AFH Ambrosia for Heads

Pras Details How O.D.B. Getting Lost Led To His Biggest Hit (Video)

The highest charting single of O.D.B.'s Hip-Hop career was not his own. The Brooklyn, New York MC/singer hit the charts with Wu-Tang Clan and his solo works. He would appear on the Bad Boy Remix to Mariah Carey's #1 single "Fantasy," but not on the chart-topping version. Instead, it was... Read more

Akinyele Suggests An Unkept Promise Planted The Seeds For The Nas & JAY-Z Beef

Queens, New York veteran MC Akinyele has not released an album of new material in more than 15 years. However, the raspy-voice rapper remains very much tied to the Hip-Hop culture he came up through. DJ Khaled and Drake's current hit "For Free" is an homage to a 1997 single... Read more

Daddy-O Releases Biggie’s Original Demos For Junior M.A.F.IA. For The First Time Ever (Audio)

When The Notorious B.I.G. (a/k/a Christopher Wallace) was murdered on March 9, 1997, he did not leave much music behind, relatively speaking. Later that month (March 25), Bad Boy Records would release Life After Death, a diamond-certified double-album containing 24 tracks from the Brooklyn, New York MC. To that point,... Read more

Pras Reveals How A Big Bet The Fugees Placed On Themselves Led To The Ultimate Score (Video)

Twenty years ago, The Fugees released their sophomore album The Score. Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras would make one of the biggest career turnarounds in Hip-Hop history. While their 1994 debut Blunted On Reality was considered a commercial disappointment (and did not appear on the Top 200), Pras claims... Read more

DJ Khaled May Be The Key Reason Big Pun & Fat Joe’s Twinz (Deep Cover 98) Became A Hit (Video)

In 2004, the Terror Squad released #1 single "Lean Back." With verses by Fat Joe and Remy Ma, T.S. shouted out DJ Khaled. Outside of Miami, Florida, the DJ, radio personality, and producer (of the alias "Beat Novacane") was not a known name in the mainstream. In 2016, Khaled Mohamed... Read more

A-F-R-O Has Flows For Days On Marco Polo’s Best Beats (EP Stream)

Last November, Bellflower, California MC A-F-R-O released his breakthrough mixtape Tales From The Basement. More than 100,000 people gave listen to the teenage lyricist who has been cosigned by R.A. The Rugged Man, GZA, DJ Premier, and others. In the time since, All Flows Reach Out has released videos, he's... Read more

Underground Hip-Hop Is Very Much Alive In 2016. One DJ Mixes It All Together.

Often times, the glory days of Underground Hip-Hop appears coincidental with the booming resurgence of vinyl records in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Out of a movement spearheaded by radio personalities such as Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito, and Sway and King Tech, a crop of hungry artists emerged that... Read more

Redman Salutes Shaq’s Raps. He Also Knights 50 Cent As The Last Of His Era (Video)

Redman is a true Hip-Hop character. When the Def Squad MC sits in front of a camera, he commands attention. Appearing in First We Feast's "Hot Ones" hot wings challenge, Reggie Noble is no exception. As the hot sauces turn up the spice, Funk Doctor gets teary, he puts his... Read more

DJ Jazzy Jeff & MICK Set Summertime 2016 Ablaze With Exclusives In The Mix

For the seventh consecutive year, DJ Jazzy Jeff & MICK (f/k/a Mick Boogie) punctuate the season with a Summertime mix. The 2016 version, also known as Summertime 7, is big on exclusives, ranging from Jeff's co-produced opener with De La Soul ("Time For Summer") to rare Pete Rock remixes of Jay Z... Read more

Stretch & Bobbito Recall Expectations Around Nas’ Illmatic Release (Audio)

Last night (June 13), Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito The Barber returned to radio, in a new way. The legendary New York City duo conducted two hours of live radio via Samsung 837 approximately 26 years after the pair began with a historic eight-year run at Columbia University's WKCR 89.9FM radio... 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

DMX & Styles P Ride Rough On A New Song That Takes No Prisoners (Audio)

Yesterday (June 4), DMX was one of the headlining acts at the 9th annual Roots Picnic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sharing the bill with fellow Ruff Ryders member Swizz Beatz (who appeared on stage during X's set), the Yonkers, New Yorker performed hits from the last 18 years of his illustrious... Read more

