AFH Ambrosia for Heads

ANoyd Antagonizes The Mic In A Blistering 5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle (Video)

Bloomfield, Connecticut lyricist ANoyd (pronounced "annoyed") has been mashing on the gas ever since he came in the game, about five years ago. That is the year he appeared on Apathy’s album that was dedicated to both MCs’ home state, Connecticut Casual. He has also recorded several songs with another... Read more

Sway Makes His 5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle Challenge Harder But Dee-1 Keeps The Faith (Video)

Sway & King Tech's Wake Up Show made the freestyle a mandatory calling card for any MC who wanted to promote something. That tradition goes back to the '90s. In the 2010s, Sway In The Morning's 5 Fingers Of Death challenge is what keeps some MCs up at night. The stage has... Read more

CyHi The Prynce Bodies 5 Fingers Of Death. Sway Says He “May Be The Best Rapper Out” (Video)

UPDATE: Hours after his exceptional Sway In The Morning "5 Fingers Of Death" freestyle (below), CyHi The Prynce's pre-album campaign continues. The Sony Records artist dropped second No Dope On Sundays single "I'm Fine." This one features fellow G.O.O.D. Music family member Travis Scott. The song features heavy organs, Scott handling... Read more

Wyclef Jean Freestyles While Playing Guitar In One Of The Illest 5 Fingers Of Death EVER (Video)

By all accounts, Wyclef Jean is one of the most unique voices in Hip-Hop. The Haitian-born, Brooklyn-raised MC, singer, musician, and songwriter helped elevate the influence of Caribbean music in American culture, and his multilingual heritage has always been a hallmark of his work. With all of that diversity, it's... Read more

Taylor Bennett Smashes The First EVER 10 Fingers Of Death (Video)

There's more than one talented rapper in the Bennett family. While the world has been wowed by the gifts of Chance The Rapper for the last several years, his brother, Taylor, is making quite a name for himself. Fast. Many first caught wind of Taylor in 2014, when he went... Read more

Mistah F.A.B. Slam Dunks His 5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle Like A Warrior (Video)

Tonight (May 26), the Golden State Warriors aim to strike back against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 at home. The 9:00pm EST match-up prompted Bay area native Sway Calloway to bring some home-team turf talk into Sway In The Morning. Mistah F.A.B., who also has an album dropping... Read more

Joey Bada$$ Makes The 5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle Into A Fist & Puts It On Troy Ave (Video)

It has been a big month for Brooklyn, New York Hip-Hop. After 2015 saw albums by Joey Bada$$ (B4.Da.$$) and Troy Ave (Major Without A Deal), the men began a social media back-and-forth regarding sales versus status that soon escalated. Last month (February 29), Troy brought the late Capital STEEZ... Read more

Andy Mineo Defeats the 5 Fingers of Death With a Biblical Freestyle (Video)

Andy Mineo returned to the Sway in the Morning show in promotion of his new album, Uncomfortable, which will be released on September 18. For many, Andy's profile grew exponentially, after his standout freestyle on Sway's RapFix Live in December of 2013. Mineo is a Reach Records artist and, like... Read more

R. Kelly Is Not Afraid of 5 Fingers Of Death. Catch The Kellz Freestyle (Video)

R. Kelly is often said to improvise many of his hits. Sitting at the keyboard, the 25-year veteran freestyles those very melodies and choruses that have changed the sound of R&B, and presumably created a few lives too. Somebody who is not often in the media, Kellz swung through today's... Read more

Meek Mill Pops A Wheelie & Rides Through His 5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle (Video)

Meek Mill may be an acquired taste to some. However, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania veteran brings an impassioned delivery without failure, no matter what the track's vibe is. That's what makes the Maybach Music Group MC's appearance on Sway In The Morning so interesting. Meek Millie takes 5 Fingers Of Death... Read more

Tish Is the First Woman MC to Do the 5 Fingers of Death Freestyle. She CRUSHES It (Video)

Tish Hyman is a rare talent who is on the verge of exploding. The Bronx, NY artist is one of the select few who is equally and supremely gifted at both rapping and singing. Her single, "Subway Art," showcases the latter more heavily, but do not be fooled. As an... Read more

Charles Hamilton Has Everything To Prove In A 5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle (Video)

Five years ago, Charles Hamilton was seemingly on top of the world. The Harlem, New York MC  who happens to be MC Lyte's cousin had inked a deal with the dominant Interscope Records. Hamilton was releasing spotlight-grabbing mixtapes at a breakneck speed. Along with peers Wale, B.o.B., and Asher Roth,... Read more

Can Ne-Yo Kick It? Yes, He Can…5 Fingers of Death, R&B Style (Video)

