy Elliot Had A Big Hand In Puffy & The Family’s All About The Benjamins (Video)

A popular argument is that Missy Elliot's one of Hip-Hop's better producers. Sadly, due to co-production (something we've seen with Daz Dillinger, Guru, Mike Dean, and others), she may live in Timbaland's shadow. One person who sees Missy's talent for what it is may be Diddy. Back in '96-'97, Bad... Read more