Ever See This Cypher Featuring Big L & AG? (Video)

In the late 90s, one of the first Internet Hip-Hop shows came courtesy of 88hiphop.com. The site was far ahead of its time, as it launched when the overwhelming majority of consumers still had dial up modems. For those with the access and the patience to endure endless buffering, however,... Read more

T.W.D.Y. Unified The Bay Area To Make For A True Holiday Celebration (Video)

In early 1999, commercial Rap music was evolving. The Bounce music sound of No Limit and now Cash Money Records had greatly influenced what was being played on the coasts. Dr. Dre had yet to release 2001; Suge Knight was incarcerated. Meanwhile DMX, Jay Z, Rakim and Puff Daddy were... Read more

This Track From Dilated Peoples & Tha Alkaholiks Still Deserves To Be In Heavy Rotation (Audio)

In many ways, Tha Alkaholiks were a critical, often overlooked part of the 1990s West Coast Underground movement. Acts like Freestyle Fellowship, Hieroglyphics, and The Pharcyde were instrumental forces—unifying multiple MCs, groups, and styles in a didactic, soulful sound that was distinctly California. However, in L.A., E-Swift, J-Ro, and Katashtrophe... Read more

Here’s Why G-Jet Is The Latest Artist On A Roster That Includes GZA, Grand Puba & Freeway (Video)

In late May and June, the Smokers Club Tour crosses the United States. As fans pack venues to see the likes of Cam'ron, Smoke DZA, The Underachievers, Pro Era's Nyck Caution, and others, they will encounter G-Jet, likely for the first time. A product of Columbus, Texas, G-Jet (an abbreviation... Read more

On A Great Night For Cali, Planet Asia Is Another Agent Of State Pride (Video)

Planet Asia's career benefited greatly from Sway & King Tech's The Wake Up Show. When P.A. (along with Jurassic 5) were Interscope Records label picks from the West Coast Hip-Hop Underground, they got massive spots on 1999's This Or That, the hallmark album from Sway, Tech, and DJ Revolution. In... Read more

Action Bronson’s Latest Is A Blue Chip Off Of Biggie & Super Cat’s Block (Audio)

Action Bronson has garnered some of the strongest acclaim of his career through the Blue Chips mixtape series with Party Supplies. Some of that same chemistry made its way onto 2015's Mr. Wonderful, with Bam Bam and the Fool's Gold Records production team creating four of the Top 10 LP's... Read more

Logic & Tech N9ne Competitively Compare Notes On How To Rap Incredibly Fast (Video)

Some of Hip-Hop's greatest MCs have earned their place by sometimes rhyming slow, and sometimes rhyming really, really fast. Artists such as Eminem, Jay Z, Big Daddy Kane, Andre 3000, and Kool G Rap are among the elites who can tear into a beat, and turn their mandibles into automatic... Read more

10 Years Later, D12 Show Proof’s Memory Is Very Much Alive In A New Documentary (Video)

It's been a decade since Detroit, Michigan's Proof passed away. An integral part of the city's Rap scene, his 2006 death was only 2 months after fellow Motor City native J Dilla left a gaping whole in the Hip-Hop community. Having performed as a member of the oft-overlooked 5 Elementz,... Read more

It Ain’t Hard To Tell… Nas’ Illmatic Is Decidedly Your Greatest Of All-Time Hip-Hop Album

Last September, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: what is the greatest Rap Album Of All-Time? “Finding The GOAT Album” has considered more than 120 albums from the 80s, 90s and 2000s (40 in each), with options for... Read more

MC Shan Challenges KRS-One To Settle The Bridge Wars Once & For All…With A Battle (Audio)

In the late 1980s, the Juice Crew and Boogie Down Productions were involved in one of Hip-Hop's most legendary battles. KRS-One and Scott La Rock released records dissing Marley Marl, Mr. Magic, Roxanne Shante, and MC Shan, among others. However, nearly 30 years later, MC Shan refutes the history that... Read more

Miilkbone Kept It Real With Something Big L, Jay Z & Logic Could Feel (Video)

Perth Amboy, New Jersey's claim to Hip-Hop fame lies in Miilkbone. Fans of 1990s Hip-Hop may recall the Naughty By Nature affiliate for his Capitol Records debut, Da' Miilkrate. With production by N.B.N.'s KayGee as well as Nick Wiz (Cella Dwellas, Rakim, Skillz), the major label album struck the Rap... Read more

Biggie’s Ready To Die vs. Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter The Wu-Tang. Which Is Better?