Much like Johnny Gill did last week, Ne-Yo takes on Sway in the Morning's Five Fingers of Death Challenge, R&B style. Rather than kick verses, he turns each beat into his own personal remix, flipping familiar lyrics over a wide variety of tracks. It gives a real sense of his... Read more

How Does Johnny Gill Handle the 5 Fingers of Death? Like a G…(Video)

Johnny Gill hit the Sway in the Morning show and became the first singer to tackle the 5 Fingers of Death challenge. When faced with five random beats, rather than freestyle as is customary for the MCs who step up to the test, Johnny did what he does best...He riffed... Read more

Astro Handles the 5 Fingers of Death Freestyle Like a Champion (Video)

Astro stopped by the Sway in the Morning show to discuss his new Computer Era album, Ferguson and more. After, he got on the mic and tackled Sway's 5 Fingers of Death MC challenge, off the top, and did not break a sweat. After, some said it was the best... Read more

Your Old Droog Manhandles Sway’s 5 Fingers Of Death + Gives Rare Interview (Video)

Your Old Droog is not just nice on records. The MC appeared this week on Sway In The Morning, and dazzled fans with charm, whether in a freestyle or simply telling his story. Sway Calloway, Heather B and team asked Droog about the Nas comparisons, his dues paid in the... Read more

Troy Ave & Young Lito Take on the 5 Fingers of Death Freestyle While Counting Money (Video)

BSB's Troy Ave and Young Lito were the latest to take on Sway's 5 Fingers of Death MC challenge where they rhymed over 5 random beats. With no shortage of swagger, the two traded off beat for beat while Troy counted stacks of money. When asked why, he told Sway... Read more

Lecrae Smashes The Five Fingers of Death MC Challenge with Style & Grace (Video)

When's the last time you heard a rapper smash the mic, without cursing? When's the last time you heard an MC body a Kirk Franklin track?? Lecrae is the latest artist to take on Sway's Five Fingers of Death challenge (flowing over 5 random beats) and he tore it down.... Read more

Common Never Skips A Beat On Sway’s 5 Fingers of Death (Video)

Common stops by the Shade 45 Studio to kick it with Sway Calloway and his team for the third year anniversary of their top of the morning radio syndicate. In this episode, Sway gets Common's take on a few popular entertainment news stories, talks about his upcoming album, Nobody's Smiling... Read more

Sway Tests Mistah FAB With The 5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle Challenge, How’s He Stand? (Video)

Mistah FAB is one of the meanest freestyle MCs in Hip-Hop. Appearing recently on "Sway In The Morning," it's abundantly clear that fellow Bay Area alum Sway is well aware of Fabby Davis' lyrical capability. Running through some of the stellar guests as of late on the Shade 45 program,... Read more

Logic Destroys the 5 Fingers of Death Freestyle. Did He Even Take a Breath?? (Video)

Logic took on Sway's 5 Fingers of Death Freestyle challenge and did what real MC's do...BODIED IT. Not only did he deliver some crushing off the top lyrics, it almost seemed like he didn't even take a breath. True lyrics of fury. Check it out. Related: Logic Shows Off His... Read more

Smoke DZA Flows Over Music from Dr. Dre, Aaliyah & 112 on The 5 Fingers of Death (Video)

Smoke DZA stopped by The Sway in the Morning show to tackle the 5 Fingers of Death freestyle challenge and passed with flying colors. The Harlem MC went off the top over 5 beats, including music from Dr. Dre, Aaliyah and 112. Riiiight...Check it out. Related: Did You Know Smoke... Read more

Schoolboy Q Discusses the TDE Cypher With Sway and Takes on the 5 Fingers of Death Freestyle (Video)

Schoolboy Q chopped it up with Sway about the TDE Cypher, TDE's newest member Isaiah Rashad, Kendrick's Control verse and more. He and Sway also prank called Kendrick on the air. After, Q took a run at the Five Fingers of Death Freestyle. Check out the video. Related: TDE BET... Read more

Mac Miller-5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle

Mac Miller stopped by Sway In The Morning and decided to drop a few bars over this classic Big L track. Check out the session and tell us how he did. Related:Mac Miller Freestyles on the Funkmaster Flex Show (Video)... Read more

Whoa. Brother Ali turned in one of the best 5 Fingers of Death performances EVER on the Sway in the Morning show. Check out the video (Video)

The reactions of Murs and Fashawn in the background are equally entertaining. Related: Brother Ali - Mourning in America (Video)... Read more

Ryan Leslise does 5 Fingers of Death on the Sway in the Morning Show (Video)

Ryan Leslie doing Sway's 5 Fingers of Death? He just might surprise you. Check out the video. Related: Schoolboy Q & Ab-Soul – 5 Fingers of Death (Video)... Read more

Childish Gambino – 5 Fingers of Death Freestyle (Video)

Childish Gambino's latest 5 Fingers of Death is one of the best so far. He went in on all 5 beats that were thrown at him (ranging from DJ Premier to Nirvana) and all were of the dome. Afterward, Sway gives him props for what he is doing for hip-hop.... Read more

Wreckonize (from ¡Mayday!) – Five Fingers of Death on the Sway in the Morning show (Video)

Tech N9ne's Strange Music family visited the Sway in the Morning show yesterday. Wreckonize from ¡Mayday! had the honors of taking on 5 Fingers of Death where Sway has folks rhyme over 5 random beats and he SMASHED IT with a true freestyle off the dome. Check out the video... Read more

Schoolboy Q & Ab-Soul – 5 Fingers of Death + Druggys With H*es Again (Video)

5 Fingers of Death. You know how it goes down. Sway plays 5 random beats and let's MCs attack 'em. Half of Black Hippy, Schoolboy Q & Ab-Soul, got their chance yesterday and the lyrical wordplay was silly. Both Q and Ab-Soul blacked out on different beats. Check out the... Read more

Big K.R.I.T. – 5 Fingers of Death

Big K.R.I.T. is the latest MC to participate in the 5 Fingers of Death series on the Sway in the Morning show on Shade 45.  Check out how he flows over 5 beats below. Click here to download.  Also, click here to check out Kendrick Lamar's 5 Fingers of Death.... Read more

Kendrick Lamar – 5 Fingers of Death Freestyle

Kendrick Lamar stopped by Sway and Devi Dev's show on Shade 45 last week and kicked freestyles (true freestyles off the dome) over 5 beats ranging from the theme song to Barney Miller to a track from Metallica.  Sway spontaneously dubbed the performance the 5 Fingers of Death.  Check out... Read more

Wayne Brady Rips 2020’s 1st 5 Fingers Freestyle & It’s Completely Off The Top (Video)

Wayne Brady may be known for hosting shows, improv comedy, and legendary Chappelle's Show cameo, but he's nice on the mic. The 47-year-old Columbus, Georgia native has rocked Sway In The Morning (and DJ Whoo Kid's Shade 45 radio show) with freestyles before. But he's back, with the first "Five Fingers Of... Read more

Maseo’s New MC Makes 5 Fingers A Hard Fist To The Face Of Hip-Hop In A New Freestyle (Video)

Born and raised in Harlem, rapper Bill Ray is signed to Maseo (of De La Soul)'s indie label, Bear Mountain. Formerly a member of group Triple Beam, he's been pursuing a solo career for over a decade, earning thousands of fans by touring with De La Soul and performing his... Read more

Isaiah Rashad Discusses Trying To Kill Himself

Last week, a video interview clip between Joe Budden and Isaiah Rashad marked the Tennessee MC's first public reaction to at least one videotape leaked in February. In that clip, the Top Dawg Entertainment artist spoke about his sexuality, his current relationship, and if he would be pursuing legal action... Read more

Marlon Craft Says He’s Mos Def, Talib Kweli & Nas Combined In A Fiery Freestyle

Marlon Craft is out to uphold a rich tradition of New York City Hip-Hop. From Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen, this MC put in work on last year's exceptional A Breukelen Story album from Masta Ace & Marco Polo—named one of Ambrosia For Heads' best of '18. Previously, Marlon has been behind... Read more

Playtime Is OVER. Oswin Benjamin Has The Best Freestyle Of 2019

Oswin Benjamin has been on the grind in Hip-Hop for years. The New York City lyricist has made his appearances count, whether they were high-profile freestyles, Team Backpack cyphers, or features on Styles P, Anoyd, and Domingo albums. The close affiliate of Chris Rivers has just released his full-length debut,... Read more

Ready Or Not? ANoyd Shows Eminem Isn’t The Only MC With Venomous Rhymes

Bloomfield, Connecticut native ANoyd may be a sort of new name to some Heads, but he has been consistently churning out quality material for at least five years now. Since kicking a standout verse on Apathy’s 2014 Connecticut Casual album on a song titled “Locals Only!,” he has dropped at least... Read more

There Were Some Incredible Freestyles In 2018. Here Are The Year’s Best (Video)

For all the chatter about Mumble Rap taking over, there have been a number of MCs who put on incredible lyrical displays in 2018. Artists like Royce 5'9, Styles P, Pusha-T, Evidence, Benny The Butcher, Jay Rock, Logic and J. Cole released projects packed with punchlines and substantive verses, and... Read more