Last September, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: what is the greatest Rap Album Of All-Time? “Finding The GOAT Album” has considered more than 120 albums from the 80s, 90s and 2000s (40 in each), with options for... Read more

Nas & Large Professor Still Barbeque 25 Years Later, With One Lyric Change (Video)

This month, Nas hosted a 2016 South By Southwest event called "Live At The BBQ." The same night Nasir Jones premiered his collaborator with J Dilla, he invited mentor Large Professor to the stage. Large Pro and his early '90s group Main Source would introduce Nas to the ears of... Read more

Dr. Dre’s The Chronic vs. The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready To Die. Which Is Better?

Last September, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: what is the greatest Rap Album Of All-Time? “Finding The GOAT Album” has considered more than 120 albums from the 80s, 90s and 2000s (40 in each), with options for... Read more

The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready To Die vs. Jay Z’s The Blueprint. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

Daddy-O Says “Rakim Told The Biggest Lie In Hip-Hop,” In An Unfiltered Interview (Video)

Professor Daddy-O is an MC/producer who has been actively working for 30 years. The front man for 1980s Brooklyn, New York pioneers Stetsasonic, Daddy-O would help introduce the world to Prince Paul (the group's DJ and one of its producers), as well as Mary J. Blige, Lil' Kim, and others.... Read more

The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready To Die vs. Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures Of…Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

Rapsody Reacts To Grammy Nomination & Confirms Guest On Next Album (Video Interview)

Last night, Rapsody and 9th Wonder performed at the second annual J Dilla Weekend in Miami, Florida. During Rap's set, her friend and collaborator Jay Electronica took the stage to publicly crown her "the best female lyricist since Lauryn Hill," and bestow her with his chain. Moments later, the Jamla... 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

Press Play On Jeru The Damaja’s 1991-1992 Guru-Produced Demo (Audio)

Jeru The Damaja emerged as one of—if not the biggest star of the Gang Starr Foundation. The Brooklyn, New York MC would sign with Guru's Ill Kid Records in the early 1990s, before releasing acclaimed DJ Premier-produced albums The Sun Rises In The East and Wrath Of The Math. Both... Read more

New York City DJ Icon Big Kap Has Passed Away

In a developing story, multiple sources have confirmed that veteran DJ and producer Big Kap has died.The New York mixmaster born Keith Carter was a DJ for The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, and others. Kap was also a fixture of 1990s NYC venue The Tunnel, a club notable for introducing some... Read more

Kxng Crooked & Statik Selektah Are Ruthless With This Music. Let’s Go (Audio)

The MC formerly known as Crooked I has been on a tear in early 2016. The same week he unleashed a beast of a freestyle at Tony Touch's radio show, Kxng Crooked returns with a fully-produced bar massacre. "Let's Go" teams with album partner Statik Selektah on the boards, and... Read more

Just Blaze Flipped This Supertramp Song & Made It Breathe For Fabolous (Audio)

Whether or not 1970s Rock & Roll is part of your playlist, chances are you've heard Supertramp. The London, England group was active from the late 1960s to the late '80s, and last year began some reunion touring and recording. "The Logical Song" and "The Long Way Home" are two... Read more

Big Daddy Kane Tells The Story Of The Night He & Tupac Recorded Together (Video)

Throughout the 1990s, Tupac Shakur and Big Daddy Kane maintained a friendship. It was during Kane's 1993 Manhattan show that  'Pac and The Notorious B.I.G., with Scoob and Shyheim The Rugged Child, famously spit their iconic freestyles together. However, Tupac and Kane would also record together. One song, reportedly titled "Too Late... Read more

MCs Say They’re Freestyling…But They Ain’t Been Rhyming Like Common Sense (Audio)

Over the years, the definition of the term "freestyle" has blurred. The word initially referred to a rhyme, written or spontaneous, that was not about a particular topic but, instead, was "free of style." In the 90s, it came to mean a rhyme that was impromptu, or "off the top... Read more

Tony Touch’s Latest Tape Compiles Hot Raps From KRS, J. Cole, Nas & More

One year to the week after Tony Touch released the popular Hip Hop 101 mixtape, Toca returns with Hip Hop 102. This mix (available for free download as well) features many, many reasons to believe the music of the people is going on strong. Tony's needles glide over the latest... Read more

Fat Joe, Diamond D & A.G. Show They’re Still Diggin’ For Perfection (Audio)

2016 is off to a promising start for the storied collective known as Diggin' In The Crates. First, D.I.T.C.'s "underboss," Lord Finesse released a top-of-year DJ mix. Now, three members are back in action, together. Fat Joe and his onetime mentor, Diamond D join A.G. for "Make Em So Proud."... Read more

This 1998 Cypher By Eminem & Royce Da 5’9″ Was A Preview Of Much Greatness to Come (Mix)

As a DJ at NYC's legendary Fat Beats record store, as well as on college radio and about town, during the 90s and beyond, DJ Eclipse had a critical role at helping to break some of the most acclaimed MCs in Hip-Hop history. Similar to the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito... Read more

Pusha T Interviews With Sway & Spits A Verse For MCs Who Act Like They Don’t Know (Video)

Last Thursday (December 17), Pusha T was a guest on Sway In The Morning. There, just hours before King Push: Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude, the Clipse co-founder got really deep about his 2015 headspace. Before leaving, and after 40 minutes of nuggets, Push' spit a freestyle that was very... Read more

Jay Z’s Reasonable Doubt vs. Ice Cube’s Death Certificate. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

Two Decades Later, Dr. Dre & Kurupt Are Still Xxplosive Rhyme Partners (Audio)

Although Dr. Dre executive produced Tha Dogg Pound's multi-platinum debut Dogg Food in 1995, the N.W.A. alum was not as hands-on as he'd been with Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggystyle. Kurupt was one of the star lyricists in the Death Row Records movement, and part of that famed off-shoot group. As... Read more

The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready To Die vs. Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

Sheek Louch Discusses Silverback Gorilla 2 & Talks Working With Biggie and DMX (Interview)

Whereas speaking to Jadakiss or Styles P is often a lower key experience, their LOX band-mate Sheek Louch is high-energy. The Yonkers, New York veteran MC did not equate himself to one of the most ferocious members of the animal kingdom by being docile. In the Tommy Boy Entertainment conference... Read more

Tupac’s All Eyez On Me vs. Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Doggystyle. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more

KRS-One Returns To The Mic With A Vengeance. Now Hear This! (Album Stream)

It has been several years since KRS-One released an album. One of Hip-Hop's most famous, controversial, and quoted MCs self-released Now Hear This yesterday (November 27). The Boogie Down Productions co-founder's 12th solo album contains 18 songs, with production by Da Beatminerz, Mad Lion, and DJ Static, among others. This... Read more

Dot Demo Gets Demonic to Remind Us We’re All Possessed (Video)

22 year-old Bronx MC Dot Demo has yet to release his debut album, but his creativity and fully polished work thus far have earned him considerable buzz. With Somewhere In Nirvana (notice the acronym) expected to arrive very soon, the young artist recently performed for Huffington Post's Freestyle Fridays series,... Read more

KRS-One Dismantles A Fan That Challenged Him To A Battle (Video)

This past weekend (November 21), KRS-One performed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There, Kris (who has a new album releasing this week) rocked a bill that also included Rakim, Ras Kass, Domingo, DJ JS-1, among others. While performing his set at the Greater Pittsburgh Coliseum, KRS-One welcomed one fan from the crowd... Read more

Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Doggystyle vs. Main Source’s Breaking Atoms. Which Is Better?

One year ago, Ambrosia For Heads launched a debate among its readers seeking to answer one of Hip-Hop’s most hotly-contested questions: who is the greatest MC of all time? “Finding The GOAT MC” lasted between September 2014 and May 2015, engaging millions of readers and ultimately producing its winner, as... Read more