CyHi The Prynce Challenges Joe Budden To A Rap Battle For $500,000 (Video)

In recent episodes of The Joe Budden Podcast, CyHi The Prynce has come up in conversation several times. Joe, along with co-hosts Rory, Mal, as well as Parks, have discussed CyHi's announcement of his Kanye West-produced seven-song follow-up to 2017's No Dope On Sundays. More recently, they addressed 'Ye reportedly gifting... Read more

Mistah F.A.B. May Be The Greatest Off The Top Freestyler EVER. This Will Sway You (Video)

Few MCs have bodied Sway In The Morning's "5 Fingers Of Death" challenge as many times as Mistah Fab. Given Sway's Oakland, California roots, it's only natural that he champions the former Mac Dre pupil. However, make no mistake — Fabby Davis earned his spot as a proven serial killer... Read more

Taylor Bennett Speaks Candidly About Coming Out & Creating His Own Lane (Video)

In the last month, Taylor Bennett released a six-song project called BE YOURSELF. The DIY project is the latest from the Chicago, Illinois MC. For many Hip-Hop Heads, two things come to mind surrounding the 22-year-old. He is the younger brother of Grammy Award-winning Rap star Chance The Rapper. Additionally,... Read more

One Of Biggie’s Final Radio Appearances Is A Moment That Can Never Be Tuned Out (Video)

In today’s Hip-Hop landscape, Sway Calloway is most synonymous with hosting both established and budding MCs at the Shade 45 studios in New York, providing them a globally esteemed platform to showcase their verbal readiness. A successful Sway In The Morning appearance has become somewhat of a seal of approval for... Read more

Tory Lanez Delivers The Best Freestyle Of The Year, So Far (Video)

Tory Lanez capped off 2017 with one of the most notable live, on-air freestyles of the year when he went off for eight minutes on Funkmaster Flex's HOT 97 series. Now in early 2018, Lanez appears on Sway In The Morning and topped that showing—not only by spitting for one... Read more

Big K.R.I.T. Rates The Bars & Hands Pimp C The Lowest Score In The Batch (Video)

Big K.R.I.T. is the latest rapper in the hot seat for "Rate The Bars." More than most, Krizzle seems to be a generous rater (handing out almost exclusively 4's and 5's). Heads have long found this artist to be generous with his music, whether giving away acclaimed mixtapes and making... Read more

Stalley Has Left MMG & His Sway Freestyle Shows He’s Self-Made (Video)

Ohio MC Stalley has spent much of his career attached to movements. Most notably, in his days with Rick Ross' MMG squad, he was part of three Top 5 Maybach Music Group Self-Made compilations in the early 2010s. The MC followed with his own Top 40 debut Ohio in 2014.... Read more

CyHi The Prynce’s Gospel Is Designed To Help All Reach Their Dreams (Audio)

CyHi The Prynce's just-released “God Bless Your Heart" is the latest single from his debut LP, No Dope On Sundays due to drop this Friday (November 17). Along with a preview stream of the Sony release, the Atlanta, Georgia MC recently told NPR, “Even though it's rough in our neighborhoods,... Read more

Wyclef Jean Explains Why Country Music Is The Original Gangsta Rap (Video)

Last week, Wyclef Jean released Carnival III: The Rise and Fall of a Fugee. The orator uses a storyteller's title on his eighth album. There have been ups and downs to the man who represents Haiti, Brooklyn, and north New Jersey. However, things are great for him right now. In addition... Read more

Why MCs Avoid The Term “Christian Rap” Like It’s A Dirty Word (Video)

Less than three years ago, Lecrae reached the top of the pop charts with Anomaly. The Reach Records release, which subsequently went gold, marked a new pinnacle for what is commonly referred to as "Christian Rap." In this week's episode of TBD, Justin "The Company Man" Hunte examines the weird... Read more

Vic Mensa Once Again Shows He’s 1 Of Today’s Best MCs With A Punishing Freestyle (Video)

Yesterday (July 28), Vic Mensa released his debut album, The Autobiography, but Mensa is far from new on the scene. The Chicago MC first made waves in 2009, as part of the group Kids These Days. In 2013, Vic began his solo career and once again turned heads with his... Read more

Marsha Ambrosius Explains Why She Will Never Say Yes To Another Floetry Reunion (Video)

In the first half of the 2000s, Floetry was an exciting addition to the Soul genre and Philly's booming scene. Marsha Ambrosious and Natalie Stewart made two Top 20 albums, with 2005's Flo'Ology sophomore peaking at #7. The five-time Grammy-nominated duo made their fans "Say Yes" right along with them,... Read more